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Lovejoy vs. Prosper
BY TYLER CLIFTON
KFYN SPORTS DIRECTOR
PLANO - It was the defending Class 3A, Division I state champions against a program aspiring for future titles in only its second year of existence.
It's not always the team with the playoff pedigree that comes out on top, and such was the case Saturday night, as Lovejoy scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to turn an 11-point deficit into a 24-14 win against Prosper at Plano's Clark Field.
Michael Means completed eight of 14 passes for 176 yards and two second-half touchdown passes for the Leopards (12-1), who play Abilene Wylie in this week's state semifinals at a time, date and location to be determined.
Means also ran 17 times for 75 yards and a touchdown to account for 251 of Lovejoy's 296 yards of total offense.
The teams exchanged punts to start the second half, and the Leopards were pinned at their own 15 on third down. Means found a wide-open Marsh near his team's own sideline for an 85-yard catch-and-run to the end zone to trail 14-10 with 6:59 left in the third quarter.
Marsh had six receptions for 135 yards.
Means scored from a yard out on Lovejoy's next possession on a scoring drive led by an 18-yard run from Tanner Michaels and a 14-yarder by Blake Martin.
Means' 22-yard pass to Marsh set up a 27-yard touchdown pass to Zander Hamilton for the final margin, as the Leopards scored on three straight second-half possessions.
Byron Butler and Blake Westback each intercepted Prosper quarterback Brian Hardy, who completed 16 of 23 passes for 175 yards.
Westback's interception of Hardy came with 1:41 left in the game after the Eagles drove inside the 20 to potentially pull within a field goal.
Prosper (11-2) had six second-half possessions result in two punts, two interceptions, a lost fumble and a turnover on downs. Juan Williams, who had 161 yards on 23 carries, was held to minus-3 yards on seven second-half carries.
The Leopards scored the first points on Eddie Puskarich's 42-yard field goal.
Williams put the Eagles on the board with a 10-yard touchdown on a drive he set up with runs of eight, 14, 24 and 30 yards.
Lovejoy made a questionable call near the end of the first half after attempting a fake punt on its own 38 yard line. Ryan Lusby had an open receiver, but the pass fell short.
The Eagles took advantage with Hardy's 33-yard touchdown pass to Lucas Soileau on fourth down for a 14-3 halftime lead.
Lovejoy 24, Prosper 14
Prosper 7 7 0 0 -14
Lovejoy 3 0 14 7 -24
Team Stats Prosper Lovejoy
First Downs 16 12
Rushes-Yards 34-163 36-120
Passing Yards 175 176
C-A-I 16-23-2 8-15-0
Fumbles-Lost 3-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 6-52 6-50
Punts-Average 5-27.8 5-34.4
Individual Statistics
Rushing – Prosper: Juan Williams 23-161, Brett Thompson 1-4, Blake Owens 1-0, Brian Hardy 7-0, Colin Padilla 2-(-2); Lovejoy: Michael Means 17-75, Tanner Michaels 7-25, Blake Martin 12-20.
Passing – Prosper: Brian Hardy 16-23-2 175; Lovejoy: Michael Means 8-14-0 176, Ryan Lusby 0-1-0 0. Receiving - Prosper: Lucas Soileau 3-71, Mario Edwards 3-40, Brett Thompson 6-32, Hunter Havens 3-19, Juan Williams 1-13; Lovejoy: Hayden Marsh 6-135, Zander Hamilton 1-27, Blake Martin 1-14.
