The fireworks started early as highly touted senior Cowboy Running Back Jonathan Handy took the first play from scrimmage and ran up the middle untouched behind a large offensive line that manhandled the Mavericks 'D' on this play to allow Handy to scamper sixty yards for the first score of the game. The Brian Martinez extra point attempt was good, 7-0 Cowboys with 11:40 remaining in the first quarter.
Handy is a good looking back with slick moves and breakaway speed, which he displayed later in the game as well, but Winn had a couple of good runners to counter as Ethan Johnston answered back with a couple of big runs for eight and seven yards to give the Mavs a first down to the Cowboy 33 with 7:00 minutes remaining in the first. A nice swing pass to Gustavo Cabrera made it 4th and 1, but a holding penalty brought it back to the 34. Then a great pitch and catch from Johnston to Luis Olvera put the Mavericks in business, first and goal from the seven. Then it was Johnston himself from seven yards out with 4:06 remaining in the first. The PAT was no good, 7-6 McCollum.
What this reporter noticed about the Maverick defense on the ensuing drives was that they fly to the football and are a great defensive squad.
Johnston was not done as he broke off runs of thirteen, twelve and and eighteen yards before connecting with Olvera again to the three yard line! A magnificent rainbow pass which was lassoed by Olvera over the shoulder. It took a few plays, but Johnston managed to Smash it into the end zone with 8:29 left in the half. The Ernesto Fuentes PAT was good, 13-7 Winn.
The Cowboys who looked a lot like Notre Dame in their gold pants, white jerseys with green numerals and gold helmets were huge, 34 Mark Puente (200 Lbs., 78 John Treviño 290 Lbs., 66 Jonathan Johnson 225 Lbs., 64 Tyler Peña 220 Lbs. and 67 Joanne Cerda were all loads and that's not including 62 Roman Salazar 260 Lbs. and 70 Xavier Hernandez at 250, but the Mavericks held their own throughout most of the evening.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Cowboys had good field position at the 33 yard line when outstanding freshman QB Ryan Ramirez connected with junior WR Eric Leija for a big first down to the 44 followed by a nice run by Handy across midfield, but a great defensive play by News Gram Player of The Week Mikey De Los Santos moved them back into their own territory 4th and long.
But on the next drive, Johnston connected with Olvera who had a nice run after the catch but fumbled the ball giving McCollum the football in Mavericks territory.
The Cowboys were in business when Ramirez connected again with Leija on a 15 yard completion, then Handy up the middle on third and short to the 19, 1st down Cowboys. A Ryan Ramirez pass in the corner of the end zone to Anthony Bononcini was incomplete and then on a ball that bounced off of both a Cowboy receiver and Mavericks defender Brandon Wheeler, the ball fell right into the hands of number 21 German Velasquez for the first of two interceptions on the evening thwarting the Green & Gold drive and the Mavs would go into the locker room ahead by six.
The award-winning Thundering Maverick Marching Band performed their UIL Marching Contest drill to the delight of the crowd, then the highlight of the first Maverick drive was a fake punt by Ernesto Villaseñor which he took to the Cowboy 49 for a first down, but the celebration was short lived when Handy took a handoff from their own 48 to the Maverick 10 yardline and proceeded to pound it in on three tries for the go ahead score after the Martinez PAT, 14-13 Cowboys.
On the next stalled Maverick drive, Villaseñor would play a part in the touchdown that put the Mavs ahead for good as his punt on fourth down bounced at the 15, hit a Cowboy and was recovered in the end zone by Azael Rodriguez for the Mav TD! The extra point was good, 20-14 Mavericks.
The final Maverick score would come on a reverse to Olvera with 7:20 remaining in the game to seal the deal and give the Mavericks a 1-0 District 29-AAAAA record.
The Mavericks take on the Southside Cardinals here on Friday, October 20th at 7:30 PM.