By Dr. David Davis
Magnolia is one of the top 10 teams in Houston in Class 5A but the Friendswood Mustangs made them squeak out a hard-fought 33-22 district win.
The Bulldogs improve to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in district while the Mustangs drop to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in league action.
Magnolia jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter and the game looked like it was going to be a rout, but the never-say-die Mustangs were just a little slow in getting untracked against a tenacious Bulldog defense.
With a minute to go in the opening period, Friendswood finally hit a big play as QB Brock Foster found WR Adam Buffington on a 50-yard scoring bomb. The PAT was good and the Mustangs trimmed the lead to 16-7.
The two teams continued to battle until the second period was almost over
and Magnolia hit a 37-yard field goal to make the score 19-7 at intermission.
Friendswood took the second half kickoff to the Magnolia end zone where Foster scored on a 1-yard keeper to close the gap to 19-14 with 9:07 left in the third period.
The Mustangs finally used a late drive in the third quarter to score early in the final frame as Foster caught loose on a 76-yard cross country scoring jaunt to give the ‘Stangs their first lead of the game. A pass from Foster to Garrett Muecke for the 2-point conversion made the score 22-19 with 10:53 remaining in the game.
But Magnolia responded with a scoring drive to go back ahead 26-22 on a 3-yard scoring run with 5:41 left in the game.
With less than three minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs added another score on a 23-yard touchdown to post the 33-22 final score.
Foster was 10-of-24 passing for 118 yards and one score while rushing for 75 yards on 14 carries and a TD.
Buffington had six catches for 96 yards and a score.
Friendswood will face powerhouse Fulshear on Friday, October 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Henry Winston Stadium.
