BY NOLAN RUTH
X – @RealNolanRuth
WEATHERFORD— The Gordon Longhorns have one of the youngest, yet most dominant teams in Class 1A. The reigning state champions have allowed just 42 points in 12 games this season. Their domination continued on Thursday night in the Area round of the playoffs against the Menard Yellowjackets.
In a match that only lasted 56 minutes in real time, the Longhorns displayed their dominance with a 48-0 win. The game marked their seventh shutout of the season, with every game ending by mercy rule. This earned Gordon the right to do what it has become accustomed to, practicing over Thanksgiving.
“I always tell people you’ve got to be blessed to win one” head coach Mike Reed said after the game. “I always think Thanksgiving football practices are a realistic goal and that always sets a standard for a goal each year. It’s a nice week to look forward to.”
Returning starter Stryker Reed opened up the game with a bang when he took the opening kickoff back 59 yards for the first score of the game. Reed had a massive game finding the end zone four separate times. Twice on offense, once on defense, and once on special teams.
Juan Cabrera Davila then kicked the two-point conversion for the first of six conversion kicks he made in the game to make it 8-0 less than 10 seconds into the game.
The Gordon defense then took the field for the first time and showed why it is the most feared defense in six-man football. Throughout the game, the Gordon defense only allowed two first downs by Menard, both coming late in the game with reserve players in the game.
“Because the offense has been so explosive, our defense has played a lot of reps,” Mike reed commented. “We’re probably playing 45-50 reps of defense a game all year. Just because our offense scores so quickly the defense has gotten a lot of work.”
A quick stop setup the second touchdown by Reed from 11 yards out to make it 16-0. Another stop allowed the Longhorns to extend their lead on the only passing touchdown of the night. Noah Koshita quickly found Ry Reed in the flat, then Reed reversed field evaded the defense to score from 45 yards out.
Stryker Reed then scored his third touchdown when he took the exchange and looked to throw. However, he did not have many options and decided to tuck it and run. He made a cut and easily ran it in from 48 yards out to make it 32-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Gordon opened the second quarter much like the first, scoring on the very first play. Brayden Walters took the pitch around the right side and busted free for a 44-yard scoring run to make it 40-0.
With the game already well in hand, the Longhorns started to substitute in their reserve players. This resulted in the only drive in which Gordon failed to score. However the defense stood tall and did not allow the Yellowjacket offense to gain much ground. The final blow was delivered on a long pass that Stryker Reed intercepted and took all the way back for a pick-six to put the Longhorns up 48-0 with just over a minute to go in the first half.
Because of six-man rules, the game was set to end unless Menard could score before the half. One final time, Gordon’s defense was up to the task and held the Yellowjackets as time expired, ending the game by mercy rule.
With the loss, Menard’s season comes to an end with a record of 9-1-1, while Gordon remains a perfect 12-0 and will face Jonesboro in the regional final at 6 p.m. next Friday at Tiger Stadium in Hico to resume the title defense.
