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Friendswood Wins The Battle Of The Mustangs

The 27th ranked Friendswood Mustangs knocked off the 9th ranked and defending state champion Lamar Consolidated Mustangs  28-24 at Pasadena Memorial Stadium in the 4A Division I bi-district playoffs.

Friendswood scored two touchdowns in 10 seconds off two Lamar turnovers to take the lead, then held on for a 28-24 win. 

Lamar took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter after Keenan Brown intercepted Jacob Karam’s first pass of the half, setting up a 42-yard field goal by Adan Gomez. Then it all fell apart for Lamar.

D.J. Smallwood’s third-and-11 pass deep in his own territory was intercepted by Andre Gautreaux, who returned it 25 yards for a touchdown and 21-17 lead with 1:29 showing in the third.  Friendswood’s ensuing kickoff was then muffed and Mark Brezine recovered.  Karam threw his first TD pass on the first play of the possession, a 26-yard strike to Austin Fitzpatrick with 1:19 on the clock.

Smallwood was again picked off on Lamar’s next possession, but the Lamar defense held, and Smallwood led a 13-play scoring drive capped by Jordan Towers’ 7-yard run, cutting Friendswood’s lead to 28-24.

Skylar Patterson then recovered an onside kick for Lamar, but Smallwood was sacked on third-and-18, and his fourth-down pass went incomplete, allowing Friendswood to take over and run out the clock.

Karam, who went into the game with 31 touchdown passes, rushed for two scores in the first half.   He completed 13 of 21 passes for 212 yards. Friendswood had 325 total yards and 14 first downs.

Friendswood (8-1) advances to the area round, where it will face the winner of today’s game between Westbury and Wheatley.

Lamar, the 2007 Division I state champion, ends its season at 6-3.

By Michael Wright

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