Rockwall 64, Mesquite 61, Lots of offensive players in this one

[GreenBat]

Seems to me this game is the place to get the next Game breaker.

This is by Matt Diggs, who has covered DFW HS football forever.

Game of the year: Rockwall 64, Mesquite 61 (OT) Reply

This is by far the best game I've seen this year and potentially a top 5 game I've ever seen. You had some amazing individual efforts, some amazing drama, some great coaching and a lot of heart on the field. Defensive purists, do not read..

Rockwall took an early 28-7 lead (and at no time, did you ever think that lead would hold up) based on Chris Warren's backup and Sophomore Tamba Juanah ran 15 times for 160 yards and 4 TD's in the first 12 minutes! Unfortunately, on the next drive, he would get injured. He was able to put no weight on his leg. I'm not a doctor, but I'd say he's done for the year.

So at 28-7, Shadavian Reed rips off his 2nd long TD in just about as many touches and it's 28-14. Mesquite gets a moral stop and stops the Yellowjackets for a FG - and at 31-14, you really could start to sense the momentum move to Mesquite. Not many times is a team down 17 points and getting momentum. They score, stop, score again, force a turnover but then after bad time management, they do not get a FG attempt off. It was a really bad sack to take in that situation. But Rockwall goes to halftime up 31-27.

Mesquite gets the ball but can't do anything - but then Mesquite's defense steps up, forces a scoop and score to take the lead. Mesquite gets another stop and gets a score to go up 41-31. At this point, for the first time you think Rockwall has no chance. Tomcat was saying it's over. Enter in a very special kid - Xavier Castille for Rockwall. Rockwall has no running game at this point - on a 3rd string RB.. so here comes innovation time. A 60 yard bomb to Castille makes it 41-38.

Shadavian Reed answers with his 5th touchdown to put it back to 48-38. Rockwall continues to be pesky and hits another long bomb - this time to Jay Galloway to make it 48-45. After a little pooch kick which Rockwall almost gets, Octayvious Miles snags it - runs to the other sideline and breaks it up the field to completely break the back of Rockwall to make it 55 to 45. Then, after another good defensive stop the complete backbreaker hits when Shadavian Reed hits another run to make it 61 to 45. The XP was no good. I told VegasTomcat that could be costly. He didn't want to hear it. Rockwall was done in his eyes.

But Jacket Fight never dies..

With 3:47 left in the game, Xavier Castille made a circus one handed toes barely in grab to make it a 10 point game. They lined Castille up in Wildcat - and he took the snap and fired a rocket pass to Seth Whitson to make it an 8 point game.

Then somehow despite knowing it was coming, Rockwall recovered an onside kick. Xavier Castille at wildcat formation scored yet another touchdown! The two point conversion was no good - but a pass intereference call gave Rockwall a second chance. Rockwall called two timeouts for the two point conversion - and Xavier Castille took the snap, got stopped at the one and fought his way in. I've heard it said he didn't make it in. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't - but his will to win was insatiable. We had a tie game.

But they left Mesquite 90 seconds. And sure enough, Reed breaks through and is headed toward midfield and FUMBLE!! Rockwall recovers! But Mesquite's defense stiffens up, and a field goal was missed to end the game.

Mesquite had the ball first in overtime, and there was a player WIDE open in the end zone, but somehow the ball slipped out of the QB's hand when he was throwing it and it went right to a Rockwall Yellowjacket. Flukiest play you'd ever see! A couple plays later, Rockwall hits the FG to win the game.

Statistics of note from the game:

Mesquite actually got SIX stops and a turnover!

Rockwall ran 92 plays.

Tamba Juanah had 15 carries for 160 yards and 4 TD's in ONE quarter.

Shadavian Reed had 33 carries for 436 yards and 6 TD's. At one point, he had 17 for 330 so Rockwall's defense did stiffen up a bit.

Xavier Castille had 8 catches for 181 yards and 2 TD's - he ran for a TD, threw a 2 point conversion and ran a 2 point conversion.

Will Reed (Rockwall) went 17-30 for 340 yards and 3 TD's.

Horace LeBlanc (Mesquite) went 21 for 27 for 246 yards and a TD (and an INT in OT)

Pretty phenomenal game.. This is a program defining win for Rockwall. The kind of win that cements them as a solid 5A team. The kind of win that cements what Rodney Webb is teaching. This loss could actually be a very good thing for Mesquite. It sets them up to potentially have a longer playoff run because they could avoid Allen if Horn wins, and they get 2 weeks off before the playoffs begin..