Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY / Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Last week’s season-opening win was good, but Mineral Wells Rams Head Coach Cody Worrell wanted to see marked improvement in the second game. He got that and more Friday as the Rams used big plays on offense and a dominant defensive effort to defeat Iowa Park, 36-6, in the home opener.

Texas Tech wide receiver commit Preztynn Harrison had a long touchdown reception, just missed a second one and had a long scoring catch called back, while running back Kayden Montalvo rushed for two scores to help the Class 4A-2 Rams improve to 2-0 on the year. The Hawks, playing in Class 3A-1, were handed their second loss to open the season. 

Iowa Park is a team that has given Mineral Wells fits in recent years. But not this year.

“I was so excited for our kids,” said the second-year head coach. “We got into a hot start. That’s what we want. That’s what we ask (of them). These kids did a great job all week with their preparation and fixing the mistakes from week one to week two. I am super proud of them.”

Mineral Wells racked up 443 yards of total offense, including 292 yards on the ground, coming not only from several big plays, but also several sustained, game-controlling drives resulting in scores. Give much credit to the Rams’ new offensive line that lost all of its starters from last season and was a question mark coming into this season.

“They are (playing well),” Worrell said, giving kudos to the offensive line coaches for developing the new group. “Those defensive tackles (Iowa Park) have are big boys up there and I thought we did a phenomenal job. … We have just got to keep getting better.”

As good as the offense performed, the defense was arguably better. The Hawks managed just 160 total yards on 43 plays, and were held to just 40 yards rushing and six first downs. The Rams defense early came up with huge third- and fourth-down stops to send the Hawks’ offense off the field.

“Our defense is fun. The scheme is fun,” Worrell said. “We don’t have to play with huge defensive tackles down there. We have smaller guys who are really, really fast and quick and slant down. I am super proud of how our defense came out.”

Worrell said he felt some letdown among the defensive unit that led to Iowa Park’s lone scoring drive midway though the second quarter.

“When we went up to 20-0, I told our defensive coordinator that I felt like we let off of the gas,” he said. “And they went and got a score. So at halftime I challenged them not to give up. (Iowa Park) last week was down last 28-7 and came back to tie it up with three minutes to go in the game. I challenged our kids at halftime and they came out did exactly what they are supposed to do.”

The Mineral Wells coach tipped his hat to the visitors from Red River Country.

“That’s a good football team,” Worrell said. “They are banged up right now and they got more banged up tonight. Coach (Mike) Swenson and his staff are really, really good football coaches. Their kids played a clean game. There was no trash talk from both sides. It was just a clean, good football game.”

Montalvo and PR Mendez form what is becoming a dynamic one-two punch at running back. Both rushed for 110 yards. Mendez had 64 of his yards on a touchdown run for the Rams’ second score in the first quarter. Montalvo’s two touchdowns both came from inside the 5.

Quarterback Owen Gadd also accounted for two Mineral Wells scores, throwing for one and diving in from one yard out. Gadd was 7-of-11 passing for 151 yards and no interceptions.

Montalvo’s 3-yard touchdown midway through the opening stanza capped a drive that put the Rams up 7-0. Mineral Wells then executed a pooch kickoff that was recovered by Josh Petrie. However, a fumble on the ensuing snap handed the ball to the Hawks at midfield.

Iowa Park moved to Mineral Wells’ 25-yard-line, but on fourth-and-12 a pass nearly picked off by Garrison Facteau fell incomplete as the defense held.

Three plays later saw the first of several explosive offensive plays by the Rams as Mendez broke free for his long romp into the end zone and a 14-0 Mineral Wells lead late in the first.

After another key defensive stop, Mineral Wells needed just one play from its own 29 as Gadd found Harrison streaking all alone down the middle of the field for a 71-yard touchdown strike and a 20-0 Rams advantage at the 9:37 mark of the second quarter.

Iowa Park got on the board with a drive that ended with a sweep on fourth down from 10 yards out.

Mineral Wells responded with a 7-minute, 15-play possession ending with a 24-yard field goal by Gabriel Borjon at the horn to go into intermission leading 23-6. The Rams overcame a holding call that negated a 34-yard touchdown pass to Harrison.

Iowa Park went three-and-out to open the third quarter. Mineral Wells’ offense mounted another ball-control drive, mixing in a little trickery with a flea flicker pass from Gadd to Harrison that went for 32 yards as Harrison was brought down at the 1 yard line. Gadd was pushed across the goal line for a 30-6 lead to cap the 5-minute possession.

Iowa Park drove to the Rams’ 39 late in the third and attempted another fourth-down conversion, but the Rams’ defense again held as the Hawks’ pass attempt fell incomplete.

Mineral Wells responded with its last scoring drive of the night that ended with Montalvo in the end zone from 2 yards out with just under 12 minutes left in the game.

From there, many of the Mineral Wells starters were given the rest of the night off as, similar to last week, backups were given valuable playing time and experience. 

For the second straight year, Mineral Wells has opened the season 2-0. They hope to make it 3-0 for the first time under Coach Worrell.

The Rams have consecutive Thursday night match ups, with the first coming at home this Thursday hosting FW Eastern Hills. The Class 4A-1 Highlanders enter the affair with an 0-2 record, losing their first two games to Trinity Leadership, 48-22, and Denton High, 28-6. Kickoff at Ram Stadium is set for 7 p.m.