Credit Peavy, Downs for biggest plays of all
New quarterback Jordan Thomas and the Klein Collins offense were surprisingly shut out in their opener but had no trouble moving the ball Thursday night at George Stadium.
But the opposing defense was just a little better when it had to be.
Brian Peavy returned a fumble 60 yards for a score late in the third quarter, and No. 2 Westfield mustered the game’s only fourth-down stop on the next drive, giving it the separation it needed in a 38-31 victory.
“Our defense was probably on the field for three out of the four quarters,” Westfield coach Corby Meekins said. “They were under heavy assault. I’ve got to do a better job of getting us off the field on third downs.
“They really wore us down.”
The Mustangs (3-0, 1-0 District 13-5A) were down but never out in a game that had five lead changes. They trailed 7-0 early, 17-14 in the second quarter and 24-21 mid-third quarter.
The Tigers were going for another lead when, 12 plays into a drive, Earnest Watts fumbled, Peavy scooped it up and took it down the sideline for a 31-24 lead at the 1:16 mark in the third quarter.
Klein Collins converted three fourth downs, including a 7-yard TD run by Tre White on fourthand-6 from the Westfield 7 that kept the Tigers in the game in the final quarter, and Westfield converted two, both on scoring drives.
But Westfield stopped Watts on fourth-and-3 after the defensive score, leading to the only turnover on downs. Next play, Latevius Downs broke a spectacular 55-yard touchdown run for a 3824 lead.
“That was pretty huge,” Klein Collins coach Drew Svoboda said. “You always say that there’s four or five plays in a game that determine the outcome of a close game.”
Downs finished with 108 yards on eight carries, all in the second half, to help the Mustangs ice the game.
“That boy’s something serious,” said Westfield quarterback William Dedon, who threw for 186 yards and two touchdowns. “I really wasn’t expecting the first play to go to the house, but he did it.”
Westfield rang up 398 total yards and 17 first downs. It led 21-17 at halftime on Rayquan Jones’ 6-yard score.
“It was pretty tough, but we just rode through,” Dedon said. “It was a fun ride going through this game, though.”
Klein Collins (0-1, 1-2) had 421 yards of offense and 24 first downs.
Thomas ran for 93 yards and a score and threw for 93 yards and a touchdown. White had 139 yards and two TDs on 15 rushes.
“This is huge,” Meekins said. “You place a lot of emphasis on the first district game because it separates everybody right off the bat.
“You’re either playing from out front or you’re playing from behind.”