Arlington Martin edges Lamar for final District 4-6A playoff spot
In the final regular-season game, one team was going to the playoffs while the other was staying home Thursday night at Cravens Field in a District 4-6A rivalry.
Arlington Martin got out to a comfortable halftime lead and then hung on to beat Arlington Lamar 41-33 for the final playoff berth, the program’s 11th consecutive appearance, all under coach Bob Wager.
With Martin’s win, Arlington also clinched a playoff spot. The Colts play Friday against Arlington Sam Houston. If Arlington wins, Martin (6-4, 5-2 4-6A) will play Keller Timber Creek at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at UTA’s Maverick Stadium in a Class 6A bi-district game.
Trailing 41-20, Lamar quarterback Chance Fuller threw touchdown passes of 11 and 4 yards to Dayton Dubs and Devon Wright to get the Vikings within 41-33 with 1:25 left.
Martin recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal the victory. Lamar (5-5, 3-4) misses the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
After a 33-yard field goal from Martin’s Patrick Grady to open the scoring, Lamar took a 7-3 lead as Fuller kept it for a 25-yard touchdown with 6:41 in the first quarter.
Juma Otoviano scored from 5 yards out to put Martin in front 10-7.
Fuller connected with Wright for a 7-yard touchdown, but Lamar missed the extra point to lead 13-10 late in the first.
Grady tied it on his 34-yard field goal late in the quarter then Lamar went up 20-13 when Martin fumbled and Bobby Brown fell on the football in the end zone.
Martin quarterback Matt Cook threw touchdown passes of 34 and 13 yards to Sorrell Brown and Cortlandt Brooks, and Antwone Parker scored on a 2-yard run to give the Warriors a 34-20 lead at the half. They extended the lead to 41-20 when Otoviano scored from 71 yards.
Otoviano had 29 carries for 247 yards and two touchdowns and Cook threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
Fuller passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings.
This story was originally published November 3, 2016 at 10:53 PM with the headline "Arlington Martin edges Lamar for final District 4-6A playoff spot."