The Mansfield Summit Jaguars were clicking on all phases of the game — offensively, defensively and special teams — as it rolled past the Grapevine Mustangs, 58-14, in a 3-5A Division II contest on Thursday at Vernon Newsom Stadium.
Summit scored on seven of its eight first-half offensive possessions as it bolted to a commanding 51-14 lead at intermission. None of the Jaguars’ first-half scoring drives took more than four plays.
The lone series it punted was due to a first-down bad snap that lost 27 yards to its own five-yard line. Even then, Summit came up just three yards shy of making a first down.
Offensively for Summit, in the first half, quarterback Ian Gephardt spread the wealth around. Senior running back Adarion Nettles opened the scoring on a 21-yard TD run on a drive set up by a 33-yard fumble return by Jarred Washington.
After Grapevine deadlocked the game at 7-7 on a 39-yard pass from Jailen Holmes to Brady Kays, Gerhadt directed four consecutive Jaguar TD drives. The onslaught began with a 53-yard TD strike from Gephardt to Domonique Young.
Nettles scampered in for an 11-yard TD to close out the opening quarter.
“We have a great connection,” said Gephardt of his wideout Young. “He was wide open and I just needed to get him the ball.”
Gephardt scored on a four-yard keeper less than two minutes into the second period, a short drive of 12 yards that was set up by a Young 44-yard punt return and an added-on 12-yard late hit penalty.
Omogbolaha scored on a 10-yard TD run, after a Gabe Evans fumble return to the Grapevine 18 made for another short scoring drive. Holmes’ one-yard sneak added a TD for Grapevine with just 2:00 left before halftime.
But Summit was not done. On the ensuing possession, Daudu raced 71 yards for a touchdown.
The Jaguar defense again came up with a big play, as Tyson Comeaux scooped up a fumble and returned it 31 yards to the Grapevine 27 with just two ticks left. Gephardt connected with Young once more on a 27-yard TD as time expired, heading into the break.
“I knew they were tired,” said Young, of the Grapevine defense. “I just got great position in the end zone and I knew Ian would get it to me.”
Gephardt said he just threw it up and let Young make the play.
“All the confidence in the world there,” said Gephardt. “Great way to end a strong first half.”
The lone score in the second half was a Summit seven-yard pass from backup quarterback Clarence Nevels III to Dorian Jones.
“Our defense sets the tone,” said Mansfield Summit head coach Charron Hall. “We like to start out on defense. And our defense was tremendous tonight.”
Gephardt finished with 97 rushing yards on just seven carries and one TD, and completed seven passes in 13 attempts for 107 yards and two more scores.
“He is just a playmaker,” said coach Hall of his quarterback. “He is a football player. No matter you put him, he gets the job done. Just a great job leading this team tonight.”
The ground game churned out 311 rushing yards, led by Daudu, who finished with a game-high 164 yards on 14 carries. Nettles added 80 yards on 12 attempts. Each of the two dynamic duo scored a pair of first-half TDs.
Young had a game-high 80 receiving yards on his two receptions, both for six-pointers. Gephardt showed his improvisational skills on a pair of first-half errant PAT conversions, running for one two-pointer and passing for another.
“That is not something we practice,” said Gephardt. “Just if the ball hits the ground, try to make a play, and we were able to convert there twice on those.”
The victory was the third straight for Summit, No. 7 in the Star-Telegram’s current 5A area rankings, after a season-opening loss to Lewisville. Grapevine was led by Holmes, who totaled 132 passing yards (12 of 16 with no interceptions), while adding another 31 rushing yards.
Luke Stuart grabbed a team-leading five catches for 49 yards, as seven different receivers caught a pass for Grapevine.
Mansfield Summit (3-1, 2-0) will square off against league foe The Colony in a road contest on Friday, Oct. 3rd, with a 7 p.m. slated kickoff. Grapevine (1-4, 0-3) will host district opponent Burleson Friday Oct. 3rd with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
