Mansfield Summit can’t contain Coulson, Dallas Lake Highlands in 6A DII playoff opener

Mansfield Summit went toe-to-toe with Dallas Lake Highlands early in its Class 6A Division II bi-district football game Friday night.

But in the end there was too much Mitch Coulson as the Wildcats built a two-touchdown cushion at the half and held on for a 35-19 victory over the Jaguars at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl.

Lake Highlands (8-3) moves on to the area round for the first time since 2009. The Wildcats will face Flower Mound Marcus (10-1), a 34-7 winner over Keller Central, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Ford Center in Frisco.

Summit’s season ends at 7-4.

“I don’t even know the last time we advanced to the second round,” said Coulson. “It means a lot to the coaching staff and all the players on this team.”

Coulson did a little of everything for the Wildcats at quarterback scoring all five touchdowns for Lake Highlands.

Coulson was the leading rusher, completed 2 of 4 passes for 41 yards, was the punter and returned a kickoff for a score.

“The offensive line was just creating huge holes that you could drive a truck through,” said Coulson who rushed for 156 yards on 25 carries. “Most of it was inside and I ran straight up the hole. The defense also really played a great game for us.”

Lake Highlands running back Tyson Washington also benefited from the offensive line play with 149 rushing yards on 16 carries.

All of the scoring came in a 17-minute span in the first half with the teams trading the first six scores.

Coulson hit Cristian Bernal with a 26-yard scoring pass, returned a kickoff 87 yards for a TD, and scored on a 9-yard run.

Summit answered with scoring passes of 17 and 65 yards from quarterback Kainen McKinney to Jaelon Travis and a 25-yard Calvion Porter scoring run.

The Jaguars flubbed two point after kicks and trailed 21-19 with 8:06 left in the second quarter.

But while Lake Highlands kept scoring, Summit struggled against the Wildcats’ large, athletic defensive front of Andy Jordan, Alex Maldonado and Latrell Smith.

An interception by LH linebacker Jeremiah Richards set up a 38-yard scoring run by Coulson on the ensuing play. Then a three-and-out by the Jags was followed by a 6-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 40-yard TD run by Coulson on a fourth-and-2.

Lake Highlands led at that point 35-19 with 52 seconds left in the first half.

“It was just a lack of execution for us,” said Summit head coach Channon Hall. “They did some good stuff and that’s a good defense. Our guys played their hearts out and didn’t quit, but that’s a good football team and we fell short.

“If you don’t execute and don’t take advantage of all your chances against a good football team then that’s what happens. We had a great season, it sucks right now, but we’ll reboot the system and get ready to roll next year.”

Both defenses stepped up in a scoreless second half, but Lake Highlands took almost seven minutes off the third quarter clock that ended in a missed 40-yard field goal.

Summit’s Lopeti Tupou recovered a Wildcats fumble with 10:51 left in the game, but the Jaguars turned the ball over on their final two drives thwarting any comeback hopes.

McKinney led the Jags with 230 passing yards, completing 10 of 13 passes. Travis had six catches for 117 yards and Hal Presley hauled in four throws for 93.

The game was even total yardage wise with Lake Highlands picking up 336 yards to Summit’s 326.

This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 12:29 AM.