Turnovers, penalties plague Ducks

Turnovers, penalties plague Ducks

ANDREW SALMI [email protected]

Against a very good Davenport High School squad, the Taylor High School varsity football team went blow-forblow with the Wolves for the first three quarters, but let this one get away late as the Ducks fell 59-42 on Homecoming at The Duck Pond.

“We have to do a better job of being consistent,” Taylor firstyear head coach Earven Flowers said after the game. “We gave up too many points on defense, obviously, and too many missed assignments. We have to be more disciplined, that’s on me and the coaches. Let’s go back to the drawing board. I told them at halftime, ‘Sometimes if you make mistakes versus good teams it can cost you,’ and it did. We have to do a better job of that.”

Taylor was able to get its passing game going in the first half behind the brotherly connection of senior quarterback Joshua Mikulencak and senior wide receiver Jacob Mikulencak. In the first half alone, the duo connected on three long touchdown passes to keep Taylor within striking distance down just 21-20 at halftime.

Taylor got a huge boost to open the third quarter when junior linebacker Nick Treuter intercepted a pass near midfield to give the Ducks the ball back on offense. Junior running back Andrias Fisher was next to step up as he scampered 51 yards down the sideline for a touchdown to give Taylor its first lead of the night at 27-21 with 8:55 left in the third quarter.

Following two straight scores by Davenport, Taylor needed a response in the third quarter and they got just that from senior running back Marcus Jackson, who scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. With a successful two-point conversion, this game was knotted up at 35-35 heading into the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately for the Ducks, the wheels came off the wagon as Davenport was able to cash in off of two Taylor fumbles that led to 17 points less than four minutes into the fourth quarter, including a fumble that was returned 60 yards for a touchdown that gave the Wolves a 52-35 lead that they would not surrender. Taylor did get a 40-yard touchdown pass from Joshua Mikulencak to senior wide receiver Devin Valdez late in the game to get to 42 points as the Ducks have now scored 153 points in their last three games.

“Our goal to win a district championship is not over,” Flowers said.

“That’s the big thing. I think we have a chance to play for one.

Obviously, this team beat us tonight, they’re going to be in the top two.”

Taylor (3-3 overall and 0-1 record in 4A-1 District 13 play) will look to bounce back at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 as the Ducks host Lampasas High School. The Badgers (5-1) opened district play with a dominant 35-14 victory at home vs. Burnet High School.