FIRST QUARTER
Lovejoy - Eddie Puskarich 42 FG, 4:28, 6 plays, 28 yards, 2:34
Prosper - Juan Williams 10 run, :27 (Cale Brewer kick), 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:01
SECOND QUARTER
Prosper - Lucas Soileau 33 pass from Brian Hardy, :21 (Brewer kick), 4 plays, 38 yards, 1:12
THIRD QUARTER
Lovejoy - Hayden Marsh 85 pass from Michael Means, 6:59 (Puskarich kick), 3 plays, 83 yards, 1:50
Lovejoy - Means 1 run, 3:04 (Puskarich kick), 6 plays, 39 yards, 1:51
FOURTH QUARTER
Lovejoy - Zander Hamilton 27 pass from Means, 9:36 (Puskarich kick), 7 plays, 62 yards, 2:46
Denison vs. Marshall
BY TYLER CLIFTON
KFYN SPORTS DIRECTOR
MESQUITE - One of Denison's goals entering the 2009 season was to at worst go one round deeper in the playoffs, and although things started off slow on Saturday, it all goes back to the saying "it's not how you start, but how you finish."
The Yellow Jackets were forced to play from behind at the half for the first time all season but showed the composure of a team up by two touchdowns instead of one that was behind by out-scoring Marshall 28-7 in the second half for a 35-26 victory, the team's 11th straight win since a Week 1 loss in September on the road at Big Spring.
Denison (12-1) won for the second time in as many weeks at E.H. Hanby Stadium and advances to the regional final for a rematch against defending Class 4A, Division II state champion Sulphur Springs, who eliminated the Yellow Jackets in last year's third round.
The game will be Saturday at Southern Methodist University's Ford Stadium against the 10-3 Wildcats with a tentative start time of 2 p.m. in the Class 4A, Region II game.
"Our guys did a good job of relaxing and playing football," Denison coach Cody White said. "It was big when they gave us the wind, and once we scored on our first drive in the second half, it settled the kids down, and I give them all the credit for doing that."
D.J. Jones ran 24 times for 171 yards and a touchdown, while Jordan Taylor ran for two touchdowns and completed 11 of 15 passes for 199 yards and two scores.
Jones became the school's all-time rushing leader, surpassing Corey Robertson's mark of 5,218 yards.
The Mavericks led 19-7 entering the third quarter, one in which Denison dominated.
Taylor capped an 11-play scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown run almost four minutes into the third quarter one play following an 11-yard pass to Jimmay Mundine. The score was set up by Taylor's 15-yard pass to Kyle Galyon on third down.
Jones' 20-yard touchdown run and Taylor's two-point conversion run turned a 12-point deficit into a 22-19 lead the Yellow Jackets wouldn't relinquish. Jones set up the score with a 59-yard run after Denison was pinned on its own 3 yard line to start the drive.
Galyon, the team's second-leading receiver who caught five passes for 119 yards, caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to enter the fourth quarter ahead 28-19.
Marshall (9-4) pulled within two points on Brandon Fitzgerald's 5-yard touchdown pass to Bryce French.
"Anytime you get a chance to get the ball, you want to do your best when it comes to gaining yards and helping the team," Galyon said. "You can't be selfish and must do a good job of blocking when you don't have the ball. It was a good play call, the seam opened up and Jordan made a great throw. It all worked out for the best in the end."
The defense held the Mavericks on downs to help set up the game-clinching score.
Taylor's 32-yard pass to Cody Reeves set up a 10-yard touchdown pass to Mundine on fourth down. Dalton Hestand's extra point made it a two-possession game with the Yellow Jackets' nine-point advantage at the 3:46 mark.
Mundine set the single-season record for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns and is only 57 yards away from becoming the school's first 1,000-yard receiver in a single season.
The offensive line did what it has all year, opening holes for Jones and giving Taylor enough time in the pocket to execute in the passing game. The front five, led by All-State center Corbin Boettger and the right side of guard Ben Hander and tackle Jaqwaylin Arps, helped the team amass 423 yards, including 310 in the second half.
"We came out with the mindset of not losing, because we knew we weren't playing like we were supposed to in the first half," Jones said. "We talked in the locker room and came out in the second half showing everyone what Yellow Jacket football is all about."
White is a bit concerned with his team's health, although he was equally impressed with the play of his backups, including senior linebacker Seth Brittain, who replaced starter Jacob Marshall in the second half and had a key interception late in the game.
