The Lake Highlands Wildcats swatted down the Mesquite Skeeters, winning 34-27 on a hot game opener Friday night.
Just six minutes into the game, Wildcat running back DeVonte Sunwengham scored first for Lake Highlands on a short hand off from quarterback Michael Ketchmark. The extra point made it 7-0. With 44 seconds left in the first quarter, in a similar hand off play, Sunwengham scored again on a short run, and with the extra point kick, Lake Highlands led 14-0.
But the Skeeters came swarming back three minutes into the second quarter, scoring on a hand off by quarterback Alex Cooper to Rashard Higgins. The Skeeters tied the game in the third quarter.
But with 11:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats pulled ahead 20-14 on a Ketchmark to Sunwengham hand off. The extra point kick failed. After a Mesquite fumble two minutes later, Sunwengham scored again in a hand off from Ketchmark—a play that may well be the signature of Lake Highlands offense this season. A two point conversion put the Wildcats ahead 28-14.
With 4:14 left in the fourth quarter, the Skeeters scored,following a 65-yard passion reception by Kavaski Ervin, tightening the score to28-21. The Cats clawed their way to another touchdown when Ketchmark ran 20 yards on a quarterback keep, and with the extra point, made the score 34-21.
Never giving up, Mesquite scored again with 14 seconds on the scoreboard, and with a missed extra point, the Wildcats hung on to win the game 34-27.