Texas State commit has huge game for Summit in cross-town victory over rival Mansfield
Mansfield Summit quarterback Brysen McKinney knew he would have to be the one to make things happen for the Jaguars offense. The senior was up to that challenge Thursday night.
He ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns – two in the fourth quarter – and passed for a another score to lead Summit past Mansfield, 27-17, at Newsom Stadium in the District 7-6A opener for both teams.
The start was delayed 20 minutes due to thunderstorms that rolled through the area around 6 p.m. The game was moved up a day due to widespread storms forecast for Friday evening.
“He had to be the dude,” Summit coach Channon Hall said of McKinney. “We talked about that in the summer coming into this season. We had some young backs and young receivers and we knew he would need to make things go. He had to be the dude for us.”
He was indeed the dude. McKinney, a Texas State commit, exploded up the middle for a 57-yard touchdown run on the first offensive play of the night for the Jaguars (2-1, 1-0). Then, late in the second quarter, he froze the Mansfield (1-3, 0-1) defense with a pump fake then delivered a 27-yard dart to receiver Hal Presley for a 13-7 halftime lead.
The Tigers seized momentum early in the third quarter, converting a fumble and an interception into 10 quick points. But the late stages of the game belonged to McKinney. And to the Summit defense.
Summit’s defense forced a Mansfield fumble late in the third quarter, giving the Jaguars possession at their own 41. On the ensuing scoring drive, McKinney ran for 39 yards, passed for 28, capping things off with a 12-yard run. That score nudged Summit ahead 20-17, with 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Summit’s Cory Washington intercepted a pass later in the fourth, setting McKinney up for a game-sealing three-yard run.
Game was over when: Washington picked off a Mansfield pass with four minutes to go, returning it to the Tigers’ 5. It set up McKinney’s third and final TD.
Play of the game: McKinney’s early fourth-quarter touchdown run from 12 yards out was a thing of beauty. He kept veering right toward the sideline. Once, he turned the corner, he muscled past a Mansfield defender and stretched the ball across the goal line.
Offensive player of the game: McKinney made things happen at key moments, accounting for all four Summit scores.
Defensive player of the game: The Summit secondary intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter. The first by Washington set up a touchdown and the second, by Mekhi Price, ended Mansfield’s last-ditch effort to try to get within three.
Unsung hero of the game: McKinney’s big performance overshadowed a 14-carry, 84-yard night by Mansfield running back Ricky Madison. Madison scored on a 24-yard touchdown run in the first half.
What’s next? Mansfield hosts South Grand Prairie at R.L. Anderson Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28. Summit looks to move to 2-0 in district when it travels to the Gopher-Warrior Bowl to face Grand Prairie at 7 p.m. Sept. 28.