Texas vs. the World

MANSFIELD TIMBERVIEW VS. BUFORD, GA The Wolves scored first, but Buford scored more, as the defending Georgia 2A state champions posted a 42-21 victory against Timberview. The game was closer than the score might indicate. Timberview opened the game with an 80-yard scoring drive, capped off by a 2-yard Eric Stephens plunge into the end zone. Buford answered, however, with a 2-yard run of their own to knot the game at seven in the first quarter. The second quarter was the Cody Getz show, as the Buford star scored three times, twice on short runs and once on a 35-yard punt return. Timberview tried to take some momentum into halftime, and was helped by Sharman Brown's dazzling 86-yard screen pass for a touchdown to make it 28-14 at the intermission. Following a scoreless third quarter, Timberview pulled to within seven on a Donte Parker 1-yard run. However, Buford got a 74-yard TD rush from Storm Johnson and then put the game away when Johnson scored again from 15 yards out. Timberview actually out-gained Buford 317 yards to 307. Stephens was held to just 51 yards on 11 carries, though he also pitched in 42 yards on five receptions. Parker was 18-of-27 passing for 228 yards, but was intercepted twice. Brown led all receivers with 4 catches for 110 yards. JUSTIN NORTHWEST VS. WOODLAND HILLS, PA The Texans had plenty of questions coming into the season, and got some answers in the first week. A gutsy performance proved Northwest has the defense to stay in games and the mental toughness to pull out close victories, evidenced by this 13-12 nail-biter. The offense struggled early, punting on its first six possessions. Meanwhile, the defense held Woodland Hills to just six points in the first half, a 10-yard run. Hills failed on the two-point try and took a 6-0 lead into halftime. Northwest cut the deficit in half in the third quarter, when Cameron Langer split the uprights from 35 yards out. The Texans then evened the score thanks in large part to the defense. Lee Taylor forced a fumble and Northwest again called on Langer, who hit from 19 yards to make it 6-6. The defense came through again on the next possession, forcing another turnover at the Hills 9-yard line. This time, the Texans found the end zone on a Brysen Curb 1-yard run, taking their first lead, 13-6. Woodland Hills managed a late touchdown, but missed the extra point - which turned out to be the difference in the game. Curb finished the game 11-of-26 passing with 77 yards for the Texans. He also added 27 yards on seven carries. Tyler Collins led all Northwest rushers with 37 yards on 14 carries. Kevin Meek and Eric Clinton each had four receptions. The Texans defense, led by Dylan Pounds and Jacob Knickerbocker, held Woodland Hills to just 168 total yards on offense and forced two key turnovers. ARLINGTON BOWIE VS. TROTWOOD MADISON, OH Bowie entered the game with questions about whether it could replace its offensive production from last season. After the first 12-minutes, those questions may have turned to valid concerns. However, a 28-point explosion in the second quarter and a 48-0 victory left many doubters convinced that the Vols had indeed simply reloaded for 2008. Ronnie Thomas scored the first two Bowie touchdowns on short runs. Dedric Davis then connected with Jordan Selexman on a 31-yard TD pass before Christian Matthews found Trae Hawkins on a 27-yard scoring strike to put the Vols up 28-0 at the half. The Vols had put 41 points on the board before the defense got in on the action. Chris Hank recovered a fumble in the end zone to wrap the scoring. That Bowie defense held Trotwood scoreless and limited them to just 86 total yards of offense. Meanwhile, the Bowie offense rolled up more than 400 yards of offense, 190 of it on the ground. Travis Evans led the way with 76 yards on 10 carries. Matthews was 8-of-17 through the air for 156 yards. About the only downside to the performance was seven penalties for 75 yards COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE VS. CLOVIS EAST, CA It was a tale of two halves for the Panthers' offense in their 41-26 victory over Clovis East. Heritage managed just one offensive touchdown in the first two quarters, but QB Steven Hill put on a passing clinic in the final half. Heritage opened the scoring with a 19-yard TD pass from Hill to Jake Skinner, who had nine catches on the night for 91 yards. It was a game of big plays, and East took momentum with a 40-yard TD pass and an 86-yard punt return before the Panthers' defense answered with a 22-yard Brandon DeFrance fumble return for a score. Trailing 20-12 at the half, Hill took control with a display of passing accuracy, hitting on all but just three passes after the break. He hit Kyle Millan for a seven-yard score before hooking up with DeFrance for a 51-yard TD. DeFrance and Hill would again team up for a 25-yard TD in the fourth quarter. Bryan Head put a wrap on the Heritage comeback with a 2-yard TD plunge. After all was said and done, Hill had 381 yards passing on 34 completions. Five of those went to DeFrance, who totaled 154 yards receiving. Head was the team's leading rusher with 30 yards on nine carries. EULESS TRINITY VS. JOHN CURTIS, LA In what was the main attraction for most at the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series, Trinity took the field for the first time since hoisting the 5A state champion trophy last December. They faced a team in John Curtis that raised its own championship trophy last season, that of Louisiana Class 2A. It appeared early on that John Curtis was looking to beat Trinity at its own game, using the run to grind out yards and the clock. It worked in the first quarter as Trinity got only a single possession on offense. John Curtis took the lead in the second quarter on a one-yard run, but missed the extra point. Trinity again failed to score on the ensuing possession, but capitalized on a Patriots' mistake late in the second half. Christo Lisika scored from four yards out and the Isaac Arellano PAT put Trinity up 7-6 at the intermission. The Trojans took control in the third quarter, again taking advantage of Curtis mistakes. Tray Robinson dived in from two yards and, later in the third quarter, Lisika again went in from four yards to give Trinity some breathing room at 21-6. The Patriots wouldn't go away, though, and again got back in the game with a short TD run in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion attempt went awry, and Trinity put the game away when Robinson dashed in from 19 yards out to make it 28-12. Trinity turned to the passing game in the second half after finding little running room in the first. QB Denarius McGhee hit on 7-of-13 throws for 129 yards, including one big play that began with a bungled snap. Stetson Smith was the Trojans' leading receiver, hauling in four passes for 79 yards. Trinity played to its strengths, grinding it out and limiting mistakes. The Trojans did not turn the ball over and had only four penalties for 30 yards. Curtis, meanwhile, fumbled twice and committed 11 penalties for 73 yards. -