Marble Falls beats rival Burnet

September 19, 2012, 10:10 am by Mark Goodson

Highlander Sports Editor

Marble Falls coaches put special emphasis on the defense in preparation for the Burnet game. It paid off as the defense responded with some big plays and the offense produced some big numbers Friday night in a 51-34 shootout win over rival Burnet before a full house at Mustang Stadium.

Marble Falls outgained Burnet, 502-346, in total yards.

Cody Seelig had two key interceptions and Brian Shrubar had the game’s biggest defensive stop in the second half when he answered a Marble Falls turnover with pick of Burnet quarterback Derek Kiser.

Marble Falls (2-1) took the lead for good in the first quarter offsetting an early Burnet touchdown with three of its own.

Marble Falls had leads of 20-7, 37-21 and 44-21, but had to hold off its biggest rival in the fourth quarter.

Garrett Gray had a huge night with 15 receptions for 147 yards and two scores. The 6-foot-5 junior worked the sideline all night taking passes for eight and nine yard gains against a Burnet defense that gave him a cushion.

Quarterback Mike Richardson continued his maturation process in the spread offense, completing 30 of 44 passes for 315 yards. He had four touchdown passes and upped his season ratio of touchdowns to interceptions to 13-1.

Together, Richardson and Garrett have formed a trust that fires the offense.

"You just have to get the ball there, he’s a playmaker,’’ said Richardson of his favorite target.”

In three games, Gray has 24 receptions for 268 yards and six touchdowns.

On Friday, Richardson had strikes of eight and 22 yards to Gray. The 22-yarder came on a fade route with 1:10 left in the third quarter for 44-21 lead.

Junior running back Keith Jerome complemented the attack with 23 carries for 155 yards and scored on three short runs in the first quarter.

Carson Bowen caught Richardson’s first touchdown of the game on a 16-yarder with 1:39 left in the second quarter. The score capped a nine-play, 68-yard drive and gave Marble Falls a 30-21 halftime lead with Jacob Wyatt’s PAT.

Marble Falls scored on a 12-play, 93-yard drive to open the second half. Richardson squeezed in an 8-yard strike to Gray for the score.

Burnet (1-2) matched Marble Falls’ intensity for most of the game and got a big game from running back Trenton Hafley, who scored four times, rushed for 132 yards on 25 carries and made four catches for 86 yards.

Burnet quarterback Kiser was 14 of 26 for 185 yards throwing and had three touchdowns and three interceptions.

The three picks were the first of the season for the Marble Falls defense. Marble Falls is a plus eight in turnover ratio (10 to two) for the season.

Burnet’s two losses have been on the road.