Mineral Wells Area News

Longhorns set new defensive standard in 70-24 win over Whiteface

By DAVID MAY | Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Photos By Lily Cormack

ARLINGTON – Ry Reed scored three rushing touchdowns, Brayden Walters caught three touchdown passes and Stryker Reed scored twice and threw two more to help guide the Gordon Longhorns to a 70-24 win over the Whiteface Antelopes in the Class 1A-Division 1 sixman title game Wednesday at AT&T Stadium.

Junior quarterback Noah Kostiha threw two scoring passes and caught another as the ‘Horns scored early, quickly and often en route to its second straight sixman championship and fourth in school history. The win also marked Mike Reed’s fourth sixman championship as a head coach and the second time he has led a team to back-to-back championships after accomplishing the feat at Throckmorton.

For the second straight year the ‘Horns finish the season 15-0. They have won 42 of their last 43 games. Whiteface finished with a 14-1 mark.

The game ended on the first play of the third quarter on Stryker Reed’s 45-yard field-crossing, tackle-breaking jaunt into the end zone as his teammates team joined him in celebration. The touchdown ended the game under the University Interscholastic League’s 45-point sixman rule.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Coach Reed said afterward when asked about winning his and his alma mater’s fourth sixman championship. “We gave our opponent a lot of respect. It was the first time coaching against (Whiteface head coach Clint Linman) and just trying to find that balance of how to defend them and how to attack them. They are real different in what they do defensively and offensively.”

Coming off last year’s championship, Reed said this season was a matter of Gordon working its way through the regular season schedule and then the playoff bracket to reach the title game.

“I had to focus on the task at hand,” said Reed.

Ry Reed was named the game’s Defensive MVP while Stryker Reed received Offensive MVP honors. The juniors are unrelated. Stryker is the son of head coach Reed.

In allowing just 24 points, the Longhorns become the best defensive sixman team in state history with just 7.2 points allowed per game. Against Whiteface, Gordon turned three takeaways into 18 points.

“Our defense was lights out,” said Reed, complimenting defensive coordinator Ligon West, who won a state championship at Stamford.

He said finishing the season as the best defensive sixman team was not necessarily a team focus or goal.

“It doesn’t really mean anything to me,” Reed said. “It might to other people. We had a nice 45-point streak going. What goes around comes around. We don’t work hard to try and break records. We don’t put a lot of stock in that. I am proud to be able to say they were able to do it. In the end, being 15-0, I would have taken a one-point game 100 to 101 and put this (medal) around our neck. A pretty win, an ugly win, I don’t care.”

It was the Gordon defense – and Whiteface’s unwillingness twice to punt from its end of the field – that set the game’s early tone. The ‘Lopes entered the game averaging 67 points per outing, but managed just four plays on their first two possessions. Both ended on incomplete fourth-down passes, turning the ball over to Gordon on their own 17- and 20-yard line, respectively.

The ‘Horns needed just three plays to score twice. On their first possession, Stryker Reed scored on a 12-yard run. On the next possession, Reed connected with Walters on the first play from the 20. Asher Salinas converted both point-after kicks and Gordon was quickly on top 16-0 midway through the opening quarter.

A 47-yard passing play to Whiteface running back Auscar Gandara was followed by a 2-yard pass from Isaak Soliz to Ethan Kaufman to get on the scoreboard and make it a 16-8 contest.

Gordon had an immediate answer. The Antelopes’ onside kickoff was fielded by junior Aiden Shank who returned it 46 yards for a score. The PAT was blocked, making it a 22-6 Gordon advantage.

The first quarter continued to be furiously played. A chop block penalty on the ensuing kickoff and then a holding call backed Antelope to its 5 yard line, facing first-and-30. A Gordon facemask penalty momentarily let the ‘Lopes off the hook. They tried to take advantage of the break with a long pass completion to Soliz. However, Walters stripped the ball from Soliz along the sideline with Stryker Reed recovering at Gordon’s 20.

After a pair of incomplete passes, Kostiha pitched the ball back to Stryker Reed. Kostiha then slipped out of the backfield and ran uncovered downfield. Reed’s pass found the wide open Kostiha who hauled in the pass and scampered easily into the end zone for a 66-yard strike and a 28-8 lead.

Kaufman struck again for Whiteface with a 17-yard touchdown run to tighten the game, 28-16, with just over 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter. An interception on the preceding play by Walters was rubbed out by a roughing the quarterback call.

Gordon needed one play for its next touchdown, a 35-yard Ry Reed run to put the ‘Horns back on top by 20 points, 36-16.

Whiteface’s last points came on the first play of the second quarter on a 5-yard run by Jeremiah Rendon to make 36-24.

Walters fielded the ‘Lopes kickoff and ended up in the end zone. But the score was called back on a block-in-the-back penalty call, drawing the ire of Gordon’s coaches claiming the defender spun around, causing the illegal block. Their complaints were to no avail.

It was but a momentary scoring delay for Gordon. On third down Ry Reed again raced 35 yards into the end zone that, with a successful Salinas kick, had Gordon on top 44-24.

Whiteface next turned the ball over to Gordon on downs at midfield. Reed recorded his third TD on a 16-yard run for a 52-24 Longhorns lead.

A Kaden Crowe interception thwarted the ‘Lopes advancement on its next possession. A targeting penalty with ejection of a Whiteface player moved the ball to the Antelopes’ 30. On first down Kostiha once again found Walters for another quick score and a 58-24 lead.

Stryker Reed’s interception set up the Gordon offense at its own 38. On the first play, Kostiha and Walters hooked up for a third time and a 64-24 lead that stood for the first half’s final 29 seconds.

That set up Stryker Reed’s game-winning score on the first play of the third quarter.

Scoring on each of its offensive possessions, the ‘Horns totaled 340 offensive yards on 17 plays – 190 rushing and 150 passing – for a 20 ypp average. Whiteface totaled 264 yards (87 rushing, 177 passing) on 36 plays, a 7.3 ypp average.

The Reeds accounted for all 190 of Gordon’s rushing yards. Ry Reed led all rushers with 99 yards on five carries, with Stryker running for 91 yards on four attempts.

Defensively Ry Reed was credited with 8.5 tackles, including six solo stops.

Coach Reed said this group of players – mostly a junior class – is “the greatest group I have coached. They would beat any other team I have coached. Every kid that I have coached will holler at me after this … yes we would. There is a level of dominance that I want to leave a stamp on this game.”

“The minute this thing is over and we walk out of here we are going to try and win a state basketball title. We know who we have to go after to do that. When that is over we are going to try and win a state title in baseball and when that is over we are going to try win a state title in track. We have a level of passion and intensity and pride in our craft. So to come in and do what we did today is worth a pat on the back, and they will get a back on the back. But for me I feel like I still have work to do.”

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