Mineral Wells Area News

Familiar foes Gordon, Jonesboro meet Friday in quarterfinals round

By DAVID MAY/ Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Photos By Lily Cormack

WEATHERFORD – The undefeated and top-ranked Gordon Longhorns almost did the unusual Thursday night – continue playing after halftime. But then with just over a minute remaining in the second quarter, Stryker Reed stepped up and picked off a pass, returning it 65 yards for a touchdown to finish off a 48-0 win over the Menard Yellowjackets.

Playing Thursday in Weatherford’s Roos Stadium, the defending Class 1A-1 champion Longhorns (12-0) claimed an area title for the third consecutive year to advance to the quarterfinals round Friday against Jonesboro, 70-20 winners over Medina.

Gordon and Jonesboro will square off at 6 p.m. Friday in Hico. The teams are meeting a round earlier than last year’s semifinal game, a 54-8 Longhorns mercy-rule win that propelled them to Arlington to play in the state championship game. Gordon went on to win the school’s third sixman state title.

Longhorns head coach Mike Reed said he is preparing for a different game from Jonesboro (11-1 and ranked ninth in Class 1A-1), suggesting they possibly underestimated last season’s squad of Gordon sophomores. He said he and his staff knew from the beginning of summer drills the schools Gordon would have to face to accomplish back-to-back titles, and Jonesboro was one of them.

“I don’t expect anything from Jonesboro or anybody else that we play to sit and there and think, oh well, Gordon, they haven’t really proven anything, they are still young,” he said. “I don’t think that’s the case now.”

Reed said it is always special – but also a team goal – to still be practicing and preparing to play the week of Thanksgiving.

“You have to be really lucky and blessed to go and win one. I feel Thanksgiving practices are a realistic goal,” he said. “That sets a standard for the goal each year for what we want to do. Anytime you got friends and football and Thanksgiving it’s a nice week to look forward to.”

Thursday’s game took one hour to play before ending via the 45-point mercy rule. The win was Gordon’s 27th straight, and 39th in its last 40 games spanning three seasons for the junior-laden team. The ‘Horns ran just 10 offensive plays, while Menard had just 29 offensive plays after being overwhelmed by the relentless ‘Horns defenders.

The ‘Horns defense didn’t allow Menard as much as a first down until late in the second quarter when backups were inserted. The ‘Jackets finished with two first downs. The shutout was Gordon’s fifth in the last six games and seventh of the season.

“Because the offense has been so explosive, our defense is really playing a lot of reps,” Coach Reed said. “We are playing probably playing 45 to 50 snaps of defense all year just off (because) the offense scores so quickly. But we put a lot of pride on our defense.”

Reed noted the defensive MVP in last year’s state title game, Kaden Crowe, has been unavailable following an injury requiring surgery, but he said each week the season extends the team is closer to his possible return.

Gordon began the contest with Reed taking the opening kickoff 60 yards for a touchdown and an 8-0 lead just 9 seconds into the game. Reed posted the second TD a few minutes later on an 11-yard run, set up by a 32-yard pass from quarterback Noah Kostiha to receiver Brayden Walters.

The ‘Horns scored twice more in the opening quarter to go up 32-0. Kostiha and Ry Reed connected on a 45-yard scoring pass. Stryker Reed scored his third touchdown of the night on a 48-yard romp through the Yellowjackets’ defense.

It was eight seconds into the second quarter when Walters took a pitch and ran 45 yards into the end zone for a 40-0 lead.

With backups playing, Gordon fumbled on its next possession. Menard was able to pick up a first down and appeared poised to extend the game into the third quarter when Stryker Reed accomplished his pick-six to put the Longhorns up 48-0 on his third touchdown in the game.

Coach Reed credits his team’s depth and his coaching staff for the success the team has experienced to date and hopes to continue having.

“It just really shows our depth that we have been able to have,” he said. “Our JV has only lost two games in the last two years to the same town, Jonesboro, who we are playing (this) week. That’s our scout team. What we see every single day in practice gets us ready. And when you have as good a staff as what I have. You have a coach who won a state championship at Sanford in Ligon West. You have a coach that has been to a state championship game in Jesse Hallmark from Brock. You have a guy like Chad (Reed) who is a veteran coach who coached football in Franklin. When you have those three guys who are coming in and mentoring the way for your JV and scout team every day, that is why our defense is able to do what they are able to do.”

“It is coming to fruition,” Reed added. “We have some very talented kids. It is very uncommon for one community to have that in one single class but we have a lot of kids who are going to go on and play at the collegiate level. We have three Division I athletes on the football field at all times. Most people just have one, if they even have that. They have worked really hard to prepare their bodies. God has blessed them with talent. And they live in a community that loves athletics.”