GRAND PRAIRIE — Mansfield Timberview has been pushing for four perfect quarters of football all year.
It might have gotten that on Friday night at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl, as it dismantled Colleyville Heritage, 44-19, in the bi-district round of the 5A Division II playoffs.
Timberview (9-2) will face the winner of Flower Mound Marcus and Keller Fossil Ridge in the area round. Marcus and Fossil Ridge play today at Cowboys Stadium.
Timberview played its smartest, most disciplined football of the year, and that was evident on the first drive of the second half.
Leading 24-7, Timberview was on defense and forced Colleyville Heritage (9-2) into a fast three-and-out, gaining possession just 26 seconds into the half.
Timberview wound up with a field goal on the ensuing possession, but it may well have put the game out of reach.
Timberview forced Colleyville Heritage into five turnovers, resulting in 10 points.
The rest of the second half was all Josh Smith, as the speedy junior scored two of his four touchdowns in the final two quarters, including a 79-yard run and a 52-yard pass reception.
Timberview chewed up six minutes of clock in the first quarter, driving 88 yards in 16 plays. On third-and-goal, Josh Smith scored on a 1-yard run to take a 7-0 lead.
On Colleyville Heritage’s first possession, it tried a lengthy drive of its own. But Timberview’s defense stood tall after a couple of first downs, then sacked quarterback Cody Thomas on fourth down to put the ball near midfield.
It only took three plays from there, as Smith scored his second touchdown of the night.
On a second-and-6 at the Colleyville Heritage 23-yard line, Taylor read the option, moving along the line and pitching the ball as he was going down to Smith. Smith took the ball the rest of the way, making it 14-0 late in the first quarter.
Colleyville Heritage put together another lengthy drive, earning a first-and-goal at the Timberview 3-yard line. But a Michael Adefolarin strip gave Timberview the ball back to start the second quarter.
Timberview stalled on its ensuing drive, but it wouldn’t matter for long.
Colleyville Heritage had the ball on the Timberview 17-yard line, and on the second play of the drive, Thomas threw an interception to Sheldon Gatewood, setting Timberview up deep in Colleyville Heritage territory.
Edward Paris would cap off the drive a few plays later, scoring from 4 yards out to take a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
Colleyville Heritage finally had an offensive burst on the ensuing kickoff, as Mark Manautou returned the ball to the Timberview 10-yard line. A couple of plays later, Will French scored on an 11-yard pass to cut the deficit to 21-7.
Just before the half, Nick Cannon’s 45-yard field goal gave Timberview a 24-7 lead at the break.