Tigers corral City View, 24-21

WICHITA FALLS – Jacksboro took a major step toward securing a playoff spot in District 8-3A Friday night, taking advantage of four City View fumbles in the second half and turning them into 14 points to take a come-from-behind 24-21 win over the host Mustangs at Veterans Field.

The Tigers are now 2-2 in district (6-3 overall) while City View drops to 1-3 and 3-6.

It was the hosts who stormed out of the gate and took a 14-0 first quarter lead. After an 87-yard scoring run by Tyrese Smith, the Tigers came storming back and got on the board with a 13-yard pass from Payton Laake to Hunter Jackson, capping a 69-yard, 11-play drive.

The Tigers had a chance to knot the game before the half with a first-and-goal at the Mustang three but the City View defense rose up and forced Santiago Salazar’s 25-yard field goal instead to take a 14-10 lead into the locker room.

Jacksboro, which allowed 216 first half yards, began to rise up defensively and allowed just 109 in the final two quarters. After being turned away by City View following the first fumble recovery, the Tigers got another chance just one play later as the Tigers set up shop at the Mustang 33.

It looked like City View would force another turnover on downs as the Tigers went for it on 4th-and-10 at the City View 23. Laake found Kade Weldon in the far corner of the end zone, the senior making a great catch on the ball to give Jacksboro the lead for good at 17-14 with 6:32 left in the third.

 Following another fumble recovery, Laake needed just one play and 12 seconds for his third scoring pass of the night, finding Ke’Ondrae Sadler with a 21-yard scoring strike to extend the lead to 24-14. City View would make things interesting on the ensuing drive, using a long kickoff return by Smith to set up a short scoring run by Luther Bryant to cut the deficit to three.

The Mustangs would drive late, getting to the Tiger 35 in the final seconds but a Weldon stop on Smith on fourth down sealed the win.

Jacksboro returns home for Senior Night next Friday when it hosts Holliday, a 56-0 winner over Millsap.