The final score of Skyline’s 47-28 area-round victory against Mesquite Horn hardly tells the story.
On paper, it was a decisive Horn victory — they outgained Skyline on the ground and through the air, racking up 31 first downs to 21 in the process.
But despite its efficiency on offense, Horn failed to finish. It reached the red zone four times in the first half and came away with only nine points. On 1st-and-goal from the Skyline 3 on its first drive of the game, Horn couldn’t find the end zone after getting stuffed on four consecutive plays.
“The whole game, we made too many mistakes,” Horn coach Rodney Webb said. “We did so many good things today, but our failure to finish drives in the red zone and our failure to hang onto the football in the second half did us in.”
Skyline advances to play Spring Westfield in a Class 5A Division I regional semifinal at 3 p.m. Saturday in Georgetown.
Horn (8-4) had turned the ball over just eight times through its first 11 games, but suffered four turnovers Saturday at Wildcat-Ram Stadium.
Horn had control of the game late in the third quarter, when Jay’lyn Lynch broke loose for what could have been a 23-yard touchdown run. Instead, Lynch was caught and had the ball stripped by Skyline defensive back Derrick Dixon at the 1-yard line.
The ball bounced out of the end zone, resulting in a touchback.
Skyline (11-1) took the lead for good on its next series with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Devante Kincade to RaShaad Samples.
Dixon also stifled Horn’s hopes for a comeback by returning an onside kick 50 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth.
“We need to be more consistent on defense and stop people from running through the middle,” Dixon said. “But a win is a win.”
Skyline’s big-play offense was in full force. Ellis Onic had a 64-yard touchdown run, and Samples finished 167 yards on five catches, with two touchdown receptions, including a 57-yarder to go with his 40-yard scoring strike. He also had a 49-yard catch that set up a Kincade rushing touchdown.
Skyline gained 529 total yards to Horn’s 607, but it made the most of its possessions and took advantage of Horn’s mistakes.
“We started going deep on them because they were playing tight safeties that contained me from running,” Kincade said. “But if we need a big play, we can get a big play.”
Follow David Just on Twitter at @DavidJustDMN.