"We did a good job of making adjustments and tackled better in the second half," White said. "It's nice to get some big plays from guys who haven't gotten to play much."
Taylor intercepted Fitzgerald with one minute remaining to seal the victory, and the defensive dominance in the second half can't be overlooked.
Jaqwaylin Arps was a force up front, with Stacy Golston leading the way at linebacker along with Ty Carter. Reeves made his usual presence felt in the seconday for the win.
"We stepped up in the second half and made the same plays we did on the game's first series," Golston said. "We put our minds and hearts into every play and went out there thinking nobody was going to beat us. It's all about playing hard one game at a time."
Taylor began Denison's first possession with a six-yard pass to Tyler Jennings and a 32-yarder to Galyon that set up his own 6-yard touchdown run.
Marshall used its strong running game led by Jamal Anderson, who answered with a 6-yard scoring run of his own to cap a 12-play scoring drive and pull within a point.
The Mavericks recovered a Taylor fumble, and Anderson scored again from five yards out on a drive set up by French's 39-yard run and a 12-yard pass from Fitzgerald to Daveon Williams on third down.
Marshall was unsuccessful on its two-point conversion attempt, and the decision to attempt the play so early came back to haunt the Mavericks after they were down by two possessions instead of one late in the game had they kicked the extra point.
Anderson added his third touchdown run, a 25-yarder, for a 19-7 halftime lead. Three of the four plays on the drive were runs of 20 yards or more, including Anderson's 20-yard run on the first play and Fitzgerald's 23-yarder.
Anderson finished with 164 yards on 19 carries and the three touchdown runs.
"We've been in some blowout games this year, so being in a close game was good for us," Taylor said. "The games are going to be close from here on out, and it was all about coming out and executing better in the second half."
Denison 35, Marshall 26
Denison 7 0 21 7 -35
Marshall 6 13 0 7 -26
Team Stats Denison Marshall
First Downs 18 19
Rushes-Yards 42-224 43-287
Passing Yards 199 68
C-A-I 11-15-0 7-16-2
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 3-0
Penalties-Yards 3-32 3-35
Punts-Average 4-27.5 3-28
Individual Statistics
Rushing – Denison: D.J. Jones 24-171, Jordan Taylor 17-51, Cody Reeves 1-2; Marshall: Jamal Anderson 19-164, Jonathan Haigwood 12-52, Bryce French 1-39, Brandon Fitzgerald 10-27, Anthony Davenport 1-5.
Passing – Denison: Jordan Taylor 11-15-0 199; Marshall: Brandon Fitzgerald 7-16-2 75. Receiving - Denison: Kyle Galyon 5-119, Jimmay Mundine 3-39, Cody Reeves 1-32, Tyler Jennings 1-6, D.J. Jones 1-3; Marshall: Bryce French 3-39, Daveon Williams 3-24, Jamal Anderson 1-5.
FIRST QUARTER
Denison - Jordan Taylor 6 run, 8:30 (Dalton Hestand kick), 6 plays, 51 yards, 2:25
Marshall - Jamal Anderson 6 run, 3:11 (run failed), 12 plays, 60 yards, 5:12
SECOND QUARTER
Marshall - Anderson 5 run, 8:21 (pass failed)
Marshall - Anderson 25 run, 4:51 (Miguel Luna kick)
THIRD QUARTER
Denison - Taylor 3 run, 8:02 (Hestand kick), 11 plays, 71 yards, 3:58
Denison - D.J. Jones 20 run, 2:43 (Taylor run), 7 plays, 97 yards, 3:15
Denison - Kyle Galyon 66 pass from Taylor, :55 (Hestand kick), 2 plays, 71 yards, :38
FOURTH QUARTER
Marshall - Bryce French 5 pass from Brandon Fitzgerald, 9:19 (Luna kick), 8 plays, 66 yards, 3:30
Denison - Jimmay Mundine 10 pass from Taylor, 3:46 (Hestand kick), 6 plays, 56 yards, 2:43
