After close first half, Arlington Bowie rolls over Mansfield

After another slow start, Arlington Bowie (2-0) prevailed over visiting Mansfield 34-7 at Wilemon Field on the Sam Houston High campus Friday night.

The Tigers fell to 0-2.

Bowie led 7-0 at halftime but blew it open in the second half. It was the second week in a row Bowie opened up a close game after intermission. Against Flower Mound Marcus, the Volunteers scored 22 points in the second half en route to a 25-7 win.

Game was over when: Emmanuel Muhammad dove for a 4-yard touchdown pass near the front pylon from Malcolm Mays. It gave the Volunteers a 27-7 lead with 7:26 remaining. Muhammad had Bowie’s last three touchdowns all receiving.

Play of the game: On its first possession and only second offensive play of the game, Malcolm Mays threw 58 yards on a post to Montez President to the Mansfield 21. It led to the only touchdown of the first half, a 1-yard sweep by Marsaillus Sims on fourth-and-goal.

Offensive player of the game: Bowie quarterback Malcolm Mays was equally adroit on the ground or in the air. He was 14-of-24 passing for 228 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 13 times for 71 yards.

Defensive player of the game: Senior Antonio Greer stopped Ricky Madison for no gain on fourth-and-two at the Bowie 40 early in the second half with Bowie leading 14-0.

Unsung hero of the game: Though he had no touchdowns, D’Aunte Prevost rushed 12 times for 87 yards.

Moment of the game: Bowie could have been leading 14-0 at halftime but a 16-yard touchdown pass was wiped out by a holding penalty. The Volunteers did not score on the drive. Mansfield also squandered a couple of first half scoring opportunities. The Tigers knocked the ball out of Mays’ hands as his arm was cocked back to pass. In the ensuing mad scramble for the loose ball by Mansfield players in the Bowie backfield, the Tigers recovered but could have returned the ball for a touchdown with a clear field ahead. Also, late in the half, Miles Williams returned a punt 23 yards to the Bowie 43, but the Tigers failed to score.

Stat of the game: Rushing yards were close for both teams, but Bowie out-passed Mansfield, 228 yards to 33.

Big picture outlook: Mansfield has yet to win a game after winning district the last three years. It is a young team. Starting quarterback Hunt Young is only a sophomore.

What’s next? Bowie will be at Rockwall next Thursday at 7 p.m. Mansfield will host Mansfield Legacy on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

— Tom Curtis

This story was originally published September 7, 2018 at 11:51 PM.