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E-mail This StoryOn a night when Mesquite’s high-powered offense sputtered at times and the defense allowed its share of yards, the Skeeter special teams came to the rescue.
Bradlee Baladez booted three field goals, including a pair of critical kicks in the fourth quarter, and Marcus Trice broke a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown to help lead Mesquite to a 23-14 victory on Friday at E.H. Hanby Stadium.
The Skeeters, who overcame a fourth-quarter deficit in their season-opening victory over Lake Highlands, did so again by scoring 13 unanswered points to end the game. The Hawks fell to 0-2 despite out-gaining Mesquite 353-294 in total yardage.
“Both of the teams we played were very good football teams, their kids are going to fight all the way to the end, but our kids also kept fighting,” Mesquite head coach Robbie Robinson said. “Hopefully we’re in pretty good condition and I’m just so impressed with our kids resolve, they just don’t want to lose.”
Hebron appeared to have all the momentum on its side after marching 76 yards in 13 plays, capped by a 3-yard run by Darius Staten,
The drive took up nearly five minutes off the clock and gave the Hawks a 14-10 lead going to the fourth. Staten paced the rushing attack with 86 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Justin Iwuji added 78 yards on the ground, while completing 15-of-24 for 181 yards through the air.
Mesquite, which was held to 103 yards in the first half, started to get untracked in the third quarter but an interception by Alex Norman near the goal line thwarted the drive.
After Hebron took the lead, the Skeeters went on the march again, moving into Hawk territory as the fourth quarter began. Facing fourth-and-two from the 41, Mesquite gambled and hit on one of its few big plays of the night, with Luke Halpin hooking up with Darien McNealy on a short out route and McNealy doing the rest, weaving through the defense for a touchdown to take a 17-14 lead.
On Hebron’s very next play, Darnell Taylor intercepted his second pass of the night to set up a 41-yard field goal by Baladez to make it 20-14. After forcing another Hawk punt, Baladez drilled a 44-yarder to give the Skeeters a 23-14 lead with just 4:18 left to play.
“It was the major impact in the ball game tonight,” Robinson said. “Bradlee, his kickoffs gave them a long field for most of the night and that’s huge. He’s a weapon with field goals, if we can get him around the 30 or so, he’s been money. And we’ve got some guys who can take it to the house, as Marcus Trice showed tonight, so it was huge.”
Hebron would drive near midfield, but a dropped pass on fourth down ended its hopes.
After Mesquite ran out the clock, the Hawks were left to wonder what might have been.
Despite allowing just two first downs in the first quarter, Hebron found itself in a 10-0 hole. An interception by Taylor led to a field goal by Baladez for an early 3-0 Skeeter lead.
After a Hawk punt, Trice fielded the punt and raced right through the heart of the coverage unit for a 79-yard return to make it 10-0 midway through the first quarter.
Hebron finally got its own offense moving early in the second, getting down to the Mesquite 17. On the next play, Staten dashed through the defense, but as he extended toward the goal line, he had the ball knocked out of his hands and through the back of the end zone for a touchback.
The Hawks shook off any disappointment on their next drive, despite starting at their own 1-yard line after a great punt by Baladez. Hebron needed just seven plays, highlighted by a 76-yard completion from Iwuji to Tyshon Nobles, with Staten finishing it off with a 1-yard run to close to within 10-7 at halftime.
The positives for the Hawks continued in the third, with Norman’s interception and the long drive to take the lead, but the Skeeters would turn the tide in the fourth to pull out the victory.
Hebron 0 7 7 0 14
Mesquite 10 0 0 13 23
SCORING SUMMARY
M-Bradlee Baladez 28 FG
M-Marcus Trice 79 punt return (Baladez kick)
H-Darius Staten 1 run (Blake Denton kick)
H-Staten 3 run (Denton kick)
M-Darien McNealy 41 pass from Luke Halpin (Baladez kick)
M-Baladez 41 FG
TEAM STATS
H M
First downs 17 15
Third downs 5-12 8-18
Fourth downs 0-1 1-2
Rushes-Yds. 35-172 29-106
Passes 15-24-123-37-1
Passing Yds 181 188
Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0
Pen.-Yds. 7-40 5-40
Punts 5-33.6 4-47.3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: H—Darius Staten 18-86, Justin Iwuji 13-78, Kyle Aubuchon 2-9, Tyshon Nobles, 1-0, Alan Kernn 1-(-1). M—Greg Fason 19-99, Bradley Baladez 1-14, Robert Marshall 2-9, Luke Halpin 7-(-15).
PASSING: H—Justin Iwuji 15-24-1 181. M—Luke Halpin 23-37-1 188.
RECEIVING: H—Alex Norman 3-11, Tyshon Nobles 2-79, Erin McCarver 2-33, Chad Barlow 2-25, Darius Staten 2-14, Chris Summers 2-9, Jo Jo Bradburn 1-14, Kyle Aubuchon 1-(-4). M—Darien McNealy 6-73, Brad Smithey 5-40, Marcus Trice 4-43, Robert Marshall 3-7, Greg Fason 2-2, Aaron Richards 1-15, Lynrick Pleasant 1-5, Tim Paris 1-3.
