The Mineral Wells offense hit on all 11 cylinders Friday night against the Bridgeport Bulls.
The Rams scored on half of their first-half offensive possessions and raced to a 30-27 win over Bridgeport in front of a large crowd at Ram Stadium.
As a team, Mineral Wells scored five times and rolled up 375 yards against the Bulls.
The Rams' defense set up Mineral Wells initial score of the contest. After the Rams' first drive had sputtered to a stop, junior defensive tackle Preston Streun breathed life into the MWHS game. He scooped up a Bulls' fumble on their second play from scrimmage, giving the Rams the ball at the Bridgeport 45.
A.J. Poole, Gunner Pederson and Hunter McCoy didn't let the opportunity slip away. After Streun's fumble recovery, the Rams quickly found themselves in a third-and 15 situation.
Poole, a freshman running back, answered the call from there, turning a short screen pass from McCoy into a 26-yard gain.
One play later, Pederson reeled of a 19-yard run to the Bridgeport 5.
Following a short run and a 5-yard loss via a sack, Poole hauled in a 10-yard scoring strike for a touchdown.
Myranda Bell tacked on the ensuing PAT try, giving Mineral Wells a 7-0 lead with 4:26 left in the first quarter.
Mineral Wells added to its lead on its next series, marching 33 yards in three plays before Poole broke off a 33-yard scoring run that inflated the MWHS lead to 14-0 with 26 seconds left in the opening frame.
Just how dominant were the Rams in the first quarter? Consider this: Mineral Wells outgained Bridgeport by a staggering 151-16 margin in the first 12 minutes of play.
The Bulls managed to get their offense untracked early in the second. Bridgeport opened the frame by reeling off a 10-play, 76-yard drive that ended with Jace Hudson hauling in a 12-yard pas from BHS quarterback Cody Henson.
Henson tacked on a 5-yard scoring run with 1:51 left in the half to pull Bridgeport to within one, at 14-13.
Mineral Wells answered right back. Thanks in part to receptions of 21 and 22 yards by Lorenzo Johnson, drove to the Bulls' 8. After a 10-yard holding penalty had backed the MWHS offense up to the 18, the Rams hit paydirt again. Dillon Wilkins hauled in an 18-yard strike with 1.7 seconds left in the half to put Mineral Wells up 21-13.
Overall, McCoy completed 16 of his 26 passes for 231 yards and two scores. Wilkins had five of those receptions for 74 yards.
The Rams, backed by a solid effort from the offensive line and its running back tandem, stretched their lead to 27-13 late in the third quarter. Poole, who rushed fir 85 yards on 14 tries, powered his way into the BHS end zone from two yards out with 3 minutes left in the third.
Pederson notched 28 of his team-high 92 yards rushing earlier in the drive.
Mineral Wells' Charles Paret all but iced the game on the Rams' first possession of the fourth quarter. He converted a 24-yard field goal with 10:19 left to push the Rams' lead to 30-13.
Bridgeport, with the game already out of reach, scored twice – on passes to Hudson – in the final six minutes of the game to pull to within 30-27.
Defensively, the Rams held Bridgeport to 154 yards rushing – half of which came on quarterback runs by Henson – and forced four BHS punts.
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Mineral Wells wins again Ronny Collins
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Mineral Wells wins again Ronny Collins
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Rams roll up 375 yards in 30-27 win
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