By Tommy Mann Jr.

The Orange Leader

MAGNOLIA – The No. 10 state-ranked Waco La Vega Pirates toppled the No. 9 state-ranked West Orange-Stark Mustangs, 42-20, in a Class 4A Division 2 area round playoff battle on Friday night at Bulldogs Stadium to bring the Mustangs season to an end.

Both teams came out testing one another but it was the Mustangs which had the first chance to score midway through the first quarter. On its second possession from its own 32-yard line, a key play of the drive was a 22-yard pass completion from Marcus Turner Jr to Khelvy Jefferson. On fourth and six from the Pirates 38-yard line, Turner extended the drive with his feet as his gained 12-yards and a first down.

The Pirates defense stiffened in the red zone. Facing third down and 10 at the La Vega 12-yard line, Turner’s pass toward the end zone was intercepted by La Vega defender Amir Gibson to give the Pirates the ball at the 4-yard line.

The game would remain scoreless until late in the second quarter as La Vega began a drive at its own 15-yard line. The biggest play of the drive was a 23-yard run by Jabarie Thornton to push the ball into Mustangs territory for the first time on the night. A few plays later quarterback Kourtney Parr punched it in for the score on a 1-yard run to give the Pirates a 7-0 lead going into halftime.

The first half may have been a defensive battle, but the second-half was explosive as big plays and touchdowns were everywhere, especially for La Vega.

Thornton returned the third quarter’s opening kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 La Vega lead.

The Mustangs (9-3) would answer back with a solid and speedy four play, 73 yard drive that only need 1:32 off the game clock. Jefferson had a 26-yard run, which was followed by a 19-yard pass from Turner to Ja’mikael Davis. Two plays later Raymond Mallett Jr ran around the left end and down the sideline for a 26-yard score. La Vega’s lead was cut to 14-7 with 10:08 to play in the third quarter.

The Pirates (9-3) perfectly used a mixture of runs and passes on its next drive to keep the Mustangs aggressive defense off balance. Following a WO-S sack of Parr, the defense was swarming Parr again on the next play when he hit running back Bryson Roland on a middle screen pass for 29 yards to the Mustangs 20-yard line. Two plays later Roland scored on an 18-yard run to extend the La Vega lead, 21-7.

The next Mustangs drive ended on a turnover on downs as a questionable non-call for pass interference gave possession of the ball back to La Vega at its own 43-yard line. Four plays later running back Elbert Jones scored on a 23-yard run to make the score 28-7 for the Pirates at the end of the third quarter.

The Mustangs responded with a 68-yard, six play drive that only needed 2:28 off the game clock as Jefferson scored on an 8-yard run around the left end. The Pirates lead was to cut to 28-13 following the failed extra point attempt.

Just when it looked as if the momentum was finally swinging back to the Mustangs, Thornton struck again for La Vega as he returned his second kickoff for a touchdown as this one was for 76-yards. La Vega was ahead 35-13 with 9:36 left in the game.

Three plays into the next WO-S drive, Turner threw a 15-yard pass to Davis for what appeared to be a first down but Davis was sandwiched between three Pirates defenders and the ball popped loose to be recovered by La Vega at the Mustangs 43-yard line. Four plays later Jones scored on a 4-yard run to put the game away, 42-13, with 4:22 to play.

West Orange-Stark would manage one last march for a touchdown as the Mustangs moved the ball 63-yards in six plays but needed 2:31 off the clock to score. On first and goal from the 8-yard line, Turner threw a pass to Miketavion Davis for the touchdown to make the final score 42-20.

The Mustangs generated 311 yards of total offense against La Vega, as Turner threw for 136 yards and one touchdown against the Pirates defense but was intercepted twice. He added 75 yards rushing, while Jefferson carried the ball nine times for 64 yards and one touchdown to help power the WO-S rushing attack.

Receiver Jamarr O’Neal caught three passes for 54 yards, while Davis caught three passes for 35 yards and Jefferson had three catches for 25 yards.

The WO-S defense held the La Vega offense to 278 total yards on the night, as Burleson passed for 80 yards and rushed for three yards on the ground with a touchdown. Roland led all rushers for the game with 89 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.

La Vega advances to the third round of the playoffs and will face Silsbee next week. Silsbee defeated No. 7 Bellville, 41-17.