Photo by Brian Gosset (X – @Gosset41)
By Nolan Ruth
X – @RealNolanRuth
MANSFIELD— The Texas high school football season is still young, and teams are still trying to find their footing. That was evident on Thursday night as the Denton Ryan Raiders (2-0) traveled south to face the Mansfield Timberview Wolves (1-1) in an early season non-district matchup.
While there was not a whole lot of excitement throughout the game, as both teams struggled to get things going offensively, it was a close battle that ended with Ryan on top 20-12 after Timberview failed to complete a Hail Mary pass as time expired.
The loss spoiled the home debut for Timberview coach Jacody Coleman, who was at Dallas Skyline last season. He led the Raiders to a 4-6 record and their most wins since 2020. He picked up his first win with the Wolves in Week 1, a 27-0 victory over Dallas Kimball.
“We have a long way to go if we expect to be the team we want to be,” head coach Dave Henigan said after the game. “Two weeks in a row we’ve given up a touchdown in the kicking game, we’ve put the ball on the ground during a kickoff return for no reason and offensively we’re very inconsistent right now…four or five new offensive linemen and it’s showing. We have a long way to go if we expect to beat the people we want to beat.”
Raiders junior John Catlin was the player of the game after blocking both of the Wolves’ extra points, making an interception, and recovering a fumble to help keep Timberview to just a dozen points.
“Last week, he returned a punt for a touchdown during a critical time,” Henigan recalled while talking about Catlin’s performance. “Tonight he had the interception and a fumble recovery, and has really stepped up. He’s one of the fastest guys on our team and it’s in his blood…Ja’Tavion Sanders is his brother, who plays for the Carolina Panthers, and his dad was one of the fastest guys ever to come through Denton so he’s a guy we expect big things from and he’s already showing it in his first couple varsity starts.”
Ryan got on the board first with a 24-yard Haylen Keese field goal after he had already missed one earlier just before the first quarter ended at a score of 3-0.
The Wolves responded quickly in the second quarter as Mylez Davis found Kobe Gooden in the flat for a six-yard touchdown to take the lead. However the extra point was blocked as Catlin was able to break around the line and get a hand on the ball.
On the ensuing possession, Keese did his job well again as he drilled a 44-yard field goal to tie the game at six. It appeared that the teams would go into the locker room tied up, until Timberview’s Davin Hill picked up a muffed punt, spun around and raced 80 yards to put the Wolves back in front. Once again, Catlin made a big play by blocking the extra point, keeping it a 12-6 score at the break.
It did not take long for him to get his third big play, as on the second play of the second half he went up and got an interception to set up the Raiders with excellent field position. However they were unable to capitalize and failed to score.
It was not until the two minute mark of the third quarter that Ryan got back on top when Rontavian Brown broke free up the middle for a seven yard scoring run that put them ahead 13-12.
Finally, the Raiders delivered the final blow on the second play of the fourth quarter. Davis was sacked for a loss but fumbled the ball on the hit by Uzziah Warmate. Errol West picked it up and strolled in untouched from 15 yards out to make it 20-12.
Both defenses stood tall for the remainder of the game, but with two seconds left the Wolves had one last chance to tie it up on a Hail Mary. Davis lofted it up and appeared to have a couple of receivers ready in the end zone, but the Ryan secondary batted it down to secure its second win of the season.
The Raiders will now turn their attention to district play in 3-5A Division I as they open it up with Keller Fossil Ridge at home next Thursday. Meanwhile, Timberview will look to regroup as they also start district play in 3-5A Division II on the road at Argyle next Friday.
