Lewisville overcomes 1st-half deficit to outlast Arlington Lamar in offensive shootout

An inspired Lewisville team came out after halftime and dominated Arlington Lamar, 51-41, at Cravens Field Friday night in a Class 6A non-district contest.

The Farmers (2-1) overcame two first-half deficits of 14 points, and took the second-half kickoff and marched 73 yards in only three plays. Damien Martinez ran 23 yards for the score and 21-21 tie following quarterback Taylen Green’s 48-yard run on the previous play.

Martinez rushed 21 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns while Green accounted for four TDs while completing 21 of 32 passes for 312 yards.

Lewisville finally took the lead for good, 41-34, off of Green’s 4-yard run with 2:48 left in the third quarter. It climaxed a 7-play, 70-yard drive.

It appeared Lamar (1-2) would tie the game again when the Vikings were at the Lewisville 3, but a low snap left the ball on the ground and Myles Johnson recovered for Lewisville near the goal line and returned it to the Lamar 49.

After a 15-yard unsportmanlike penalty pushed the ball back to the Lewsiville 36, the Farmers drove 53 yards in 11 plays and were capped off by Julio Perez’ 28-yard field goal to push the lead to 44-34 with 7:26 left.

Lamar replied with a quick touchdown less than a minute later as Cade Carlson sprinted 30 yards up the middle on a quarterback draw to make it 44-41 with 6:23 left. It took the Vikings only three plays to drive 70 yards.

Carlson threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for a pair of scores. However, in a time-consuming drive, the Farmers drove 75 yards in seven plays, all on the ground, for the final score.

Green kept it up the middle for two yards to reinstate the 10-point advantage with 2:23 left.

Turnovers played a significant part throughout the evening. In the first half, Harrison Griffith returned a fumble 73 yards for Lamar to make it 14-0. Safety Harold West, a University of North Texas commit, tackled Green from behind around the collarbone that jarred the ball loose.

Then with only 28 seconds left in the first half, Lewisville scored from 17 yards out on a pass from Green to Isiah Stevens to pull the Farmers to within 21-14. It came six plays after the Farmers recovered a fumble at their 49 with 1:49 left before intermission.

Later in the third quarter, Lewisville’s Ke’marion Jones blocked a punt attempt that was picked by teammate Billy Sanford and returned six yards for a score. It gave the Farmers the lead, 34-27.

However, the Farmers returned the favor moments later when a fumble after a reception was returned by Amari’Yon Fox 41 yards to the Lewisville 4. Two plays later, Carlson sneaked over from the 1 to tie it at 34.

Lamar travels to Prosper Oct. 16. Lewisville is off next week before playing at Plano West Oct. 22 to start district.

This story was originally published October 10, 2020 at 1:37 AM.