October 17, 2009

Matt Stepp
Rivals High Staff Writer

STEPHENVILLE- It was a coming out party for a young but talented Stephenville squad on Friday night and that coming out party came at the expense of recent nemesis the Everman Bulldogs. The Yellow Jackets improved to 5-2 and 4-0 in District 8-4A play with a 44-17 thumping of Everman at Tarleton Memorial Stadium. The key was the play of junior RB James Myles who ran over and around the Everman defense to the tune of 263 all purpose yards.

Stephenville's defense led by DT T.R. Varnado, LB Michael Price and sophomore DB Aiavion Edwards completely shut down the Everman offense in a key third quarter in which Stephenville turned a close game into a rout. With the score 21-10 at halftime, the Yellow Jackets outscored Everman 23-0 and did not allow a Bulldogs first down.

The one mistake the Stephenville offense made all night came on the game's opening drive as sophomore QB Connor Washington was picked off by Everman's James Bailey. The Bulldogs were not able to convert the mistake into points as they went three and out. Stephenville after an EHS punt would march 84 yards in nine plays scoring on a 30 yard catch and run from WR Charlie Riola making it 7-0. Everman would respond quickly marching 80 yards on 11 plays scoring on a three yard run by Ruben Fletcher to tie the score up.

Edwards would return the ensuing kickoff to their own 41 setting the Jackets up with just 59 yards to take the lead and they quickly took advantage with Myles scoring from fourteen yards out for a 14-7 edge. The shootout appeared to be on as Bailey hauled in a long 53 yard pass from Everman QB Robert Davis putting the Bulldogs in scoring position. After Cory Franklin converted a fourth and two run inside the ten the Bulldogs appeared to tie the game up on a pass from Davis to Bailey but a holding penalty negated the touchdown and the momentum swung to the Stephenville side. EHS would score on the drive as Daniel Cruz kicked a 31 yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-10.

The ensuing kickoff would again be returned by Edwards and this time the sensational sophomore took the kick out to midfield where the Yellow Jackets wasted very little time scoring with 1:17 left on the clock in the first half as Myles punched it in from a yard out to make it 21-10 SHS.

The second half turned into a laugher but early on the Jackets defense set the tone forcing a quick Everman three and out on the opening drive of the third. Cole Stokes would haul in a six yard scoring pass from Washington who finished 18/23 for 201 yards passing on the night. With the score now 28-10, the SHS special teams got into the act as after a snap flew over the Everman punter's head Price would tackle the EHS punter in the end zone for a safety and a 30-10 lead.

It went from bad to worse for Everman as on the free kick Myles returned it down to the Everman 14. He quickly capped the drive scoring from eight yards out for a 37-10 edge for Stephenville.

With starting QB Davis on the sidelines with a leg injury backup QB Johnny Demar came in and quickly was picked off by sophomore LB Padyn Geibler. One play later Washington found a wide open Riola for a 41 yard touchdown pass and an exclamation point on one of the best twelve minutes of action for Stephenville in recent memory.

Everman would add a late score on a 58 yard run by Fletcher but it was purely cosmetic as it made the final margin 44-17. Next week Everman who falls to 5-2 and 3-1 in District 8-4A will host Joshua, while Stephenville visits winless Granbury.