December 10, 2011

Manvel 31, Corpus Christi Calallen 28

Though it was playing in its first-ever state semifinal, Manvel assumed the role of heavy favorite against perennial power Corpus Christi Calallen in the 5A-Division II semifinal game at the Alamodome.

Underdog Calallen was not intimidated one bit by Manvel and went toe-to-toe with the Mavericks in a 31-28 game filled with plenty of controversy at the end.

Calallen, which saw its quarterback, who was also the team's leading rusher, go down with a knee injury the week before, used some stellar special teams play to stay in the game and put the Mavericks on the ropes.

After Manvel opened the scoring on a Shane McCarley to Kaylon Melancon 30-yard touchdown pass, Calallen’s Marcus Price returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. Calallen would then take advantage of numerous penalties and a fumble recovery to go up, 21-7, with a pair of short yardage touchdowns from Cooper Storm as the Wildcats lured Manvel into their type of slugfest.

Manvel rallied in the third quarter to tie the game at 21 when McCarley and Julian Walker scored on touchdown runs, but after Walker’s run to the tie game up, it was Price who struck once again taking the kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to give Calallen a 28-21 lead late in the third.

Calallen tried to use a ball control attack to milk the fourth quarter, but Manvel’s defense forced a fumble with 4:29 left in the game. The Mavs tied the game with 2:33 remaining when McCarley and Melancon hooked up from 36 yards out to make the score 28-28. Calallen would try to throw the ball to take a shot at a potential game winning field goal, but the pass was picked off by Manvel’s Carlos Thompson with 15 seconds left.

Manvel took one shot at the win when McCarley hooked up with Corey Seymour for a solid gain to the Calallen 23-yard line, but time had expired. Or so we thought. A late flag was thrown on Calallen for roughing the passer, which set up an untimed down that Manvel kicker Josh Martinez used to nail a 25-yard FG to send the Mavericks to their first state title game in school history.

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