Moore stuns Mustang on late touchdown pass
MUSTANG — Moore’s playoff hopes got a huge boost Friday night.
Moore escaped Bronco Stadium with a 29-27 victory after scoring on Daniel Hishaw’s 9-yard touchdown pass to London Lester with 27 seconds left. Mustang tried a desperation 52-yard field goal on the last play of the game, but Devin Payne’s kick fell well short.
Hishaw completed a 22-yard pass to Orlando Green on fourth-and-17 with 44 seconds remaining. The Mustang sideline celebrated because it appeared Adrian Violetta had intercepted Hishaw’s pass, but Green apparently made the catch.
After Moore was called for a 5-yard penalty, Hishaw ran a play fake, then threw to Lester in the end zone.
Hishaw said the Lions reached deep into the offensive playbook for both those play calls. Moore moved to 4-3, 3-1 in District 6A-I-2 in its bid to advance to the postseason for the first time since 2005. Mustang went to 3-4, 1-3 within the district.
“That was great,” Hishaw said of Green’s catch. “That was one of the plays we had to bring out of the bag.”
Of Lester’s touchdown catch, Hishaw said, “That’s a little play that you only run one time a game. You got to save that for the big moments. It feels great because it gets us even closer to the playoffs. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
Hishaw ran for 141 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns. Hishaw scored on an 85-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. Moore went up 15-7 when Hishaw ran a fake handoff. Hishaw found open field up the middle and zipped along the left sideline to race 85 yards on a scoring gallop.
Carlos Thomas fueled Mustang with 98 yards rushing and a touchdown on 23 carries.
Mustang led 27-22 with 9:42 to go after Payne booted in a 23-yard field goal, his second of the night.
Moore went ahead 22-21 when Dylan Buchheit picked off Mustang quarterback Brayden Garrett and ran the interception in for a touchdown on the first drive of the second half.
Mustang took the lead with two second-quarter touchdowns. Early in the second, Kenneth Watson pulled in a fumble recovery to place the Broncos at the Moore 24. Mustang cashed in as Damian Close caught a pass from Garrett in the corner of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown.
The Broncos went ahead 21-15 as Thomas ran the ball in from 1 yard out late in the second quarter. Mustang generated the 53 yards on the nine-play drive on the ground.
Hishaw propelled Moore to a 15-7 first-quarter lead.
Hishaw led the Lions on an 80-yard scoring march to start the game. Hishaw ran the touchdown in from 6 yards out. Moore ran for more than 200 yards in the first quarter.
Mustang got on the scoreboard after taking advantage of a short field. The Broncos took the ball at the Moore 17-yard line thanks to a Lion penalty. Thomas crossed the end zone for Mustang from 2 yards away after catching a pass from Garrett.