News Detail
Mavs Super in Second Half
Down 2-4 at the half, St. John's scored 5 unanswered goals in the third period, and went on to defeat Kingwood 11-9 in the City quarter finals. The Mavericks will face The Woodlands on Friday for a birth in the coveted City Championship to be played on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. On the other side of the bracket, Episcopal of Houston will host Strake Jesuit, a winner over Kinkaid 12-7. Semi-final losers will play at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday to determine the Super Regional seedings.
Scotty Caven Field was "R & B" ready, but when the whistle started the game, St. John's had no rhythm and looked a shade of Kingwood blue.
The Mustangs went out to a quick 2-0 lead, and it would have been more except for 4 saves by Nate Whittle in first period. The Mavericks answered to tie it up on scores by Reed Daniel (assisted by William Payne) and Blake Upchurch (assisted by Jordan Schuler). Nevertheless, Kingwood found two more scores to take a 2-4 half time lead.
St. John's vision of their season at the break started to resonate more clearly. Drop this one and there would be no more games, BBQ, and no chance to go back to Dallas and stand tall like Sam Houston.
With the thought of the season’s end being dealt to them by Kingwood, St. John’s took control of their own destiny. They started to take care of the little things with the stats that never make the scoreboard. St. John’s out hustled Kingwood in the ground ball battle and picked up 29 to their 14. The Mavs in turn outshot the Mustangs 26 to 10 went on a 5 goal spree to take a 7-4 lead on goals by Daniel (assisted by Flores), Flores (2), Payne (assisted by Flores), and Douglas Berkman (assisted by Chris Gow). Kingwood scored to make it 7-5, but Daniel found Upchurch for their 8th score.
The Mavericks were in full control of the scoreboard, had their rhythm, and with less than a minute in the 3rd, the Mavs let up on the little things, and Kingwood put in 2 unanswered goals.
With an 8-7 tenuous lead going into the final period, St. John’s took control once more on a Caldwell Flores score at the 11:24 mark to make it 9-7 Mavs. Kingwood got a lucky break on a pass that deflected into the goal to make it 9-8 with 8 minutes remaining. At the 4:54 minute mark, the Mustangs tied it up like they did in the regular season game. St. John’s still stayed with their game plan and with 2:09 on the clock, #10, Chris Gow, got the 10th goal and the game winner. Reed Daniel finished with his third goal a minute later. The Mavericks ran down the clock, the Mustangs, and any chance of elimination to move on and follow the smoke to State.
St. John’s travels to The Woodlands on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. to take on the Highlanders in the City semi final.
