The Taylor Ducks finally broke through Friday night, exploding in the second half to defeat Manor New Tech, 50-26, at the Duck Pond for their first win of the season.
Taylor scored 35 points after halftime and overcame four turnovers by sophomore quarterback Johnny Guzman to open district play on a high note.
The game began with early miscues. Guzman fumbled on the opening drive, but the Ducks’ defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs.
Guzman quickly redeemed himself, firing a 65-yard strike to freshman wide receiver Elijah Afenkhena to set up his own five-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 lead. After sophomore defensive back Hugo Sanchez recovered the ensuing kickoff, sophomore kicker Jonathan Morales added a 30-yard field goal to make it 9-0.
The Titans clawed back behind short fields and Taylor penalties. A seven-yard touchdown pass trimmed the lead to 9-6 after a failed two-point try, but junior running back Eric Walker answered with a six-yard scoring run to push the margin to 15-6.
Costly flags hurt the Ducks on the next series, including a pass interference call and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that set up a Manor New Tech touchdown. The Titans converted another Guzman interception into points to take their first lead, 18-15, late in the second quarter.
Taylor responded just before halftime. Guzman, shaking off a second interception, found senior receiver Zavier Stokes for a 25-yard touchdown with 29 seconds left to give the Ducks a 22-18 advantage at the break.
The second half belonged to Taylor. After Guzman was stripped at the goal line on the opening drive, the Ducks’ special teams delivered a momentum-shifting play, blocking a punt and recovering it in the end zone for a touchdown to go up 29-18.
Junior defensive back Cayden Hinesley intercepted a pass on the next possession, setting up a 30-yard touchdown run by junior Landon Coulter. Coulter added a 13-yard scoring run to stretch the lead to 43-18, and Guzman later connected with Afenkhena for a late touchdown to cap the scoring for Taylor.
Afenkhena finished with more than 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Coulter powered the ground game with two second-half scores.
Taylor will look to carry the momentum into next week when it travels to Austin Achieve on Friday, Oct. 3, for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
