As is often the case in an offense shootout, the seemingly smallest of plays can determine the outcome of the game. That once again proved to be the case Thursday night at Legacy Stadium as the Morton Ranch Mavericks topped the Cinco Ranch Cougars 77-63 in a game that featured 20 touchdowns and over 1,200 total offense.
In the 3rd quarter with Morton Ranch leading 49-42, Emmanuel Ekuma grazed a pass leaving the quarterback’s hand causing the ball to wobble and float in the air. Carsen Luna snagged the wounded pass from the air and Morton Ranch took over at the Cinco Ranch 43-yard line. Morton Ranch would soon score and expanded their lead to 56-42. The lead would never go under 7 points the remainder of the game.
The game was a shootout from the beginning. Just over two minutes into the game, Morton Ranch grabbed a 7-0 lead on a 3-yard run. Cinco Ranch answered back just over a minute later on an 11-yard run from Gavin Rutherford to cut the lead to 7-6.
Most of the game would follow a similar pattern of punch and counter-punch.
Cinco Ranch’s Rutherford would break his own Cougar single-game passing yardage record (423 yards in 2021 against Morton Ranch) with 464 yards passing.
Cinco Ranch’s Seth Salverino narrowly missed the Cougar’s single-game reception yard record (229 yards by Greg Williams in 2016) with 228 yards receiving.
While not school records, Josh Johnson and Santana Scott had stellar performances for Morton Ranch.
But in the end it was the out stretched arm of a defensive lineman that turned the tide in the game.
Morton Ranch is now 3-2 on the season and 1-2 in district play. The Mavericks play Seven Lakes next Friday night.
Cinco Ranch in now 3-2 on the season and 2-1 in district play. The Cougars play Mayde Creek next Friday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
9:48 1st – Morton Ranch, Santana Scott, 3-yard run (Morton Ranch 7, Cinco Ranch 0)
8:43 1st – Cinco Ranch, Gavin Rutherford, 11-yard run (Morton Ranch 7, Cinco Ranch 6)
5:15 1st – Morton Ranch, Ryan Hall, 4-yard run (Morton Ranch 14, Cinco Ranch 6)
3:14 1st – Cinco Ranch, Rutherford to Seth Salverino, 43-yard pass (Morton Ranch 14, Cinco Ranch 13)
0:52 1st – Morton Ranch, Scott, 9-yard run (Morton Ranch 21, Cinco Ranch 13)
11:02 2nd – Cinco Ranch, Rutherford to Noah Abboud, 5-yard pass (Morton Ranch 21, Cinco Ranch 20)
8:51 2nd – Morton Ranch, Josh Johnson to Mike Gerald, 36-yard pass (Morton Ranch 28, Cinco Ranch 20)
4:33 2nd – Cinco Ranch, Rutherford to Abboud, 36-yard pass (Morton Ranch 28, Cinco Ranch 27)
0:47 2nd – Morton Ranch, Johnson, 15-yard run (Morton Ranch 35, Cinco Ranch 27)
0:08 2nd – Cinco Ranch, Rutherford to Sam McKnight, 5-yard pass, Jack McCall 2-point run (Morton Ranch 35, Cinco Ranch 35)
10:01 3rd – Morton Ranch, Hall, 66-yard run (Morton Ranch 42, Cinco Ranch 35)
7:33 3rd – Cinco Ranch, McKnight, 1-yard run (Morton Ranch 42, Cinco Ranch 42)
6:15 3rd – Morton Ranch, Johnson, 3-yard run (Morton Ranch 49, Cinco Ranch 42)
2:35 3rd – Morton Ranch, Johnson to Scott, 19-yard pass (Morton Ranch 56, Cinco Ranch 42)
1:23 3rd – Cinco Ranch, McKnight, 7-yard run (Morton Ranch 56, Cinco Ranch 49)
0:39 3rd – Morton Ranch, Johnson to Scott, 41-yard pass (Morton Ranch 63, Cinco Ranch 49)
0:00 3rd – Cinco Ranch, Rutherford to Salverino, 35-yard pass (Morton Ranch 63, Cinco Ranch 56)
10:05 4th – Morton Ranch, Scott, 20-yard run (Morton Ranch 70, Cinco Ranch 56)
1:41 4th – Cinco Ranch, Rutherford, 1-yard run (Morton Ranch 70, Cinco Ranch 63)
0:27 4th – Morton Ranch, Johnson to Scott, 26-yard pass (Morton Ranch 77, Cinco Ranch 63)
Quick Stats
Total Yards
Cinco Ranch 560 (464 pass, 96 rush)
Morton Ranch 668 (243 pass, 425 rush)
Leaders
Cinco Ranch
Gavin Rutherford, 25 of 28, 464 yards, 5 TDs, 1 Int
Sam McKnight, 7 carries, 33 yards, 2 TDs
Seth Salverino, 9 receptions, 228 yards, 2 TDs
Morton Ranch
Josh Johnson, 10 of 14, 243 yards, 4 TDs
Santana Scott, 29 carries, 219 yards, 3 TDs
Santana Scott, 3 receptions, 86 yards, 3 TDs