12-5A FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Stallions looking to join fellow MISD team atop standings

North Mesquite watched from afar during its bye week as Mesquite and Horn posted impressive victories in their respective 12-5A openers to rise to the top of the district standings.

Now, rested and ready, the Stallions are looking to make their own claim as a contender when they open district play against Tyler Lee on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.

North Mesquite was the lone 12-5A team to receive a bye that split the non-district and district portions of the season, and they are spent that time learning from a 1-3 start.

"We corrected mistakes and got healthy, that was the main thing," North Mesquite head coach Mike Robinson said. "Our main focus was on ourselves, because we had some opportunities to win some of those games and we weren't able to. We wanted to fix those and look forward, not back."

The Stallions have two of the top rushers in the district in Ta'Varius Luke and Corey Hunt. Luke, a threat to break a big play both running and in punt returns, is averaging 8.8 yards per carry, netting 466 yards and four touchdowns on only 53 carries.

Hunt has been more of a between-the-tackles grinder, churning out 336 yards and five scores on 75 carries.

With those numbers, North Mesquite can expect opponents do focus on slowing down the ground game and making them beat them through the air. First-year starter Cody Williams has only attempted 12 passes per game, but did throw a pair of late touchdowns in the last contest against South Garland two weeks ago.

"We have a young team so we've been trying to bring them along slowly; we didn't want to put too much on the kid's plates too early and it has forced us to be more one-dimensional than we would like," Robinson said. "But it is something we've been working on and we need to be much better going in district."

The good news for the Stallions is that even as the offense has been trying to find its identity, they have had opportunities to win every week.

That is a large credit to the defense. Demarcus Easter, Thomas Oberg and Tavoris Smith each have two interceptions to lead the unit, which is allowing 27 points per game, but it playing much better than that stat.

"The defense has been outstanding," Robinson said. "We've given up some big plays, but a lot of these guys were playing sub-varsity a year ago, so they are still learning. They are a good, young, scrappy group with a couple of seniors who have been tremendous as on-field coaches."

Tyler Lee has been trying to find itself through the first half of the season. The Red Raiders fell to 1-4 overall and 0-1 last week with a 49-24 blowout loss against Horn.

Tyler Lee has run a couple of different offenses behind a couple of different quarterbacks in Raleigh Porter and Jordan Richardson.

The bright spot for the Red Raider offense has been in the running game. LaQuintas Wallace has been a standout for three years, while LeTerrance Simmons had a big game last week, although much of it came after the outcome was decided.

The Tyler Lee defense had kept teams close the two prior weeks but that was not the case against Horn, which rolled up more 543 yards, including more than 350 on the ground.

North Mesquite and Tyler Lee were the two teams that did not make the playoffs in the six-team 11-5A a year ago.

The Stallions have designs on changing that fortune this season, and they know they can take a big step forward on Friday.

"The last four years, we have started 0-1. We have played DeSoto, and we have played tough, but we've still been 0-1," Robinson said. "This (bye) fell well for us, we feel like we'll have fresh legs and I think it is imperative that we start off 1-0. We need to approach every district game like it is a playoff game. We feel like this is a game we should win and we are going to do everything we can, leave no stone unturned, to start off right."

MESQUITE (5-0, 1-0)

The Skeeters lived up to all expectations in an opening-week showdown with power Longview, as they overwhelmed the Lobos in a 33-7 victory.

There is no time to rest, though, as the next "must-see" game will take place on Friday when Mesquite travels to face Rockwall-Heath (4-1, 1-0), whose only loss came when starting quarterback Chase Schultz was knocked out in a 24-21 setback to Richland.

The Skeeter offense has put up some eye-opening numbers, but the defense has been rock-solid. Last week, they held Longview to just 150 yards and recovered five fumbles.

The Rockwall-Heath defense is coming off a strong performance, as well, as it held rival Rockwall to 258 yards and forced three turnovers in last week's 45-12 victory.

Both those units should get big tests between a pair of well-balanced, prolific offenses.

Mesquite quarterback Alex Cooper continues to shred opposing secondaries. Cooper has completed 73 percent of his passes (101-of-143) for 1,412 yards and 13 touchdowns compared with only one interception.

Rockwall-Heath will counter with Schultz, who despite missing a game-and-a-half, has thrown for 746 yards and nine scores.

The Skeeters boast the district's two most productive receivers in Rashard Higgins and Dameon Gamblin. Higgins has caught 31 passes for 571 yards, an average of better than 18 yards per catch, for five touchdowns, while Gamblin has 26 catches and four scores.

The Hawks counter with Shyon Montlagh, who has nine touchdowns among his 25 receptions.

Both teams also have workhorse running backs with the Skeeters' Junior Session (57-410) and Rockwall-Heath's Rico Henderson (55-400).

If the game is close as expected, Mesquite feels it has an ace in the hole in kicker Marco Rodriguez, who kicked four field goals against Longview and has seven on the season.

HORN (3-2, 1-0)

After consecutive close losses, Horn decided it had no time for any late drama in its 12-5A opener last Friday as it rolled over Tyler Lee in a 49-24 victory.

The Jaguars have one of the top quarterbacks in the area in Destri White (83-128, 881 yds.) and although he did throw two touchdown passes last week, the offense dominated on the ground.

Horn amassed 363 yards in all, with Jay'lyn Lynch accounting for 120 and Treyvon Marsh adding 87 and a pair of scores. Marsh has 473 yards and leads the district in attempts (95) and touchdowns (nine).

The Jaguars will try to improve to 2-0 in 12-5A play on Friday when they take on Rockwall (1-4, 0-1) at 7:30 p.m. at E.H. Hanby Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets got run over by their crosstown rivals last week in a 45-12 loss to Rockwall-Heath.

Rockwall has a potential young star in sophomore Chris Warren. The son of former NFL player Chris Warren, the Yellow Jacket ball carrier had more than 200 yards and six touchdown in a win against Rowlett and has 491 yards on the season.

Dylan Campman has thrown for 546 yards but has more interceptions than touchdowns. Zach Berryman will also be a player to keep an eye on, having rushed for 281 yards and caught 15 passes for 246 yards.

The biggest disparity might be on the defensive side of the ball. While Rockwall gave up more than 400 yards last week, Horn has the second-best defense in the district, giving up only 275 yards per game.

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