Kicker lifts Mansfield Lake Ridge to victory over Tulsa Union in offensive slugfest

Mansfield Lake Ridge kicker Tabor Allen booted a 36-yard field goal with 4 seconds left to give the Eagles a 47-44 victory over Tulsa (Oklahoma) Union in the season opener for both schools Friday night at Newsom Stadium.

“I was nervous at first, but they iced me twice which made me less nervous,” said Allen, who also had a 40-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. “I had a feeling I was going to make it.”

It was a wild ride getting to the winning kick. Union finished with 622 yards of total offense and Lake Ridge accumulated 578.

Lake Ridge (1-0) took its biggest lead at 34-21 with 3:49 left in the third quarter on a 2-yard scoring pass from Adrian Hawkins to Ahman Carter.

Hawkins started slowly, missing numerous wide open receivers on deep patterns early in the game, but settled in after that.

Hawkins finished completing 17 of 32 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns. The senior added 49 yards on 13 carries and his 1-yard scoring run with 7:34 left in the third quarter gave Lake Ridge a 27-21 lead.

The Eagles looked to be in trouble midway through the fourth quarter when Hawkins didn’t come out for a series with the game tied at 37.

Cramps in both legs forced backup Joshua Bowie into the game. Bowie picked up where Hawkins left off, tossing a 68-yard scoring pass to Keylan Johnson to put the Eagles up 44-37 with 7:15 left. Johnson had five catches for 211 yards and TDs of 68 and 75 yards.

“They wanted me to wait out a series, but I have complete faith in Josh,” said Hawkins. “We compete in practice day in and day out so I had no worries when he stepped in.”

Redskins quarterback J.D. Geneva and the rest of the Union offense never gave up, however, and his 9-yard TD pass to Kyler Pearson with 3:53 left knotted the game again, this time at 44.

Geneva threw for 289 yards and five scores, completing 19 of 25 passes.

Lake Ridge almost didn’t get the chance for a winning boot after Marcellus Wilkerson recovered a Lake Ridge fumble at the Redskins 17-yard line with 2:42 left.

But Lake Ridge held to force a punt and took over at its own 49 with 1:46 on the clock.

Rushers for each team had productive nights. Union’s A.J. Green had 171 yards on 23 carries and a 75-yard scoring run. Lake Ridge’s Myles Featherston picked up 110 yards on 10 carries with a 55-yard TD.

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