BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @Gosset41
MESQUITE – West Mesquite racked up 380 yards rushing and over 500 yards overall – taking down Carrollton Creekview 48-21 on Thursday in a showdown between undefeated teams in District 6-5A Division 1.
The Wranglers improved their record to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in district with two games left. Meanwhile the Mustangs fell to 8-1 and 6-1 with one game left.
Both teams already clinched a playoff berth and have one more big game on the agenda. Carrollton Newman Smith is 5-0 in district and plays Dallas Adams on Friday night.
West Mesquite faces the Trojans next week (Week 10) while Creekview closes out the season against the Trojans in Week 11.
The Wranglers have their best start in nearly 30 years and are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
They came in known for defense – allowing 10 points per contest but it was the offense that dominated the opening quarter.
Creekview went three and out during its first three drives and West Mesquite turned that into a 21-0 lead. With the ball across the 50, the Wranglers set up goal to go after a 29 yard run by Damarian Robinson, who then went on to score from the 3 on fourth down.
West Mesquite lead 7-0 with 7:19 left in the first quarter. On the next drive the team marched 75 yards and got a 35-yard pass from QB Demetris Ballard to Richard Clark. Four plays after that, Kamari Carter rumbled to a 28-yard touchdown.
Carter added a 59 yard TD run on the ensuing drive to make it 21-0 with 2:40 left in the first. Kentrell Blackshear recovered a Creekview fumble only 15 seconds later and Ballard threw a 22 yard touchdown to Carter to make it 28-0. The Wranglers out gained the Mustangs 228-32 in the opening 12 minutes.
Creekview would go into halftime down 28-7 after QB Cason Garcia found Isaiah Holliday from 25 yards with under three minutes left on the clock. Holliday made a great catch with his defender all over him – picking up a defensive pass interference which was declined.
West Mesquite wasn’t done there.
The Wranglers received the second half kickoff and went on a methodical 14 play 68 yard drive that ate up over seven minutes off the clock. Finally they scored on a 4 yard run by Ballard to extend the lead to 35-7.
A fumble and interception from the D led to two more quick Wrangler touchdowns.
Darieon Parker took a hand off to the middle, cut back outside for a 19 yard score and Ballard went 45 yards to Sean Hunt and the lead ballooned to 48-7.
The Mustangs managed to score two touchdowns before the night ended. DeAndre Richardson broke several tackles during a 64 yard TD run with 43 seconds left in the third and Sourjodipto Das punched one in from the 1 with 1:23 remaining in the fourth.
West Mesquite rushed 45 times for 380 yards. Robinson led with 119 yards on 17 carries. Carter added 114 yards on four attempts and Parker and Janarius Hall pitched in 63 yards apiece.
Ballard threw for 159 to give the offense 539 yards total.
