Mustangs forge halftime tie, but Owls pulled away to end three-game losing streak

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The second half of games had been a problem for Highlands, before Friday. During the Owls’ three-game losing streak, they had difficulty scoring after halftime and watched opponents pull away.

There was a reversal of roles  at the SAISD Sports Complex. Highlands (3-4, 1-2) came out out of the locker room in the District 28-4A game like a team on a mission.

Unlike earlier games against Burbank and Central Catholic, the Owls did their best work after halftime. They ended a three-game losing streak and kept their chances to make a second-consecutive trip to the playoffs. Highlands scored three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter to pull away from fired-up Jefferson (0-8, 0-4) for a 41-22.

“We just tried to take away a win,” Highlands junior back Quindon Boston said. “It’s something we needed to do as a team. We did what we wanted to do tonight.”

The Mustangs were on a quest for their first win and it seemed more than possible at halftime, with the teams locked in a 14-14 tie.

Highlands capitalized on Jefferson’s difficulty with the center snap just 12 seconds into the second half. Defensive lineman Henry Rodriguez charged to hurry Jefferson quarterback Weston Redding as he tried to corral the football and Owls defensive back Malik Johnson picked it up for an 18-yard touchdown.

“I was downfield covering (D’Andre Melton) and I looked at the quarterback,” Johnson said. “I could see him bobble the ball. I could see henry Rodriguez hit him, so I scooped up the ball and ran for a touchdown.”

Following a Mustangs punt, Boston (100 yards, 21 carries) got through the line, cut back and was off on a 50-yard scoring run. In two minutes and one second, Highlands had built a 28-14 lead it never surrendered.

“I just followed my offensive line,” Boston said. “I just told my offensive line, give me some holes and I’ll get there. I’ll get them a touchdown. I just saw a chance to cut back. I saw that the linebacker was pursuing kind of slow, so I cut back.”

The two-touchdown advantage was a welcome infusion for a team that had struggled to find its identity after its quarterback Jordan DeLuna incurred a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury Sept. 26 against Burbank.

“When Jordan went down, we lost our momentum. We couldn’t pass as much,” Highlands coach Bert Lopez said. “But our running backs have stepped up and our offensive line has stepped up as well. Quindon made some good runs and (De-Morriay) Richardson did as well.”

A 20-yard run from Richardson added seven points to the Owls’ lead. Jefferson ended Highlands’ scoring run with a two-yard touchdown run from backup quarterback Brian Febus with 3:26 left in the game. Febus also threw to Jessi Brito for a two-point conversion that brought Jefferson within 35-22.

Junior John Cervantes, who split Highlands’ quarterbacking duties with Elijah Garces, tacked on the Owls’ final touchdown with a 32-yard interception return with 26 seconds to play.

“We needed this win,” Lopez said. “The seniors deserved it. We’re not really a 3-4 team. It showed a lot that we were able to come back and win, with Jordan still out. The kids have been working hard and we have good coaches.”

Highlands took a 7-0 lead on a 12-yard run from Boston. The drive covered 22 yards in two plays after Boston returned the opening kickoff 63 yards.

The junior has grown into the job as Highlands’ featured back as the season progressed. He has rushed for 189 yards in the last two games.

“I’ve just gotten more and more comfortable with it,” Boston said. “My team just gives me the ball and I put my faith in my offensive line to open the holes for me. We believe. We’re growing as a team.”

The Owls extended their lead to 14-0 with 1:59 left in the first quarter when Garces threw a 16-yard pass to Richardson. The senior quarterback also plays linebacker, just like Cervantes starts in the secondary, so Lopez said he wasn’t sure if the timeshare arrangement would continue in future games.

“Elijah was older, being a senior and he was always the backup,” Lopez said. “But it’s an adjustment, because we rely on him a lot at the linebacker position. We have to keep him healthy. John plays in the secondary, but he doesn’t play there as often as Elijah does at linebacker.

“It’s still a work in progress, but they’ve overcome a lot. They made a lot of turnovers when they first replaced Jordan, but they’re not doing that anymore.”

A 38-yard kickoff return from junior Drew Lopez set up Jefferson’s first touchdown. Redding (13 of 19, 123 yards) threw a 24-yard pass to Febus for the score with eight seconds to play in the quarter. It was just the fifth reception and first for a touchdown for Febus, whose role has been expanding throughout the season.

Jefferson tied the score with a 41-yard, six-play drive that ended 50 seconds before halftime. The Mustangs’ featured back Jesse Flores (125 yards, 21 attempts) scored on a six-yard run. Redding completed three passes for 30 yards to pave the way to the end zone.

“They have a lot of talent,” Lopez said. “They’re getting better as the year goes on. The numbers for Redding in passing are way up there. (D’Andre) Melton is a great receiver, although we were able to hold him down today.

“I think we contained (Flores) as well. He’s the No. 1 rusher in the district. Having two weeks to prepare helped. Getting our legs underneath us, that really helped.”