The Taylor High School varsity football team got back into the win column as the Ducks got off to a big first-half lead to tame the Tigers of Smithville High School 49-19 on Friday night at The Duck Pond.
“The guys locked in and they knew that if we put it together we could put points on these guys,” Taylor first-year head coach Earven Flowers said after the game. “If we lock in and focus, we are a really good team. If we can continue to do that throughout the year, we’re going to be pretty tough to beat.”
After the Tigers were able to get on the board first, the Ducks responded by driving downfield on offense and junior running back Andrias Fisher broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run to tie the game up 6-6.
Smithville would answer with a long touchdown pass to go up 13-6 midway through the first quarter but after that, it was all Taylor as Ducks senior quarterback Joshua Mikulencak scrambled down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown run.
With the score tied at 13-13 at the end of the first quarter, Taylor simply dominated in the second quarter behind Mikulencak. The Ducks got another 30-yard touchdown scamper from Mikulencak, an 80-yard touchdown run from Fisher, a 36-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jackson Meller and a 43-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Kayden Land.
After Taylor led 42-13 at halftime, the Ducks would get one more insurance score via the brotherly connection as Joshua Mikulencak connected over the middle on a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jacob Mikulencak.
Following two first-quarter touchdowns allowed, the Taylor defense really settled in as a unit and had a superb performance to help the Ducks pick up a 30-point win at home over the Tigers.
Up next, Taylor (2-2 record) will travel to Jarrell High School at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 22 for the non-district finale before the bye week.
