Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY/Special to Mineral Wells Area News

STRAWN – It appeared early Strawn and Gordon might spend Friday night each making big plays and exchanging scores. But the Longhorns ultimately exerted their will on the Greyhounds as Gordon pulled away for a 60-14 win in the storied sixman showdown.

Strawn (1-2) is an improving Class 1A-Division 2 squad three seasons removed from their fifth state championship and with their eyes on winning district and making a deep playoff run. Friday they showed flashes of why and how they can accomplish that.

Meanwhile, top-ranked Gordon (3-0) is the defending Class 1A-Division 1 state champions with just one loss in their last 31 games spanning two-plus seasons. They have their sights on playing for, and winning, a second straight title.

Friday’s non-district result did nothing to alter either team’s goals.

Gordon head coach Mike Reed spoke before the game and stated Strawn is an improved team and, despite the last two year’s lopsided Longhorns wins, he was not taking anything lightly going into the rivalry game.

“Strawn has been talking about that they are back on the uptick and they are in a region where they are talking about maybe winning a state championship,” Reed said afterward. “If a school in Palo Pinto County is talking about winning a state championship there is something there that they are seeing. Their kids are having that expectation.”

The Greyhounds took the opening kickoff. A fumbled pitch on the second play, recovered by Strawn, put the Greyhounds in a hole and the ‘Horns defense forced a turnover on downs.

On fourth down, quarterback Noah Kostiha connected with Ry Reed on a 41-yard touchdown pass to put the ‘Horns on top 8-0 early.

Strawn needed just two plays to answer, coming on runs of 16 and then 30 yards by speedy running back Michael Barcenas. The failed point-after made it 8-6 Gordon still early in the first quarter.

That score lasted through the ensuing kickoff. Gordon’s Aiden Shank fielded the kick and raced 50 yards into the end zone to make it a 16-6 game.

The ‘Hounds came right back. Strawn quarterback Kaison Nunez found end Ben Hopkins for a 27-yard gain on second down. Facing fourth-and-goal from the Gordon 9-yard line, Nunez found his way into the end zone. The successful PAT made it 16-14 Gordon with the first-quarter clock winding down.

But before the quarter could expire, Gordon’s Stryker Reed recorded a 51-yard touchdown run to make it 24-14. It was all Gordon from that point.

Reed said he was not surprised with how the first quarter played out.

“When you have a coach like coach (Dewaine) Lee who is going to be in the hall of fame and has done it as many years as he has, he knows the Palo Pinto rivalry and the pride that gets in that. You are going to get a great game plan and find out where your weaknesses are,” Reed said. “If this hall of fame coach is saying, hey, this is where I think I can attack the Gordon Longhorns and this is how I think we can defend them then I know that is what other people are thinking.”

Gordon made adjustments on defense to address how Strawn was attacking them, Reed said.

“They ran on offense that they probably haven’t run since 2018 against us,” he said. “When you start diving into what types of things have they done and how do you attack people, how far do you have to go back? We get ready for Strawn, we have a lot of respect for Strawn, but we don’t know where to start. But we like it. Just stay simple and then make adjustments as the game goes on, so that’s why I was so proud of our kids is that they are so smart and we were able to make adjustments.”

The ‘Horns scored three touchdowns in the second quarter. Kostiha hit Brayden Walters for a 35-yard passing score. Stryker Reed and Ry Reed both scored their second touchdowns on the night, with Stryker Reed’s coming on a 35-yard run followed by a 15-yard run by Ry Reed. Halftime saw Gordon on top 46-14.

Two more Gordon touchdowns early in the third quarter ended the game. From Gordon’s 4-yard-line, Stryker Reed raced 76 yards to the end zone for his third TD. That was followed by Shank throwing complete to 230-pound lineman Evan Jackson who rumbled in for a 30-yard scoring pass and the final 60-14 margin.

Gordon racked up 315 total yards on 16 plays, including 235 rushing yards on eight carries. Stryker Reed tallied 163 rushing yards on four touches (40.8 ypc).

Strawn totaled 168 yards, balanced with 87 on the ground and 81 through the air. Barcenas ran for 60 yards for the ‘Hounds. Nunez was 8-of-11 passing, accounting for all of the 81 aerial yards gained.

The Greyhounds stay home this coming Friday, hosting the 2-1 Bryson Cowboys in a non-district tilt. On Friday Bryson throttled Throckmorton, 54-6. Throckmorton and Strawn are district mates this year after Strawn defeated Throckmorton in the bi-district round of the playoffs last season. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Gordon will host a very good TAPPS private school team, Nazarene Christian Academy. The Lions are 3-0 and are coming off a 60-14 win over Calvary Academy. Hailing from Crowley, NCA is a perennial playoff team not to be taken lightly. They went 10-3 last season, seeing their season end one game short of playing for the state TAPPS championship. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.