By DAVID MAY / Special to Mineral Wells Area News
MARFA – The defending Class 1A-1 state champion Gordon Longhorns on Friday put to rest any concerns of celebratory hangover, opening the 2024 season with a dominating win at Marfa, 51-6.
In true Gordon style, the ‘Horns efficiently dispatched Marfa with a third-quarter touchdown and 2-point conversion, ending the game by way of the sixman 45-point rule. In their undefeated 2023 season Gordon did not play a full game, playing into the fourth quarter just once.
The ‘Horns (1-0) now have just one loss in their last 28 games. In other words, here we go with what is now a core group of highly talented and still-motivated juniors who have their minds set on a state title repeat.
Texas sixman football often creates some unusual box scores, and that has often been true with Gordon over the past two seasons plus one game. On Friday, Gordon scored 51 points on just 10 total offensive plays totaling 172 yards on the 80-yard sixman field.
The Longhorns had six rushing plays for 54 yards. Quarterback Noah Kostiha was a perfect 3-for-3 passing for 86 yards and one touchdown. Backup quarterback Hudson Campbell threw one pass, which he completed for a 32-yard score to total 118 aerial yards.
Two missed PATs in the first half kept Gordon from ending the game at halftime, as the ‘Horns carried a 43-0 lead into intermission.
Stryker Reed had two of Gordon’s six first-half touchdowns. The first came on the game’s first play when he took the opening kickoff 52 yards to the house. Juan Cabrera converted the PAT for an 8-0 lead.
Kostiha hooked up with receiver Brayden Walters on a 34-yard scoring pass that, with another successful PAT, had Gordon on top 16-0 in the opening frame.
Cabrera provided a defensive touchdown with a 10-yard fumble recovery and score to round out the first-quarter fireworks.
The second quarter saw Kostiha connecting with Asher Salinas for a 10-yard score. It would be the first of two scoring receptions for Salinas.
Reed followed that with a 25-yard run into the end zone. Kostiha’s third touchdown pass went to Ry Reed and covered 42 yards. Tristan Ross converted the PAT.
Marfa got on the board early in the third quarter on a 55-yard touchdown pass. Gordon then ended the game with Salinas’ 32-yard touchdown reception from Campbell, followed by Cabrera’s two-point conversion kick.
Gordon’s 2024 home opener is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday as the Valley Patriots pay a visit. Valley on Friday dropped its season opener, 56-8, to Borden County. The Pats went 5-6 last season, finishing second in their district before losing in the opening bi-district round of the playoffs to Springlake-Earth.