It’s senior night at Barnett Stadium as 5-3 Sterling hosts 7-0 Manvel…
Manvel leads 7-6 in the first when Tucker Yarbrough fires for Malachi McLean and McLean absorbs the hit and holds on for a 19-yard touchdown, Mavs lead 14-6.
Sterling answers, as Anthony Brown swings it out to Frank Brown, he makes a man miss and then tiptoes down the sideline, he stays in bounds and takes it 47 yards for the score, Sterling trails 14-13 after one.
In the 2nd, Yarbrough goes back to the air, looking downfield for Jalen Paxton, it’s a 32-yard scoring strike, Manvel leads 21-13.
On the next drive, Sterling faces 4th and 30 from its own 10, and what a time to call a fake punt! Frank Brown takes off and has a lane. He splits two defenders and he’s gone. 90 yards to the house, all the way for the Raiders touchdown, wow, what a play! But Manvel blocks the PAT and returns it for two, so it’s 23-19 Mavericks at intermission.
It’s 26-23 Sterling in the third, when Yarbrough airs it out one more time and connects with Jalen Walthall, it’s a 34-yard touchdown pass and Manvel reclaims the lead 29-26.
Same score in the fourth when Sterling makes a costly miscue on special teams. The Raiders can’t handle the punt and the Mavs fall on the loose ball for the takeaway.
Manvel’s offense cashes it into points as De’monte Seymore takes the handoff, goes right up the middle, breaks a tackle and gets into the end zone for a 21 yard score. Mavs go up 37-26.
Seymore not done, he puts this one on ice as he slips free of a defender and then fights his way in for a 36 yard score. Manvel holds off a tough challenge from Sterling and remains unbeaten with a 44-26 win.