Corsicana takes lead in 4th quarter, but loses to West Mesquite

By Todd Wills

Tigers coach Phil Castles used one word to describe the result of his first game as Corsicana’s football coach.

Disappointing.

The Tigers led 29-26 with less than six minutes in Friday’s season opener against West Mesquite, and then it all unraveled from there on a muggy opening night at Tiger Stadium, the final result a 40-29 loss to the Wranglers.

Moments after Martin Davis and Cameron Washington combined to sack Wranglers quarterback Trevone Boykin, forcing a fumble that Washington recovered in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown, the Tigers’ defense failed to come up with what probably would have been the game-winning stop.

Boykin and the Wranglers converted on a crucial fourth-down play at the Tigers 48. Boykin found receiver Gary Owens, who dropped the previous pass for a first down, and this time the junior came down with the ball to keep the drive alive.

The Wranglers later converted on a third-and-11 as Greg Thurmond beat Jonathan Anderson down the sideline to the Corsicana 16. Tailback Jack Brown scored on the next play for a 33-29 lead with 5:04 left.

The Tigers still had a chance with 5:10 left, getting the ball back, but Tremaigne Dickson, who had an 85-yard kickoff return earlier in the game, fumbled when he was hit at the Corsicana 19 and West Mesquite’s Quarmaine Thomas scooped it up and returned it for a touchdown and a 40-29 lead with 4:45 left.

“We had our chances,” Castles said. “We just didn’t finish the game.”

The Tigers led at halftime, 22-20, after an exciting first 24 minutes. They took the lead on linebacker Martin Davis’ 53-yard interception return for a touchdown.

“I just went into my 10-yard drop and waited for the ball,” Davis said. “He came right to me.”

West Mesquite bounced back to retake the lead with 10:48 left in the third quarter as Jack Brown scored on an 8-yard touchdown run for a 26-22 lead.

Then the scoring stopped for more than 13 minutes before Davis and Washington turned in the play of the game for the Tigers. Davis grabbed Boykin at the West Mesquite 3, Washington came in and hit the Wranglers quarterback high and the two combined to knock the ball out of Boykin’s hands. Washington jumped on the loose ball for a 29-26 lead with 7:45 to go in the game.

“We gave ourselves an opportunity,” Castles said. “I thought the kids played hard.”

Things changed with two scores in 10 seconds for West Mesquite. The Tigers will have to wait to get their first victory under Castles next week in Jacksonville.

“It’s hard to lose the first game,” running back Cody Evans said. “There were a lot of positives. We just have to get better next week.”

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West Mesquite 40, Corsicana 29

West Mesquite 7 13 6 14 — 40

Corsicana 0 22 0 7 — 29

First Quarter

WM — Trevone Boykin 10 run (Justin Stout Kick), 5:55

Second Quarter

C — Cody Evans 1 run (Tremaigne Dickson run), 5:35

WM — Trevone Boykin 26 run (Stout kick), 5:16

C — Evans 22 run (Grant Gibson kick), 3:35

C — Martin Davis 53 interception return (Gibson kick), 1:39

WM — Boykin 1 run (pass failed), 0:31

Third Quarter

WM — Jack Brown 8 run (pass failed), 10:48

Fourth Quarter

C — Cameron Washington fumble recovered in end zone (Gibson kick), 7:45

WM — Brown 16 run (Stout kick), 5:04

WM — Quarmaine Thomas 19 fumble return (Stout kick), 4:54

WM C

First downs 25 13

Rush-yards 39-189 35-342

Passing yards 208 67

C-A-I 14-23-3 6-14-2

Fumbles-lost 2-1 5-2

Punts-avg. 3-23 4-37

Penalties-yards 8-56 8-50

Individual

Rushing — W: Trevone Boykin 17-73, Jack Brown 15-89, Ladarius Drew 7-27. C: Cody Evans 20-139, Tremaigne Dickson 10-92, Cameron Cutrer 4-10, Dominic Kelly 1-1.

Passing — W: Boykin 14-23-3-208. C: Cutrer 6-14-2-67.

Receiving — W: Greg Thurmond 5-103, Gary Owens 3-62, Fred Ngwu 5-32, Kendrick Palmer 1-11. C: Tremaigne Dickson 3-42, Christian Hines 2-21, Javonti Hines 1-4.