Backup QB Ojonta keeps Lobos unbeaten
No Chris Herron, no problem.
With their star quarterback sidelined Friday, Nick Ojonta kept Langham Creek rolling, throwing for 193 yards and one touchdown in a 20-14 victory over Cypress Ranch at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium.
“I knew my role, and I just had to step in,” Ojonta said. “I was prepared. It didn’t come unexpected to me.”
With the win, the Lobos stayed perfect at 6-0 both overall and in District 176A.
The Mustangs suffered their second district setback for the first time in four years, falling to 4-2, 4-2.
“Cy Ranch has a good football team, and they’re well-coached and they play hard, and you have to beat them,” Langham Creek coach Todd Thompson said. “They don’t beat themselves. And to do that (Friday), here at homecoming, to make it 6-0 right now – it don’t get a whole lot better than that.”
Herron, the district’s third-leading rusher, injured his throwing shoulder last week.
Thompson said he didn’t practice all week, but he stayed suited up on the sideline, then checked in for their final possession, picking up two key first downs with his legs before running out the clock.
“His shoulder was hurting when he threw all week, but we felt like he could run it and close the game out for us,” Thompson said.
The Lobos also played without starting defensive linemen Franchesko Ravines and Ernest Thomas, who Thompson expects to return quickly. But they still held Ranch to 213 total yards without them.
Ojonta did the rest, guiding three scoring drives in the first half.
He completed a 13-yard pass to Ahmad Young for a key first down on the Lobos’ opening series, setting up a 23-yard touchdown run by Chris Mehn, who carried five times for 61 yards on the drive.
Then he conducted an 18play march that chewed up 7:51 — that ended in confusion.
After reaching Ranch’s 1-yard line, the Lobos were called for a delay of game while both teams ran players in and out, then they were forced to burn a timeout to put in the correct personnel after moving back.
They settled for a 24-yard Kevin Marks field goal for a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Mustangs responded with their own clockconsuming possession — a 12-play, 70-yard drive that lasted 5:13 and ended with a touchdown by Elias Pino, who spun out of a tackle and ran 17 yards for the score.
The score pulled them within 10-7 — but two turnovers left them in a halftime hole.
The Lobos’ long fieldgoal drive started with a fumble by Kobe Banks, who was stripped by Chase Hanks, and a muffed punt, which was recovered by Austin Raitt, set up the final score of the first half.
Ojonta found Golden Eke in the back of the end zone on fourth down for a 34-yard score.
“I had to make a decision on about Tuesday to get a guy ready, just in case, so I committed to going with Nick, and that kid was amazing,” Thompson said. “To come in and run the offense like he did (Friday), and get the ball to people, make plays and extend plays — it’s exactly like I hoped it would go.”
The Lobos led 17-7 at the break.
They committed two turnovers in the second half, helping Cy Ranch pull within 17-14 on Pino’s second rushing touchdown.
But Langham Creek answered with a second Marks field goal for a 20-14 lead in the third quarter.
The Lobos finished with 378 total yards and 19 first downs. Mehn rushed for 110 yards on 23 carries.
“We left points on the board,” Thompson said. “Two times we were down inside the 5 and ended up walking away with field goals, so that’s eight points we should have gotten, but I’m not going to be greedy.
“I’m just glad to get a win.”