Mustangs pull away from Texans in opener
James scores twice, defense helps spoil Lindsey’s debut
Offense often lags early on. But programs with championship aspirations don’t forget how to play defense, and Westfield and Lamar clearly fit that category.
The Mustangs, ranked No. 3 in the Chronicle’s preseason Class 6A media poll, finally broke through late in the first half, then used the momentum to snag a 3114 win over Lamar in Thursday’s opener at Delmar Stadium.
Running back Rayshawn James, who is verbally committed to Houston, supplied 94 total yards and two touchdowns, including a 12-yard scamper for a 21-0 lead in the third quarter, and the Mustangs converted two second-half Lamar turnovers into 10 points, helping seal the non-district win.
“We believed in each other, kept going, focusing on the next play, and started executing,” Westfield coach Matt Meekins said.
“Our tempo was pretty good (Thursday), when we got it going, and we played a lot of guys, too. We played a lot of backs, we played a lot of O-linemen and we played a lot of D-linemen, so for a first game, that was really close for a long time, I was a little bit surprised a lot of guys contributed.”
Their game last year was cancelled by Harvey, but the No. 10 Texans won 38-28 two years ago in their first meeting since Westfield won 36-12 in the 2005 playoffs en route to the state semifinals.
The Mustangs are hoping to return for the second time in five seasons this year.
The Mustangs are young on defense, but they still gave a younger Lamar offense fits in the first half, holding them to 20 total yards and three first downs. They also racked up three sacks before halftime, all on No. 2 quarterback Drew Woodcox, who rotated with starter Troy Tisdale.
“I thought during spring ball, ‘Oh my goodness, two returning starters,’ but I think we’re going to be OK,” Meekins said.
The Texans, playing without retired coach Tom Nolen for the first time in 33 years, reached Westfield’s 27 on their first series under new coach Michael Lindsey.
Then defensive lineman Tim Hardimon tackled running back Cameron Keener in the backfield, and the Texans ended up attempting a 51-yard field goal that fell well shy of the goal post — but still left Westfield at its 8 after a short return. But after starting inside the 10 on their first two drives, the Mustangs flipped the field with an 80-yard march.
Lamar’s D — which produced four sacks by four different players in the first half — ended up forcing a clutch turnover on downs, but Westfield started its next three possessions at Lamar’s 46, its own 30 and Lamar’s 46.
Westfield quarterback Terrance Gipson, a Southern Methodist pledge, carried for 17 and 8 yards, Dexter Johnson broke a 16yard run, and then James scored on an 8-yard counter with 51 seconds left.
Gipson found Ashton Callaway streaking downfield for a 43-yard gain, and he capped the scoring drive with a 2-yard keeper for a 14-0 lead. Gipson threw for 177 yards on 9-of-14 passing before exiting in the fourth.
Keener (12 carries for 76 yards) scored twice in the second half on a 20-yard reception and a 6-yard run, which pulled the Lamar finished with only 153 yards and nine first downs.
“It certainly didn’t turn out like we wanted it to,” Lindsey said.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do. Our mistakes have to get cleaned up, but we can’t make any excuses about being young, we can’t make excuses about the coaching change – we’ve just got to get the job done.”