DECATUR, Texas — While Decatur’s homecoming went off without a hitch, Stephenville High School’s Yellow Jackets had other plans with regards to the football game — continuing their rebound 2017 campaign with a 41-20 win Friday night at Eagle Stadium.
Stephenville entered the game with a powerful run game; it did indeed sting the Eagles, but their passing game was just as explosive. The Yellow Jackets as a team tallied 289 yards in the air, which added to their whopping 560 yards of total offense on the game, while Decatur finished with 339 yards of total offense.
Photo via Blake Wood, TexasHSFootball.com
Turnovers also cost the Eagles, as a pair of fumbles and an interception came at the most inopportune times; one of which was lost at the Stephenville five-yard line in the second quarter.
In a contest between potent offenses, it stands to reason that the first score came on a punt block, putting Stephenville on the scoreboard first. Shortly after, a 47-yard pass from Easton Jones to Krece Nowak gave the Jackets a quick 14-0 lead; however, Decatur’s next drive was a long one, stretching into the second quarter.
The second quarter began with an Eagle surge, as quarterback Wilson Hicks tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Martinez for Decatur’s first score of the game. The Eagles then took a gamble on the next kickoff, opting for the onside, and seeing it pay off. The next drive then ended with a 31-yard pass from Hicks to Mario Reyes to tie the game at 14.
Decatur looked poised to take control of the game from this point, with Stephenville’s next drive starting back at their one-yard line. However, a 69 yard run from Nowak changed everything for the drive and potentially turned the tide in the game. The Jackets shortly regained the lead with a seven-yard pass from Jones to Blake Aragon. Jones then capped off his explosive first-half performance with a pass to Kyle Lindsey from 26 yards out, Jones’ third touchdown toss of the first half.
The Jackets scoring streak continued into the second half with back-to-back touchdown passes from Jones. Decatur was last to add on to the scoreboard with a big run by Martinez, tiptoeing down the right-hand sideline for the 73-yard score. The extra point, however, was no good, leaving the 41-20 score as the final.
Photo via Blake Wood, TexasHSFootball.com
Nowak turned in a fine performance for Stephenville, tallying 204 yards rushing on 20 carries, as well as hauling in seven passes for 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Jones was stellar as the signal caller, recording 276 yards and five touchdowns on 17 completions. Martinez played well in the loss for Decatur, tallying 128 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving with a pair of touchdowns. Hicks threw for 124 yards and a pair of scores on eight completions.
Stephenville (4-0) gets another big test in their rebound year next week, traveling to Graham to take on a strong Steers team. Decatur (2-2) will look for another opportunity to rebound next week when they take on Wise County rival Bridgeport (0-4) at Bull Memorial Stadium.
Feature Photo by Blake Wood, TexasHSFootball.com
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