Richland runs past Mansfield Timberview in a District 5-5A D1 battle of unbeaten teams

The North Richland Hills Richland and Mansfield Timberview football teams have been on a collision course to see who would be the top dog in District 5-5A Division 1. Both teams came in undefeated in district and on the season.

It was nip and tuck for most of the game, but Richland was able to take a ten-point lead late in the third quarter and then played keep away from Timberview’s explosive offense in a 37-27 victory for the Royals on Friday night at the Birdville Fine Arts/Athletics Complex.

“I’m just so emotional,” said Richland quarterback Drew Kates, who was 11 of 19 passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. “I think this is my dad’s twelfth year and here and I’ve seen everything. The highs, the lows and mostly lows and now to do this.

“We have to go win next week, but we have the opportunity to be the first 10-0 team in Richland history. I just love this team and we’ve been waiting for this game for so long and we got it done.”

Richland (9-0 overall, 7-0 district) can claim its first outright district championship since 1995 if the Royals can defeat Dallas Molina next week. Drew Kates’ uncle and Richland head coach Ged Kates’ brother Matt Kates was on that 1995 team.

This is the most wins for a Richland football team since 2017 when the team reached the fourth round of the playoffs. The Royals went 9-0 in 2016 before finishing 10-2.

Timberview (8-1, 7-1), No. 3 in the state in the Dave Campbell’s Class 5A D1 rankings, jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead, scoring twice in its first five plays from scrimmage. Wolves quarterback Zuric Humes found a wide-open Cameron Bates over the middle for a 62-yard score on the second play of the game.

Following a Richland punt, Humes connected with A.J. Moore for 51 yards down to the Royals’ four yard line. Two plays later Jaylon Woods ran it in from two yards out with 9:40 left in the first quarter.

Richland answered with a couple of big plays of its own. Drew Kates hit Deon Jones on a crossing pattern for a 39-yard TD to cut the lead to 13-7 with 7:41 left in the opening quarter.

Kates and Jones connected again for a 47-yard touchdown with 30 seconds left in the first quarter to give the Royals a 14-13 lead. Jones was wide open down the left sideline and had to wait on Kates’ throw, but Jones was able to gather in the ball and evade a pair of Timberview tacklers to score.

Both teams went on long drives in the second quarter. Richland went on a 13-play, 90-yard drive capped by a one-yard TD run by running back Michael Turner.

The Wolves answered back on their next possession with a 13-play drive of their own. The march covered 87 yards with Woods doing the honors bouncing out around left end from a yard out.

Timberview went for two with Humes hitting Wood for two points to tie the game at 21 with 16 seconds left before the intermission.

The Richland drive was a precursor of what was to come in the second half. The Royals established Turner on the drive behind center Daniel Cruz and the rest of the Richland offensive line.

Cruz, a University of Texas commit and the No. 2 ranked player in the Star-Telegram Top 50, helped Turner crank out 164 rushing yards on a whopping 40 carries.

“I feel good,” said Turner after his marathon night. “The line, the gaps, the holes, they were just opening up and I had to hit ‘em. It’s the best feeling ever running behind Daniel Cruz and the rest of the crew. He opened up everything for me.”

Richland kept Timberview’s explosive offense off the field for the most part in the second half. The Royals ran 36 plays after the break, 30 rushing attempts, to 16 for Timberview.

Humes finished with 140 passing yards completing six of 18 passes, but the Wolves did not complete a pass in the second half.

“Honestly we came into the game wanting to pound the rock,” said Cruz. “Run the ball is something us on the offensive line pride ourselves on. The game relies on us and we’ll take responsibility for everything and try to win up front.

“All of those guys over there on Timberview are some dudes. They’re very physical, but we kept driving our feet, playing smart and playing good football.”

“Daniel Cruz is a special kid,” said Richland coach Ged Kates. “He’s going to graduate in January and go to the University of Texas, but all he wants to do is be a Richland Royal for as long as he can. He’s not looking at the future.

“He’s a special, program changing type of captain and it’s no coincidence. The kids around him on the line are dag gum good high school football players and they love each other and love the guys behind them and man that is special. That’s what makes football the greatest game on the planet.”

Richland took the opening kick of the second half and Turner busted loose for a 42-yard gain to the Timberview 22. Four plays later Turner went off right tackle, breaking several tackles on his way to a nine-yard touchdown.

Timberview was poised to tie the game at 28 when Woods scored on a 17-yard run with 5:15 left in the third quarter. The PAT kick was blocked however and returned for two points for Richland by Zaid Walker making the score 30-27.

From that point the Wolves only ran eight plays while Richland was chewing up the clock. The Royals scored on their ensuing possession with Drew Kates hitting Xavier Johnson for 64 yards down to the Timberview one-yard line where Turner carried it in.

Johnson finished with five catches for 109 yards.

The Royals ran 15 plays taking 8:54 off the clock from the 1:51 mark of the third quarter until there was 4:57 left in the game before losing the ball on downs.

“The six up front, Harrison Sarratt, Brett Strickland, Daniel Cruz, Cole Massey, Will Strickland and Brian Merino playing J-back they did great,” said Drew Kates. “Then Michael Turner just couldn’t be tackled and when they worried about that we made some deep throws and they made some great plays.”

This story was originally published October 28, 2023 at 2:09 AM.