Early start sends Mansfield Timberview to victory over Cleburne in district opener

The Mansfield Timberview Wolves kicked off District 5-5A Division 2 play Friday with a 27-18 victory over Cleburne at Newsom Stadium.

The Wolves (3-0, 1-0), ranked No. 7 in the Class 5A D2 state rankings, jumped out to a 14-0 lead early, but Cleburne (3-1, 0-1) rallied to pull to within 14-10.

Then Timberview answered with back-to-back touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the Wolves’ defense stood strong late for a district-opening victory on homecoming.

After Cleburne’s Cleo Chandler scored on a 5-yard run to cut Timberview’s lead to 14-10 with 4:25 left in the third quarter, the Wolves answered with a 12-play scoring drive.

The drive was kept alive when Cleburne was called for a hands-to-the-face penalty on fourth-and-16. Two plays later, Simeon Evans connected with Justin Kimber on a 6-yard touchdown pass for a 21-10 lead with 10:35 remaining.

Following a Cleburne three-and-out, the Wolves again went on a methodical drive — their fourth drive of the game of 10 plays or longer — as Timberview marched 83 yards in 12 plays, highlighted by a 33-yard run from Deuce Jones. Ricky Madison punched it in from a yard out for a 27-10 lead with 4:49 to go.

The final 4:49 didn’t go quietly, however, as Cleburne’s Gavin Naquin scored on a 48-yard pass from Gunner Hammond to make it a 27-18 game after the 2-point conversion.

The Jackets then got the ball right back as Braden Gunn recovered an onside kick. But three straight incomplete passes and a 5-yard gain on fourth down was all Cleburne could muster as the Wolves’ defense forced a turnover on downs to end it.

Jones finished with 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries to lead Timberview while Evans completed 19 of 28 passes for 167 yards and a score.

Jones opened the scoring on a 10-yard run to cap off an 11-play drive that covered 64 yards on the game’s first possession to give the Wolves an early 7-0 lead.

After Cleburne went three-and-out on its first possession, Timberview again went on a long drive, this time marching 72 yards in 10 plays to take a 14-0 lead on a 2-yard run by Jones with 2:07 remaining in the opening quarter.

After Timberview’s Toddrick Dixon recorded an interception, a penalty backed the Wolves up inside their own 15-yard line. The first play of that drive resulted in a fumbled shotgun snap with Xavion Walker getting brought down in the end zone by Cleburne linebacker Nico Keramidis for a safety.

After a Timberview three-and-out and a short punt, Dixon had his second interception of the first half, this one in the end zone, to end a Cleburne scoring threat.

Timberview had a chance at the end of the first half to extend its lead as the Wolves’ Raam Stevenson (Washington State commit) picked off a screen pass to set Timberview up inside the red zone with 19 seconds left, but three straight incomplete passes ended the half.

Timberview racked up 24 first downs and 358 yards while holding Cleburne to 10 first downs and 189 total yards.