By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
gmsportsmedia2023@gmail.com
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ARLINGTON – Joe Gordon has always prided himself on defense. Before he arrived to Arlington Seguin in the spring of 2017, he was the defensive coordinator at Arlington High. He was also a college DC prior to coming back to the area.
His Seguin defense shined on Thursday night – getting two interceptions from senior Da’Shaun Marable – one for a touchdown as the Cougars opened district play in 3-5A Division 2 at Choctaw Stadium, 21-0 over Burleson.
“Entering the game, we knew it was a tall chore to slow this team down. They were averaging 51 points per game, but here at Seguin, we take pride in playing defense,” Gordon said. “We knew they were going to challenge us. Proud of our kids and how they responded. To get the goose egg against a team like this, means a lot and I’m very proud of them.”
It was a rather lack-laster first half with Seguin leading 6-0.
Both offenses struggled.
Seguin (3-0, 1-0) had a good drive going to open the game – that spanned 66 yards. The Cougars converted a pair of fourth downs, including on fourth-and-long at the Burleson 34 when QB Chevy Andrews scrambled for a 18-yard gain. On the next play, RB Ka’Darrius Trotter scored on a 16-yard touchdown. But the extra point was no good and Seguin led 6-0.
The Cougars got the ball back early in the second quarter when Burleson went for it on fourth down, but the Elks ran a QB sneak and only gained a few yards. Seguin drove down field and set up for three more, but a field goal attempt was wide – leaving it 6-0 with two minutes left in the first half.
Burleson (2-1, 0-1) had its best drive of the night – highlighted by a 58-yard gain from QB Andrew Sparks to Jayden Hernandez to the Seguin 17 midway through the third quarter. The Elks moved the ball inside the 10 and had multiple chances in the end zone. An offside on Seguin set Burleson up with first and goal at the 3 and a third down play resulted in a touchdown, but it was negated on an illegal man downfield penalty. On the next play – fourth down – the Elks threw into double coverage on the short end of the field and it was batted down.
Both teams traded interceptions – first with Burleson’s Lynden Kilgore.
But the next Elks’ play resulted in a pick from Marable – who made an interception around midfield and returned it for a touchdown. Johnaven Polk rushed in the two-point conversion and Seguin upped its lead to 14-0 – which the Cougars took into the fourth quarter.
Jayden Flournoy got a Burleson interception early in the final frame, but a couple plays later Marable picked off his second pass attempt and returned it to the 10 before getting tackled.
Next play and Seguin scored with a rushing TD from Trotter to make it 21-0.
“I want to thank my coaches and teammates – we put in the work all week,” Marable said. “Right when they made the interception, we were frustrated – we said we have to get the ball back and get a pick six. We stepped up as a defense and I made the play and scored, but it was a team effort. Our edge rusher blitzed the QB and he rushed to throw it out, and I took it.”
