Pearland takes out Manvel 41-21 in district showdown

Pearland faced their greatest test so far this season when they hosted the Manvel Mavericks (4-0) at Pearland ISD Stadium as both teams were undefeated coming into the District 19-6A showdown.

The Oilers entered the contest averaging 46.2 points per game while the defense was giving up only 8.2 points per contest.

Manvel was averaging those same kinds of numbers so the game was predicted to be a toss-up.

There was little doubt that Manvel head coach Kirk Martin reminded his players about last year’s 66-14 loss at The Rig.

The Oilers received the opening kickoff and it took only 1:06 for the Oilers to strike oil as senior QB Kaleb Smith pitched the ball to sophomore WR Lance Goree who swept right end, burst through a couple of tacklers and then turned on the jets to score on a 69-yard dash for a 7-0 lead.

Manvel was forced to punt on their first possession, but DB Greedy James picked off a Smith aerial at the Pearland 46 and returned it to the Oiler 26.

It took only one play as RB Jordan Jackson caught a short pass from QB Brayden Tuiasosopo and raced 26-yards to the end zone with 7:29 left in the first quarter to knot up the score a 7-7.

The Oilers immediately regrouped and scored on a 36-yard scamper by senior RB Ryan Miller to complete a six-play, 75-yard drive to retake the lead 13-7 with 4:16 though the PAT missed the mark.

Junior RB Royce Swan had four carries during the drive that moved the ball from the Pearland 25 to the Manvel 38 to set up the TD run by Miller.

The back-in-forth battle continued as the Mavericks, behind Tuiasosopo, took the lead 14-13 with 10:03 remaining in the second quarter when WR Bryce Francis scored on a 2-yard plunge. That completed a 13-play, 70-yard drive.

Manvel attempted to continue their momentum with an unlikely onside kick but that didn’t catch the Oilers sleeping as senior LB Jayden Palmer fell on the ball at the Manvel 36. Three plays later, Royce Swan found an opening and raced 37-yards for the touchdown to give the lead back to Pearland at 20-14 at the 9:05 mark of the second quarter.

It was Pearland’s turn to kickoff following the score so head coach B.J. Gotte made the decision to return the onside kick favor but it was Pearland’s Mekhi Guischard-Yearwood who fell on the ball at the Manvel 40.

Royce Swan got the call and the fleet-footed running back sprinted 40-yards for the touchdown with 8:53 left in the second quarter and the Oilers stretched the lead to 27-14 that stood at intermission.

Pearland didn’t score in the third quarter as they drove to the Manvel 20, but a 37-yard field goal attempt was wide right and the score remained 27-14.

The Mavs took over at their own 20 with 4:41 left in the quarter and drove to the Pearland one-yard line where RB Ronald Carr scored as the third period ended to make the score 27-21 entering the final frame.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Oilers as they scored twice while the Pearland D shut down the Manvel offense.

With 8:15 left in the fourth period, Royce Swan scored his third touchdown of the game on a 13-yard run to complete nine-play, 68-yard scoring march to make the score 34-21.

Pearland LB Kamryn Harris forced and recovered a Manvel fumble at the Mavs 32 and five plays later Smith lofted a beautiful pass to TE Karon Johnson in the corner of the end zone for a 21-yard scoring pass to post the 41-21 final score.

Kaleb Smith was 4-of-9 passing for 128 yards and two touchdowns with one INT.

Royce Swan had 25 carries for 196 yards and three touchdowns while Ryan Miller had five totes for 36 yards and one score.

Swan has almost 1,000 yards rushing so far this season making him one of the leading ball carriers in the Houston area.

Lance Gore caught one pass for 69 yards and a TD and also had one carry for 23 yards. Karon Johnson had two grabs for 45 yards and one score.

Pearland had a 395 of total offense (267 rushing, 128 passing) while Manvel had 352 total yards (251 yards rushing, 101 yards passing).

The Oilers will travel to Alvin (0-5, 03) on Friday, October 9 to face the winless Yellowjackets at Memorial Stadium at 7:00 p.m.

By Dr. David Davis