Harrison recovers fumble with 2:10 left to preserve Mustangs win
In preseason not much much was welcomed, but now North Shore can look back and thank Manvel, Euless Trinity and Westfield for aiding it’s trip to the state finals.
Its three of the reasons why the Mustangs showed how it fought through much adversity on the season, when defensive end Abriel Harrison recovered a fumble at the Rockets two-yard line and Carl Guillory scored on a two-yard run to help North Shore to a 23-17 victory over Converse Judson in the 6A Division I Semifinals at NRG Stadium.
The Mustangs, in the championship game for the first time since 2003, will face Austin Westlake next Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at NRG Stadium.
Leading 16-14, North Shore (12-3) was forced to punt after Judson’s defense held on third and two.
“We’ve been a field position team all year long,” North Shore coach explained. “Their defense is outstanding. We knew that coming in. So we’re going have to be happy with any and every possession.”
The Rockets (13-2) took possession at its seven-yard line with 3:19 left. Following a sack by defensive tackle Britton Larkin at the eight-yard line, sophomore quarterback Julon Williams fumbled the snap in the backfield where North Shore’s Harrison fell on the lose ball at the two-yard line with 2:10 left. A play later, Guillory crossed the goal line for the deciding touchdown.
“We had the turnover,” McAuliffe explained. “At this stage of the game you can’t turn the ball over and you can’t have a bunch of errors in the kicking game.”
Judson’s last desperation-drive ended with a 27-yard field goal to draw within six points, 23-17 with 1:09 left.
“For us, its a game of inches,” says Judson’s coach Sean McAuliffe. “We threw some passes out there with a few more inches, I might be feeling a little different. Our kids played exceptional tonight, but we came up a hair short. We ran out of time.”
After an onside kick fail, Eric Monroe recovered a fumble at the 47-yard line where Miciah Long took a knee on three consecutive snaps as the final moments ticked off the clock.
North Shore grabbed the early lead on a 23-yard field goal by Aaron Cuevas.
The Mustangs relied on its defense to keep Judson’s offense quiet for most of the evening. Slowing a power running game with stops behind the line of scrimmage and shot gains turned out to be a working formula.
“Those guys played a tremendous game,” Judson coach said. “Their defense is as good as billed. That’s been a hallmark at North Shore for many years. Those kids played really good tonight. They played well enough to play for a state championship.”
“It was a matter of leaving them with long fields and having a few short one of our own,” says coach Kay.
It was not a pretty game as both offenses struggled to find its footing. But North Shore found a glimpse of daylight on a 68-yard drive that watched Eric Monroe break through the right side and sprint 32 yards to give the Mustangs a 10-0 lead with 8:52 left in the second quarter.
However, Judson surprised the Mustangs when it drove 90 yards. Williams threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Dreshon Govan, who was all alone behind the secondary. The score, 7-7 after Brandon Walters extra point kick.
On the Mustangs next possession Rockets’ cornerback Harold Watson intercepted Long to halt a threat at the Judson 18. The Rockets didn’t make much of its possession going three and out before punting.
That gave North Shore just enough time to add a 46-yard field goal with no time left going to intermission up 10-7.
While Judson experienced tough moments in the third quarter, it’s defense held North Shore scoreless. Starring at fourth and five, The Rockets nearly converted a perfect fake punt when Jay Miller took the snap and ran to the 43 of North Shore but fumbled the ball.
Again Judson’s defense came to the rescued. A short punt gave the Mustangs a short field to work with at the Rockets 40. Judson’s safety Dominique Ramsey broke up a first-down pass play and watched Mustangs’ sophomore receiver Ralph Davis drop a pass that would have been more than enough for the first down on third and six. Instead, North Shore punted.
“We were grabbing for straws after a while because their defensive line and linebackers are so tremendously talented,” Coach Kay said. “They do such a great job of coaching over there, its ridiculous.”
Right after, running back, Mi’kel Jackson capped a 94-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run. Walters extra point kick gave Judson a one-point lead, 14-13 with 3:53 left in the third quarter.
The Rockets defense stopped North Shore on it’s next three drives before Cuevas split the uprights as the Mustangs regain the lead 16-14 with 4:58 in the fourth quarter.
Judson battled throughout but wasn’t able to earn it’s fourteenth victory of the season.
