Buford hangs on to early lead in Texas

Irving, Texas — Not even a disastrous third quarter could keep Buford (1-0) from defeating Mansfield (Texas) Timberview (0-1) 42-21 in the Kirk Herbstreit Football Series at Texas Stadium.

Buford’s Cody Getz and Storm Johnson scored three touchdowns each in the victory.

“For a football team with 14 to 15 first-time starters and a lot of guys who have never played when it counted, I knew that we were going to make mistakes, and there would be things that we would have to fight through and overcome,” Buford coach Jess Simpson said.

Buford trailed 7-0 early after Timberview found the end zone on its opening drive. The Wolves wasted little time responding, however, reeling off 28 consecutive points to build a two-touchdown edge at the break.

A 2-yard run by Johnson tied the game at 7 in the first quarter, and Getz scored his three touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 35-yard punt return.

“We always say that in a close game, special teams will make a difference,” Getz said. “Off the edge, before he kicked it, I saw my two people on the edge holding guys up pretty good and said it would come down between me and the kicker.

“Everybody did their job exactly right, and I just had to run. Everyone just sprung it for me.”

But the third quarter was something to forget. Buford incurred 60 yards in penalties, including one personal foul and four illegal procedures as Timberview cut its lead to 28-21 early in the fourth when Parker scored on a 1-yard run.

Knowing that his team needed a touchdown, Johnson took matters into his own hands. Just over a minute after Timberview’s touchdown, he raced 75 yards to the end zone to make it 35-21. And with 3:28 remaining, he scored again on a 15-yard run to close out the day’s scoring.

“When they were on the 5-yard line about to score, everybody on our offense said that we had to score,” Johnson said. “We needed a touchdown to give us a cushion. Cody was playing defense, so they put me in. We have run that play so many times, and it worked perfectly.”

In other games Saturday:

• Grady 41, Southside 13: Treveon Albert threw three touchdown passes, and Keenan Gibson rushed 10 times for 122 yards and a touchdown to lead Grady (1-0) past Southside (0-1). Darius Hawkins and Jamario Bryant scored rushing touchdowns for Grady.

• Redan 12, Miller Grove 12: Redan (0-0-1) kept the ball for the final 10 minutes of the game and scored in the final minute to tie Miller Grove (0-0-1). Miller Grove’s Steven Hill caught five passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns, both from Mydrikus Ealey.

• North Clayton 16, Riverdale 0: Clarence Jackson scored on a 2-yard run, and Tony Koleti scored on a 1-yard run.