The Fort Bend Marshall Buffs (12-1) meet the Manvel Mavericks (13-0) today on the football field for the first time in 78 days – and the winner earns the Region 3 championship and a spot in the UIL Class 5A-Div. II semifinals. You can hear the game live on vypefortbend.com starting at 1:45PM.
Manvel beat Marshall Sept. 20 at Fort Bend ISD's Hall Stadium, and it was the Buffs' only loss this season. Mavericks' QB Tucker Yarbrough threw three TD passes in a 38-34 win.
This afternoon's game is at Alvin ISD's Freedom Field, where Manvel plays its home games. The Mavs lead their all-time series vs. the Buffs, 3-1, and Marshall's only win was in Sept. 2018 at Freedom. Devon Achane scored seven touchdowns and a 2-point conversion from eight yards out for a 52-51 overtime win.
It propelled the Buffs to a 15-0 season until they met Aledo in the state finals, and lost 55-19.
This will be the end of the very brief but scintillating rivalry between Marshall and Manvel. Because of the UIL's realignment, which occurs every two years to maintain competitive balance based on the enrollment numbers of all public high schools in Texas, Manvel will play football in Class 5A-Div. I for the next two seasons. Marshall will stay where it is, in Div. II. If the two teams play each other in 2020 or 2021, it will be in a regular season, non-district game; they'll be in different playoff brackets.
Roger Smith and James Kowalewski will provide the play-by-play description on vypefortbend.com.
5A-2 Reg. 3 Final: Fort Bend Marshall vs. Manvel
1:45 p.m. Pre-game, 2:00 Kickoff, Alvin ISD
Ft. Bend Crew: Roger C Smith
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
