Fort Bend Marshall blows out Willowridge

MISSOURI CITY — Fort Bend Marshall isn’t messing around.

In a showdown between two area-ranked and undefeated Class 5A teams, Marshall quarterback Roland Harvey was resting easy by halftime, a six-touchdown lead in hand. Harvey accounted for three scores in his brief outing, and the Buffalos rolled to a 56-0 win Thursday at Hall Stadium.

“We played Marshall football,” Marshall coach James Williams said. “We were excited about this game. It was the first time in a long time that both teams were undefeated. So we had a great week of practice, great focus, and it’s a neighborhood rivalry, so we knew both teams were going to go hard.”

Area 5A No. 2 Marshall, ranked No. 3 in the state in 5A Division II, improved to 7-0 overall, 6-0 in District 11-5A-II.

Area No. 9 Willowridge fell to 5-1, 4-1 with its first setback.

The Buffalos punted on the game’s opening series. That was the only good news for Willowridge in the first half. Marshall came back and scored on its next six possessions, with a defensive touchdown for good measure.

Marshall’s defense, which has allowed only six points all season, already had the Willowridge running back stopped for a loss when defensive tackle Laurence Tillman ripped the ball out of his hands and ran 20 yards for a 21-0 advantage with 25.6 seconds still remaining in the first quarter.

The play followed a 93-yard scoring pass from Harvey to receiver Chris Marshall.

Harvey and Marshall connected three times for 141 yards and two scores before the break, including the receiver’s 12-yard touchdown reception for a 28-0 lead in the second quarter.

Running back Aaron McGowen checked in for the first time on Marshall’s fifth series and promptly picked up six carries on an eight-play drive that ended with his 1-yard touchdown run and a 35-0 differential.

That was Harvey’s last series before giving way to sophomore Ja’koby Banks, who kept the blowout going by leading a five-play, 57-yard drive he capped with a 9-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Darius Williams.

Harvey finished with 137 yards and two touchdowns on 5-of-8 passing, and 94 yards on six carries, with a 55-yard touchdown run.

“We’re getting better,” Williams said. “We want to see them execute like they’re doing, and we need a good fight. We need a good defense to come at us, and Willowridge did at the beginning of the game, and we had to figure it out and execute our offense, so that was good to see.”

The Buffalos led 42-0 at halftime, and the stats were equally lopsided.

They had 367 total yards and 13 first downs. Willowridge had 10 yards, all on the ground, and one first down via penalty.

The Eagles finished with 21 yards and three first downs.

“At this point, we can’t worry about (our opponents),” Williams said of their lopsided wins all season. “These guys came out here and gave us what they could, and I commend them for coming out, working hard and trying to win the game. But for us, we just have to keep getting better in practice every week.”