2018 Texas Tour Week 9

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: October 28, 2018

What is the Texas Tour?

For nearly 15 years our love for Texas high school football has sent us around the state to watch some of the truly great players that our state has to offer. We’ve seen Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw snap the ball to Pro Bowl QB Matt Stafford. We were sitting in the stands watching future Heisman Trophy winners RG3 (Robert Griffin III) and Johnny Football (Johnny Manziel) for their explosive prep careers. Our goal is to see as many future college and NFL players that a Friday night will allow!

#71 Mansfield Summit @ #32 DeSoto

The Back Story

The Jaguars of Mansfield Summit were 8-5 last year, but were also regional semifinalists in 5A. They’ve made the jump to 6A this year and they landed in what people care calling “The District of Doom.” Five teams in the district are tied for first with a 3-1 record.

DeSoto was a 10-2 Area Finalist, but got a new coach in Mike Robinson who was the former HC at North Mesquite. The Eagle defense has given up 6 points in the last 8 quarters. The Eagles have been picked by all seven sports writers that we found to weigh in. They were picked by 14 and by 17 points by some of the prognosticators.

Who we came to see

Mansfield Summit

DB William Jones
QB Brysen McKinney
OL Jacob Jackson
S Corey Washington

DeSoto

WR La’Vontae Shenault
OL Evan Henry
DB Jabbar Muhammed, Jr.
WR Lawrence Arnold
DL Viramonte Pippens
WR Bryan Hanspard
WR Jayce Medlock

Game Time

DeSoto took the opening kickoff, put together a three and out series, and then capped it with an 18 yard punt. The Jaguars fired up the crowd by scoring on a three play drive that ended with a 38 yard run by RB Josh Dimanche. The rest of the first quarter was a defensive struggle that ended in a 7-7 tie after DeSoto scored on a three yard run by Roston White.

The start of the second quarter showcased a 33 yard run by DeSoto RB Tyson Alexander (8-136 yds, 2 TDs) and then Summit responded as Jalon Rock took the ensuing kickoff back 86 yards to tie the game at 14. Desoto threatened to score with five minutes left in the half going for it on 4th and 3 from the Jags 28 yard line, but the Summit defense forced a turnover on downs.

One of the Jags struggles during the game was the QB play. Starting QB Brysen McKinney was out for the game and the DeSoto defense was a tall mountain to climb for the backup Kainen McKinney. In the first half, DeSoto DB Jabbar
Muhammed missed out on two sideline interceptions that were both extremely close.

With less than five minutes in the half he finally got one. DeSoto marched down the field, but had to settle for a 44 yard field goal with 36 seconds left in the half. The kick was missed, but a running into the kicker penalty gave the Eagles a first down and on the very next play QB Sun’Darion Ward connected with WR Bryon Hanspard (6-96 yds, TD) on a 22 yard pass to give the Eagles a 21-14 halftime lead.

Desoto came out of the locker room for the second half and looked like a different team. In the first half, DeSoto had 8 drives. Five of those drives ended in punts or turnover on downs. In the third quarter they had 4 drives and three of them ended in touchdowns. They scored on a 71 yard run by Ward (18-28-0 for 198 yds, TD; rush 10-111 yds, TD); an electric 46 yard run by Alexander; and a 19 yard run by White.

Some missed conversions left the Eagles leading 40-14 going into the fourth quarter. At that point the substitutions began. Summit had a late touchdown against the second team defense and the game ended 40-21 for DeSoto.

Game Notes

Summit DB Jalon Rock looked good as a kick returner with returns of 11, 40, and 87 (TD)

Eagles WR La’Vontae Shenault had a quite game with 6 catches for 20 yard and a run that lost three, but he looked really good in the punt return game by averaging 16.6 yds on his five punt returns.

DeSoto has at least seven players that are going to play at the next level, but RB Tyson Alexander looked fantastic and I’m not sure he has any offers at the moment. His 46 yard TD run in the 3 rd showed off speed, balance, and he broke several tackles along the way. He also averaged 17 yards per carry for the game.

Next Week

Pflugerville Hendrickson at Round Rock

by Brett Levy