Feb 05, 2012
Manvel knocks off Santa Fe at homecoming
October 19, 2009
ALVIN — The Manvel Mavericks entered the fourth game of district action with an 0-3 mark and sole possession of last place in District 24-4A. This wasn't what head coach Kirk Martin had in mind when the Mavs began the 2009 football campaign.
In fact - some felt that this would be the year the Mavs would make the playoffs for the first time in their young football history.
The Santa Fe Indians have not only been the surprise team in the district, but in the entire region. Ranked No. 3 in the area for the first time in school history -- the Indians came to Alvin Memorial Stadium with a spotless 6-0 record with their most recent win against the Friendswood Mustangs 29-28. Santa Fe hadn't won a district game over the previous three seasons.
Manvel lost their first three district games to Dawson, Brazosport. amd Texas City. One more loss would put the Mavs out of the playoff race for sure -- but with the 7-3 win over the Indians -- Manvel is still mathmatically in the playoff picture.
However - the Mavs are still behind the 8-ball in the crowded 24-4A playoff picture.
Angleton (4-0), Santa Fe (3-1), Friendswood (2-2), Dawson (2-2), and Texas City (2-2) are still the frontrunners while Brazosport (1-3), La Marque (1-3), and Manvel (1-3) are fighting for their playoff lives.
The Mavs (3-4) still have three games remaining in the league race and they are the toughest teams left with Friendswood, La Marque, and Angleton on the horizon.
Manvel lost to Friendswood last year by one-point as a game-winning two-point conversion attempt came up a foot short. The Mavs beat La Marque, but were trampled by Angleton in the season finale that left them at home in the post-season.
Santa Fe found the treading tough against the last-place Manvel defense who held the district’s leading rusher, Joseph Walton, to 63 yards. Walton came into the night with 955 yards and 14 touchdowns but never reached the end zone, and his longest run was 18 yards.
“I am so proud of them for getting the win and shutting down the district’s leading running back and district leading defense,” Martin said. “We found a way to win tonight instead of finding a way to lose.”
Dexter Foreman and Travaughn Colwell have been sharing quarterbacking duties, but it was Colwell who got the only touchdown on the night for the Mavs...which is all they would need.
On their first offensive series of the night, the Mavericks faced a fourth and seven from the 47 yard line of the Indians. But Santa Fe’s defense ran into Manvel’s kicker and then Colwell gained nine yards on fourth and one to continue the drive.
Colwell then hit paydirt on the eighth play of the drive when he scored from 20 yards out. After Jimmy Wells’ extra point, the Mavericks were up 7-0 with 9:43 left in the opening period.
Santa Fe got on the board with 3:44 left in the first quarter on a Brandon Melton 20-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.
But that would be all the scoring as the game shifted to the defense of both teams.
Santa Fe had been averaging 325 yards per game, but the Maverick defense held them to 185 yards.
The Maverick offense wasn’t spectacular either, gaining 178 yards on the night, but when they needed the yards and score, they came up with the big play.
The Indians crossed midfield only once in the final two quarters of the second half as the Maverick defense turned them back time and again.
One more loss and the Mavericks will be out of the playoff race which is why they are in a must-win situation when they travel to Henry Winston Stadium in Friendswood to face the Mustangs on Friday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m.