Texas commit, top-ranked Duncanville run past Arlington Martin into state quarterfinals
Going into the week, Arlington Martin head coach Bob Wager knew it would be a challenge to get past Duncanville.
Duncanville has been the top-ranked Class 6A team in the state for the entire season.
The Warriors stayed close in the first half before the Panthers pulled away after intermission to secure the 45-17 victory during a 6A Division 1 regional round game Friday at AT&T Stadium.
Duncanville (13-0) will await the winner of Saturday’s game between Southlake Carroll and Midland Lee in the state quarterfinals. Carroll and Lee play at 5 p.m. at Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium.
“They were better than us toda,y and we wish them well moving forward,” Wager said.
Martin (11-2), which was searching for its first trip to the state quarterfinals since 2011, held the Panthers in check during a scoreless first quarter, but Duncanville would score 14 straight points to grab a two-touchdown lead.
The Warriors, ranked No. 10 in the state, had a 57-yard punt to pin Duncanville at its own 12, but the Panthers drove 88 yards in less than two minutes to take a 7-0 lead on Trysten Smith’s 1-yard run.
Martin ran a double pass on the ensuing drive from receiver Jonathan Carter to quarterback Zach Mundell, who went 54 yards down to the Duncanville 13, but the drive stalled when the Warriors fumbled and Kevon Ivy picked it up for a 75-yard fumble return and a 14-0 lead for the Panthers.
Mundell left with an injury, and backup QB Cydd Ford hit Cal Robinson for a 36-yard TD pass to get Martin on the scoreboard with 2:38 until the break.
But Duncanville added to its lead, 17-7, when kicker Eduardo Galvan hit a 41-yard field goal as time expired.
That’s when Duncanville QB and Texas commit Ja’Quinden Jackson took over.
Jackson, a 4-star prospect and the No. 3-ranked athlete in the nation by 247Sports, scored on TD runs of 1 and 26 yards to up the Panthers’ lead to 31-10 with two minutes to go in the third.
His 57-yard scoring run to open the fourth gave the Panthers a 21-point edge.
Carter scored Martin’s second TD of the day with his 44-yard run late in the third.
Smith added a 6-yard TD run for Duncanville with 2:32 left to play.
“No doubt a good season. Double-digit win seasons are hard to come by,” Wager said. “Love the kids we have in the football program, and proud of this senior class.”
Duncanville only had three rushers — Jackson (162 yards), Smith (129) and Roderick Daniels (101) — but they all hit the 100-yard mark. Jackson also threw for 136 yards as the Panthers gained 527 yards overall.
Martin gained 306 yards and rushed for 129 on 33 carries. Robinson made three catches for 81 yards and a TD.
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 4:02 PM.
