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| The Mary Hardin-Baylor defense held Linfield's potent offense to 20 points. Photo by Joe Fusco, d3photography.com |
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| Blake Jackson was dynamic as a rusher and a passer on Saturday night, accounting for 315 yards of total offense, 299 of it before halftime. Photo by Joe Fusco, d3photography.com |
By Pat Coleman
D3sports.com
BELTON, Texas -- Blake Jackson ran all over the Linfield defense and the Crusaders got scores on defense and special teams as well as No. 5 Mary Hardin-Baylor exorcised the demons of playoff losses past, defeating No. 3 Linfield in front of a huge crowd at Crusader Stadium on Saturday night.
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Leading 24-20 at the half, the Crusaders (3-0) came out quickly in the third quarter as well. Bryce Wilkerson returned the second half’s opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and the UMHB defense picked off Sam Riddle passes on Linfield’s first two possessions. Baylor Mullins returned the second one for a touchdown to stake the Cru to a 38-20 lead.
From there, UMHB took care of the ball and got its first-ever win vs. Linfield, 66-27.
Jackson had the Cru offense clicking the entire first half, with few exceptions. The senior accounted for 299 yards of total offense in the first 30 minutes alone, throwing for 202 yards and rushing for 97, converted multiple third downs with his feet in addition to throwing for two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, it seemed at times that the Linfield offense was moving at three-quarters speed. The Wildcats (1-1) started out offensively with a three-and-out, then fumbled a punt on their next possession to help UMHB get out to a 10-0 lead.
"I think being in this environment, in this weather, it was pretty hot and sultry," said UMHB coach Pete Fredenburg about a game in which the temperature was above 90 degrees at kickoff, which was 6 p.m local time. "We felt like we tried to keep our guys fresh and play as hard as we could."
The Wildcats put a drive together between the first and second quarter. Riddle found Reed Peterson at midfield to convert a third-and long, then converted a fourth-down pass to Johnny Carroll at the 17. After a reception by tight end J.C. Calo set Linfield up with a first and goal, Riddle found Carroll again for a quick slant and a touchdown. Linfield safety Skylor Elgarcio picked off a Jackson pass on the ensuing drive and returned it 55 yards for the score, giving Linfield a 13-10 lead.
But it was the last the Wildcats would have. Wykeyhe Walker made an incredible catch for a 42-yard touchdown to regain the lead for the Cru, and with Linfield knocking on the door, starting center Will Heck went out with an injury with the ball at the 6. On the next play, a botched snap gave UMHB the ball at the 7 and the Cru drove 93 yards for the touchdown.
"The biggest play in the game was that one play, and we’re going in to take the lead," said Linfield coach Joe Smith. "I am 100 percent convinced we’re going to win the game. But we bring in a new center after an injury, we have a fumbled exchange and instead of going in and taking the lead, we don’t, they go down and punch the touchdown in and instead of being up by four, we’re down by 11 and then we never regained that."
It only got crazier in the fourth quarter, with a bad snap going over Kevin McClean’s head and leading to a quick touchdown. Another one went high and McClean, attempting to throw the ball away, tossed it right into the hands of defensive lineman Haston Adams, who rumbled 27 yards for a touchdown to make it 59-27.
The win was UMHB’s first in five meetings vs. Linfield. Each of the previous four had come in the playoffs, with Linfield ending UMHB’s season.
Riddle was 25-for-37 passing for 340 yards and three touchdowns, being picked off twice. The bad snaps, and there were several, contributed to Linfield rushing for just 1 total yard, although even without that drag on the Wildcats total, they only managed 72 yards on 35 carries.
Jackson finished 17-for-30 passing for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Markeith Miller led the rushing attack for UMHB, with 165 yards on just six carries, including an 87-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.