McKINNEY — Everything came together for fifth-ranked McKinney Boyd during the 46th minute of its 5A Region II area round playoff game against Mesquite Horn.
Neither side had been able to create many chances during a scoreless first half, but Boyd capitalized early and often in the second.
Juan Moran crossed the ball into the box, Ryan Trayner disrupted the Horn goalkeeper and Ben Gupton scored on a header to break the stalemate and pave the way for Boyd’s 3-0 victory Thursday.
“The intensity and effort he showed to get there definitely lifted us,” Boyd coach Casey Osborn said of Gupton. “We needed that one.”
Gupton was the tallest player in the box when Horn goalkeeper Anthony Tharp deflected the crossed ball into the air. The senior central attacking midfielder used his height to make first contact with the ball when it came back down.
“We regrouped in the second half and went at it,” Gupton said. “I just wanted to get in the box and try and finish.”
The win advances Boyd to the third round of the playoffs for the second year in a row. Boyd (17-3-4) will face the winner between Jesuit and Rockwall in a regional quarterfinal next week.
William Wiginton and Dillon Farrell added insurance goals in the second half.
Wiginton headed home a free kick from Raul Serrano during the 66th minute. Farrell scored on a penalty kick 10 minutes later.
Farrell and Wiginton were also key members of the back line that notched a second consecutive playoff shutout. Goalkeeper Evan Davies needed to make only one save in the second half.
“Our goalie has done a good job of securing those shutouts,” Osborn said. “But Farrell and Wiginton, two senior captains, are really shutting it down.”
Horn, which advanced one round deeper in the playoffs than last season, finished with a 12-9-3 record.
Follow David Just on Twitter at @DavidJustDMN.