“I asked them if they wanted a playoff game at home or did they want to get on the yellow dog and drive two hours,” the first-year coach said. “It wasn’t an yelling or screaming deal.”
The Mavericks left little doubt that they want Freedom Field for their bi-district venue after unloading on the Eagles for five touchdowns during the third period and 44 points overall in a 51-7 romp at Mercer Stadium.
The victory sewed up the district’s runner-up seed for Manvel (7-2 overall, 6-1), as well. The Mavs host Houston Waltrip in their regular season finale on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. and then open the playoffs the following weekend at home in Iowa Colony.
Manvel took the second half kickoff and drove 51 yards in seven plays with Ladarius Owens’ seven-yard run giving them the lead for good. Jonatan Ramirez added the extra point for a 14-7 advantage.
Owens rushed for 152 yards on 18 carries and two TD’s.
“I told them all week long that this team can play,” Hall said. “I don’t like getting off schedule and playing a game on Saturday, but we may play a playoff game on a Saturday. I don’t think they believed us until the end of the first half.
“We went into the locker room and it was very calm.”
The third-half onslaught by Hall’s crew was anything but calm, however. Garrison Johnson jarred the ball loose from Eagles’ quarterback Vaughnte Frederick on the ensuing series with Travorris Hardison falling on the loose ball at the Willowridge five-yard line. Johnson powered his way in from a yard out two plays later for a 21-7 MHS lead with 9:32 left in the third. Derion Richards then recovered a fumble off another Manvel sack deep in Eagles’ territory, paving the way to Josh Coltrin (13 of 25 for 217 yards, two TD’s) firing an 11-yard bullet to Eric Hebert to make it 28- 7.
“The defense played really well and the offense had a few problems,” said Hall, whose team delivered six QB sacks and recovered four Willowridge fumbles in the second half. “The wind got us a little discombobulated. I just told them at halftime that there is no wind. Get that out of your mind.”
The only minds disrupted during the final 24 minutes were probably Willowridge’s, as Coltrin’s 60-yard bomb to Jalen Paxton and a six-yard run by Owens increased in the margin to 42-7 heading into the fourth.
Ramirez added a 23-yard field goal and Donovan Eaglin chipped in a one-yard run for Manvel in the final period.
Johnson gave the Mavs a 7-0 lead with a 31-yard dash in the ... Click here to read full article
ARTICLE SOURCE:
