[VIDEO – Blake Harrell (14) hurls a 36-yard touchdown pass to Damian Salinas (33) for May’s first points against Gorman Thursday night.]
MAY – The May offense struggled to find a rhythm, but the defense was firing on all cylinders as the No. 1 Tigers remained unbeaten on the season with a 54-0 victory over the Gorman Panthers in Thursday night’s District 13-A Division I opener for both squads.
May (7-0, 1-0) allowed just 34 total yards and one first down via penalty, forced four more turnovers and scored twice on defense as a 38-point second quarter put the game away after a shaky start offensively. For the season, the Tigers, who recorded their second straight shutout, have now created 24 turnovers and scored 10 defensive touchdowns – including at least one in all seven outings.
“The defense did step up big and did another great job,” said May 18th-year head coach Craig Steele. “I don’t know what we are in terms of plus and minus in turnovers, but our kids are opportunistic and they make plays when they’re there.”
Offensively, the Tigers finished with just 137 yards of total offense – 69 passing and 68 rushing – as May averaged starting its seven possessions at the 23 yard line of Gorman (4-2, 0-1). The Tigers completed just 2 of 9 passes, however – though both went for touchdowns – and failed to score twice on drives that began at the Panther 25 and 20.
“We did not play very well,” Steele said of the offensive performance. “We didn’t block very well, we missed assignments, and it was pretty frustrating first quarter. But they’re 16 to 18 year old kids and they’re going to make mistakes at times, but it was still frustrating. We got better as the game went on, but we have to start faster next week.”
The Tigers’ first, and longest, scoring drive began at midfield after holding Gorman to a four-and-out on the opening possession of the contest. Facing a third-and-11 from the Panther 36, Blake Harrell hurled a pass to Damian Salinas, just over the outreached arm of a Gorman defense, for a touchdown and all the points May would need.
Leading 8-0 with 6:59 left in the first period, May’s next two drives began at the Gorman 25 after a blocked punt, and the Panther 20 after another four-and-out. The Tigers, however, failed to produce points on both possessions.
Gorman’s next drive ended at its own 13-yard-line and, opting for the ground game over the air attack, the Tigers returned to end zone in one play on an Avery Williford scoring sprint, boosting the lead to 16-0 with four seconds left in the first period.
The second quarter looked more like what the Tigers have become accustomed to in 2021 as a drive that started at the Gorman 30 ended three plays later on a 30-yard scoring toss from Harrell to Kaden Halk, who danced his way through the Panther defense to stretch the lead to 24-0 at the 8:01 mark.
May then recorded the first of its four takeaways as Luke McKenzie picked off a pass and returned the interception 42 yards to the Gorman 6. On the next snap, Halk scored to increase the lead to 30-0 with 5:04 left in the first half.
Gorman fumbled away the ensuing kickoff and May took over at the Panther 32. Three plays later, Williford – who compiled 59 of May’s 68 yards on the ground – scored on a 32-yard carry for a 38-0 lead with 4:37 to go.
The last two Tiger touchdowns were the result of the defense as Harrell scooped up a fumble and scored from 28 yards out with 3:41 to go in the second period, which put May in position to end the game early, 46-0.
May then sealed the mercy-rule victory with 2:13 left on a 49-yard interception return by Halk – his third pick and second touchdown in the last two games – for the final 54-point margin
Next week, the Tigers venture to Santa Anna (6-0, 0-0), which visits Baird (4-0, 0-0) Friday night in a battle of unbeatens.
“Our whole district’s better this year and it’s going to be wild,” Steele said of a league whose teams owned a combined record of 24-3 prior to Thursday night. “I’m interested to see what happens with Baird and Santa Anna tomorrow night. We get Santa Anna then we get Baird, so it’ll be interesting.”
