AUSTIN (KXAN) — The McNeil Mavericks made school history Friday and beat No. 14 Vandegrift for the first time with a tough and opportunistic defense Friday at Monroe Stadium.
McNeil’s Aden Taylor secured an interception with less than a minute left in the game to clinch the win, and the Mavericks were rock solid on fourth downs, turning the Vipers away four times.
Vandegrift quarterback Miles Teodecki took the shotgun snap on fourth-and-1, rolled to his right, and fired a pass down the sideline. It was tipped, however, and Taylor was in the right place at the right time to make the game-clinching play. He hauled it all and ran for a few steps before kneeling to give himself up and secure the ball for McNeil.
McNeil took the lead with 5:50 left in the game on a Bryce Wilson 48-yard field goal. He had a 50-yard attempt blocked earlier in the game, but Wilson made sure to put some air underneath this one, and it sailed through the uprights with plenty of room to spare.
It was a defensive battle in the first half. McNeil’s defense kept stopping the vIpers on fourth down, and the Mavs scored with 5:50 left in the opening quarter on a clever play with a starting receiver playing quarterback. Jarell Gary Jr. took the snap, ran down the line of scrimmage on a run-pass option and decided to throw it over the Vandegrift defense to Jadon Sultz, the Mavs’ starting quarterback who was playing receiver. He rumbled 25 yards for the first half’s only touchdown.
Both teams lost fumbles in the first half, killing drives and keeping each other off the board until halftime. McNeil led 7-0 at the break.
Sultz left the game with an injury late in the first half, but Calvin Cervini came in and gave the Mavs a 14-0 lead with a 20-yard score to Zach Christie.
Justin Moore scored both touchdowns for the Vipers on runs of 13 and 3 yards in the second half.
McNeil (4-2, 3-1) moves into a great position to make a playoff run with the win. The Mavs will face Vista Ridge next week. Vandegrift (3-2, 2-1) takes on Cedar Ridge next week.
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