TIGER
10-29-2005, 03:24 AM
Total 2109 yds to be exact!
Stephens, Mustangs earn spot in playoffs
October 29,2005
Michael A. Pullen
The Monitor
McALLEN — Ten years can be an awful long time. For the McAllen Memorial faithful, it can even feel like a lifetime.
Friday night, however, behind the fleet footwork of Bradley Stephens, the Mustangs not only ended a decades-old playoff drought, they also captured their first City of Palms football championship since 1995 following a 42-17 victory over McAllen Rowe.
The win at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium means the Mustangs are heading to the postseason for the first time since their district championship season 10 years ago.
They have one game left at Sharyland (6-3, 3-1) next Friday, but at 3-1 in District 30-5A and 6-2 overall, they have assured themselves a spot in the 5A playoffs in two weeks.
"This is a great feeling. I’m just so proud of our kids," said Memorial coach Bill Littleton who was hired three years ago for the purpose of getting the Mustangs back to the playoffs. "When we came here, we told our kids, ‘Give us three years, and we’d get them to the playoffs.’ We’ve done it, and we’ve kept our word."
And just as he has all season, Stephens was the catalyst in Memorial’s win. The district’s leading rusher slipped through tackle after tackle en route to a 303-yard, four-touchdown night.
His final run, a 70-yard dash to the end zone after he zipped through a wide crevice in his offensive line and darted into open field untouched, capped off another impressive performance.Despite the fact that Rowe had its defensive headlights zoomed in on the junior tailback all night, Stephens sliced around would-be Warriors tacklers and shrugged off others for a total that put him well over 2,000 yards on the year.
He now needs exactly 200 yards to break the Valley’s all-time regular-season mark of 2,309 yards set by Tony Ellis of Brownsville Hanna in ’95.
However, two other juniors — quarterback Mitchell Bunger and Stephens’ running mate, Nick Moore — also helped set the tone early in the game that virtually put it out of reach for Rowe by halftime (28-3). Moore took some of the pressure off of Stephens in piling up 53 yards rushing on 10 carries.
Bunger, meanwhile, threw an off-balance TD pass from 28 yards out and watched wide receiver Robby Salinas leap into the air at the back of the end zone for the catch and a 25-point Mustangs advantage going into intermission.
Stephens, Mustangs earn spot in playoffs
October 29,2005
Michael A. Pullen
The Monitor
McALLEN — Ten years can be an awful long time. For the McAllen Memorial faithful, it can even feel like a lifetime.
Friday night, however, behind the fleet footwork of Bradley Stephens, the Mustangs not only ended a decades-old playoff drought, they also captured their first City of Palms football championship since 1995 following a 42-17 victory over McAllen Rowe.
The win at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium means the Mustangs are heading to the postseason for the first time since their district championship season 10 years ago.
They have one game left at Sharyland (6-3, 3-1) next Friday, but at 3-1 in District 30-5A and 6-2 overall, they have assured themselves a spot in the 5A playoffs in two weeks.
"This is a great feeling. I’m just so proud of our kids," said Memorial coach Bill Littleton who was hired three years ago for the purpose of getting the Mustangs back to the playoffs. "When we came here, we told our kids, ‘Give us three years, and we’d get them to the playoffs.’ We’ve done it, and we’ve kept our word."
And just as he has all season, Stephens was the catalyst in Memorial’s win. The district’s leading rusher slipped through tackle after tackle en route to a 303-yard, four-touchdown night.
His final run, a 70-yard dash to the end zone after he zipped through a wide crevice in his offensive line and darted into open field untouched, capped off another impressive performance.Despite the fact that Rowe had its defensive headlights zoomed in on the junior tailback all night, Stephens sliced around would-be Warriors tacklers and shrugged off others for a total that put him well over 2,000 yards on the year.
He now needs exactly 200 yards to break the Valley’s all-time regular-season mark of 2,309 yards set by Tony Ellis of Brownsville Hanna in ’95.
However, two other juniors — quarterback Mitchell Bunger and Stephens’ running mate, Nick Moore — also helped set the tone early in the game that virtually put it out of reach for Rowe by halftime (28-3). Moore took some of the pressure off of Stephens in piling up 53 yards rushing on 10 carries.
Bunger, meanwhile, threw an off-balance TD pass from 28 yards out and watched wide receiver Robby Salinas leap into the air at the back of the end zone for the catch and a 25-point Mustangs advantage going into intermission.