Mansfield Timberview turns up the heat in second half to knock off top-ranked Ennis
With the season hanging in the balance in the second half, Mansfield Timberview’s defense came up with three huge plays, and the Wolves’ special teams added another as they defeated Ennis, 42-28, in a Class 5A Division 2 area-round playoff game at Midlothian ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium Friday night.
The Wolves (10-1) outscored the Lions (9-1), 28-7, in the second half to collect the victory.
Timberview heads to the third round for the second time in three seasons and will take on Lucas Lovejoy (12-0) at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Globe Life Park. Lovejoy defeated Everman, 49-21, on Friday.
The Wolves turned three of the four second-half turnovers into touchdowns.
Holding a 21-14 lead to open the second half, disaster struck on Ennis, which was the top-ranked 5A D2 team in the state, on the second play from scrimmage when receiver Karon Smith lost a fumble and Timberview’s Triston McDonald recovered at the Lions’ 39.
Timberview tied the game 10 plays later when Deuce Jones scored on a 3-yard run. Jones finished with 20 carries for 133 yards and four scores. Quarterback Simeon Evans rushed for 133 yards on 17 carries and a pair of scores.
An interception by Raam Stevenson (Washington State) on the Lions’ next possession set up the Wolves’ go-ahead score. Timberview ran the ball six times for 46 yards with Evans capping the march with a 1-yard TD for a 28-21 lead with 2:26 to play in the third quarter.
Ennis replied with a 1-yard scoring run by Collin Drake that tied the game at 28 with 33 seconds remaining in the frame.
Midway through the fourth quarter, momentum swung to Timberview’s sideline and never left. The Wolves’ special teams set up the go-ahead score when Terrell Tilmon (Oregon) blocked a punt at the Ennis 45 and returned it to the Lions’ 11.
On the next play, Evans scored from 11 yards out for a 35-28 lead with 7:18 to play. The Wolves forced another punt and put together a 6-play, 52-yard scoring drive.
Timberview, which finished the game with 318 yards rushing on 46 attempts, ran the ball on each play of the drive with Jones capping things off with a 12-yard run for a 42-28 lead.
The game started quickly as the squads traded scores on their first possessions.
Timberview needed eight plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard run by Jones. Evans ripped consecutive passes of 7, 18, and 14 yards to step up the score. Jones threw for 118 yards on the night.
Ennis answered back four plays later when Collin Drake hit De’Ivian Johnson for a 38-yard score with 7:09 to play in the first quarter. Drake finished with 290 yards passing and a pair of scores and ran for another. After forcing a punt, the Lions took a 14-7 advantage with 25 seconds left in the first quarter thanks to a 10-yard run by Devion Beasley.
Timberview tied the game early in the second quarter on a 40-yard run by Jones with 10:59 to play before halftime.
The Lions’ defense came up with a pair of big plays to halt the Wolves’ last two drives of the first half. Facing a third-and-2 at the Timberview 42, Beasley knifed in to drop Jones for a 2-yard loss.
The Wolves punted and 10 plays later, Ennis nabbed a 21-14 edge on a 17-yard pass from Drake to Laylon Johnson with 1:14 to play in the half. Johnson had a big night with 11 catches for 200 yards and a score.
With little time on the clock, Timberview moved smartly down the field as Evans completed four of six passes for 41 yards and broke off a run of 11 yards. On fourth-and-2 at the Ennis 15, Deryous Stokes dropped Evans for a 1-yard loss to quell the threat with 18 seconds left before intermission.
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 10:32 PM.