Second Baptist Game

The Mavericks win their home opener against the Eagles from Second Baptist with a close score of 34-27. It did not start out that close though as the Mavericks came out of the shoot putting up 27 points on the board before the Eagles knew what happened. The game started with Dan Tweardy kicking off for the Mavericks and the kickoff team making the Eagles start their first possession on their own 26. Running only 6 plays the SJS defense forced the Eagles to punt where Will Wallace made the fair catch at the SJS 22. The Mavericks then started their first of four TD drives in the first half going 78 yards in 9 plays highlighted by a 49 yard pass from Josh Winslow to Tim Otey. Josh then put it in for the score with a 9 yard run while Tweardy tacked on the extra point for a 7-0 lead. The Maverick defense then handed the Eagles their first of three 3 and outs giving the ball back to the SJS offense with a punt to the 28. Again the offense took the ball and in 7 plays covering 72 yards highlighted by a 52 yard run by Caldwell Flores put up another score with Winslow taking it in from the 3. Missing the extra point the Mavericks led 13-0 early in the second quarter. On the next Second Baptist possession the SJS Defense came up big with a forth down stop after the Eagles drove down to the Maverick 40 yard line in 8 plays. The Offense cranked it up again going 60 yards in just three plays with Flores carrying the ball on a 46 yard run and a 13 yard run for the score. With Tweardy making good on the point after the Mavericks were rolling with a 20-0 lead. Another three and out by the SJS defense led by Jack Waller, Will Wallace and Jack Craddock the Mavericks had the ball on offense after an 8 yard punt return by Ben Griffin. But the Maverick offense did not make a first down and was forced to punt with Jack Waller getting off a 34 yarder. The Defense stepped up again with Douglas Berkman grabbing his fist of two picks on the night giving the ball back to the offense who waisted no time in putting the ball in the end zone with Cameron Neal bursting up the middle on a 38 yard run to the end zone on the first play. Twaerdy kick the point after and the Mavericks were up 27-0 with 2:20 left in the half. The Eagles then proceeded to gain some momentum taking possession at their own 26 after the kickoff and going 74 yards in 8 plays to get on the board before half time and closing the gap with the score now 27-6.
The second half was not as dominating by the Mavericks as the first. Receiving the kickoff SJS was forced to punt after 5 plays and riding the momentum at the end of the half the Eagles hit a 63 yard pass that put them closer with the score now 27-13 early in the third. The Maverick offense then went 8 plays but was forced to punt the ball back to the Eagles and after they ran two plays on the third play Jack Waller striped the ball and Jack Craddock was there for the recovery. Unfortunately the Mavericks coughed the ball up and the Eagles found themself on the SJS 45 with the momentum back. They then were able to go 45 yards in 6 plays for another score and closed the gap again 27-20 going into the fourth quarter. The Mavericks got it together on the next possession after a great kickoff return by Will Wallace. Going 59 yards in 5 plays and Stephen Firestone carying the load the Mavericks put up another score with Firestone finishing the drive on a 33 yard dash into the end zone for a 34-20 lead. The Eagles were not done yet and mustered up another score with 4:00 minutes left in the game to bring the score to 34-27. Getting the ball back with 2:00 left in the game Second Baptist had a chance for a last drive but Douglas Berkman came down with his second interception to terminate their chance and seal the victory for the Mavericks!