Manvel has top-ranked Foster’s number
Manvel wide receiver Jalen Walthall catches a touchdown pass over Foster cornerback Cody Jackson during Friday night’s game at Alvin Memorial Stadium. Manvel, ranked third in the area in Class 5A, routed No. 1 Foster 66-28 to claim the 10-5A Division I championship and a No.1 playoff seed. Manvel led 31-21 at halftime.
ALVIN — That North Shore loss is like a pre-covid memory now.
Manvel’s lone setback, which came against the No. 1 6A teamin the state, knocked it off the top spot in the area 5A poll, and opened the door for Foster to ascend, so the Mavericks re-stated their case as Houston’s best 5A with conviction, dispatching the Falcons 66-28 Friday at Alvin Memorial Stadium.
“The North Shore score was lopsided (49-14), but if you look at the film, we had three busted blitzes, and that’s right where they hit us, and of course their quarterback (Dematrius Davis) is the most phenomenal football player I’ve seen in I don’t know
how long,” Manvel coach Kevin Hall said.
“But the physicality of the game, and intensity of the play, was a lot closer than the score, and I knew after that game we had a chance to mature … but we’ve been shooting ourselves in the foot.
“(Friday), we came out and played our best ballgame of the year.”
Manvel went into it No. 3 in the area, with Foster at No. 1.
The impressive win by theMavericks (5-1, 3-0) clinched the District 10-5A, Division I championship, and a No. 1playoff seed. The Falcons tumbled to 6-1, 5-1 with their first loss, despite landing the first blow.
With running back Xavier Smallwood carrying the load on
their opening possession, the Falcons marched 75 yards on14 plays — aided by two costly penalties from Manvel — and scored on Smallwood’s 10-yard run.
The 4 minute, 11-second drive gave the Falcons a 7-0 advantage.
Then the Mavericks had their say, reeling off 24 consecutive points to snatch a 24-7 lead early in the second quarter.
Running back De’Monte Seymore (9-114, 2 TDs rushing) tied it with a 66-yard TD run on his first carry, and quarterback Gabriel Larry gave his team the lead for good on a 15-yard run that capped a nine-play, 85-yard scoring drive. Larry’s 40-yard TD pass to wide receiver Jalen Walthall made it 24-7.
“Thiswas a really good football team we played,” Hall insisted.
“We just came out and did a great job offensively. Other than a missed field goal, this was the best special-teams performance by Manvel in the five years I’ve been here.”
Foster rallied to score twice in the final 4:32 of the first half to stay in the contest. Smallwood returned to the end zone on a 43yard burst, and WR Taribbean Ramirez turned a short throw from quarterback Philip Amy, combined with an excellent downfield block, into a 47-yard, catch-and-run touchdown.
Still, Foster trailed 31-21 at halftime — and stood no chance in the second half.
The Mavericks iced the game with a 28-point third quarter featuring TD runs by WR Dayvon Henderson (25 yards on a re
verse), and RBs Ty Harris (34 yards), Seymore (13 yards) and Jordon Vaughn (58 yards). Seymore, Harris and Vaughn each finished with two rushing touchdowns.
Manvel’s defense added three interceptions to the lopsided outcome. Defensive Collin Wright supplied two.
The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 total yards (995).
Manvel had 543 yards on 53 rushes, and 672 total yards and 30 first downs. Foster had 323 yards and 21 first downs.
“We’ve got a young football team here, with a bunch of young kids starting,” Hall said. “So it’s a growth process, and there have been growing pains along the way, but I saw us take a leap (Friday) Iwas tickled to death to see.”