Haslet Eaton’s run game, defense stifles Mansfield Legacy in non-district tilt

Haslet Eaton controlled the clock and Mansfield Legacy, 17-7, in a non-district win over the Broncos on Thursday night at Newsom Stadium.

Eaton running back Jahbez Hawkins and quarterback Braden St. Ama led the Eagles, who ran 81 total plays on the night to Legacy’s 31.

Hawkins rushed for 158 yards on 39 carries and one score for Eaton (2-0). St. Ama carried 22 times for 126 yards and completed 5 of 15 passes for 42 yards and a TD.

After forcing a punt by Legacy (1-1) on the Broncos’ first series, Jalen Thompson returned the kick 25 yards to the Legacy 47.

The drive stalled nine plays later at the Broncos 18 and Colby Sessums was called on to boot a 35-yard field goal to give Eaton a 3-0 lead with 8:11 left in the first quarter.

“They’re really good on defense,” said Eaton coach Ellis Miller. “That’s a good football team. They’re going to surprise some people.”

Legacy answered on its next series, but it took the help of a roughing-the-passer penalty on Eaton and a fake punt.

The Broncos picked up 10 yards on a third-and-eight from their own 27 on a pass from Austin Kilgore to Jaxson Cook. Kilgore was hit late giving Legacy a first down at the Eaton 48.

Facing a fourth-and-4 at the Eaton 42, the Broncos lined up for a punt, but running back Munshae Kennedy darted up the middle for 18 yards to the Eagles’ 24.

On the ensuing play, Kilgore rolled right and found a wide-open Isaiah Williams for the score and a 7-3 lead at the 4:13 mark of the opening quarter.

Hawkins and St. Ama went to work again, driving Eaton 70 yards in nine plays, all on the ground. Hawkins, who carried six times for 50 yards on the march, capped the drive with a 5-yard scoring run giving Eaton a 10-7 lead with 22 seconds left in the first frame.

“We like to throw the ball, but they had a safety over the top and the corners manned up so it was tough,” said Miller. “If they’re going to leave the box light then we’re going to run the ball. We had to rely on our big O-line and mash them a little bit, but our line is very good.”

Both defenses stepped it up from there, leading to a scoreless second quarter.

The Eagles defense forced three Legacy punts, all three-and-outs. Eaton’s most promising drive of the second quarter was thwarted when Legacy’s Curtis Taylor picked off an Eagles’ pass at the Broncos 14.

Eaton ran 42 plays to Legacy’s 12 in the second half and upped its lead to 17-7 just before the end of the third quarter.

The Eagles benefited from a pass interference penalty on a third-and-5 from the Legacy 27 that gave Eaton a first down at the 12.

Three plays later, Eaton’s Charles Whitebear made a nice catch in front of a Legacy defender on a 7-yard pass from St. Ama.

Even though things looked bleak for Legacy after going three-and-out on its next series, punter Oreoluwa Adeyi’s 63-yard punt pinned the Eagles at their own 1 with 17 seconds left in the third quarter.

Adeyi helped Legacy flip the field several times with a 48.3 yard average on six punts.

The Broncos held and took over at the Eaton 43, but three plays later Eagles’ safety Ben Roberts streaked across the middle to intercept a Legacy pass at the Eaton 7 to end the Broncos’ hopes.

“I felt like early in the fourth quarter that we were moving the ball and then we turned it over,” said Legacy coach Chris Melson.” I felt like we might be able to gain some momentum there because it looked like maybe they were tired, but it didn’t happen. They’re just a good ball club.”

Eaton took over with 8:52 left in the game and was able to pick up seven first downs to run out the clock behind Hawkins and St. Ama.

“They’re good, they’re studs,” said Miller of his defense that allowed 110 yards of total offense and five first downs. “Our defensive line is really good and we rotate in a lot of bodies. Our secondary is as good as anybody’s and our linebackers can go too. They’ll hit ya.”

Legacy will complete its run against 6A schools in non-district when the Broncos travel to North Crowley Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Eaton will host Hebron at Northwest ISD Stadium Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.

This story was originally published October 2, 2020 at 1:06 AM.