The Manvel Mavericks made several big plays in pivotal moments to win a monster clash over defending state champion Cedar Park, 47-35, Saturday at Kyle Field.
Manvel (13-0) advances to play Temple in the Class 5A Division I state quarterfinal next week at a time and date to be determined. Temple defeated Port Arthur Memorial, 39-7, earlier on Saturday.
Manvel built a 27-7 lead early in the second quarter, but Cedar Park showed its moxie and three times overcame a three-touchdown deficit. The Timberwolves cut Manvel’s lead to 40-35 just over a minute into the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks marched 85 yards on four plays in just 48 seconds to put the game away, but not without Cedar Park making a valiant effort in the end.
Cedar Park, the defending Class 5A state champion, ends its season at 12-1 and subsequently its 27-game winning streak came to a halt. The Timberwolves had won 35 of their last 36 games, with their last loss coming to Ennis, 38-35, in the 2014 state championship.
The teams combined for 943 yards of offense – 471 by Cedar Park and 472 by Manvel. Cedar Park junior quarterback Mak Sexton completed 34-of-55 passes for 415 yards and four touchdowns. On the other side, Manvel junior quarterback Kason Martin had 394 yards and four touchdowns, including a 53-yard scoring pass to Jalen Preston to end the first half.
With two seconds on the clock, Martin took the snap, rolled right and found Preston for a short pass in the flat. Preston broke three tackles, darted across the field, picked up two blockers and dove to the corner of the end zone to give the Mavericks a 40-21 lead at the half.
Leading up to the end of the second quarter and Manvel leading, 27-7, Cedar Park used a clock-eating drive to try and score late in the half and get the ball back to start the third quarter, but that’s when an insane chain of events happened over the next minute and a half.
Cedar Park scored when Sexton found Omar Alzer in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown. The T’Wolves had to redo the kickoff after sending the first one out of bounds, and Manvel senior Keylon Stoke, a Tulsa commit, returned it 66 yards for a touchdown.
Cedar Park then needed just four plays and 36 seconds to march 72 yards for a score, capped by Sexton’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Drew McDaniel that left 32 seconds on the clock, which led to Manvel’s miraculous ending in the first half.
Manvel’s defense was led by Trent Gordon’s 10 sacks. J. J. Joseph and Derrick Tucker (A&M commit) each had eight tackles and an interception, Kameron Pedescleaux had eight tackles and Brian Johnson also had a pick for the Mavericks.
Hunter Valk had 12 tackles (10 solo) and Jordan Diver had 11 tackles for Cedar Park.
The Temple coaching staff was en route to Kyle Field after their game ended in Cypress an hour earlier. They were to discuss the particulars about the showdown next week with Manvel. The two teams are scheduled to play at 8 p.m. on Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
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