November 2 marked the 11^th annual Mound Showdown. Under the Friday night lights at Marauder Stadium, the famous face-off ended with Marcus winning 34-14.

The rivalry between FMHS and MHS is well known in Flower Mound, but more than school pride was at stake in the game.  The winner of the Showdown would be one step closer to securing their spot in the playoffs.

Before the game started, FMHS senior wide receiver Finn Foster gave a little pre-game speech to the team.

“I just wanted to get everyone pumped up,” Foster said. “The Mound Showdown means a lot to everyone at the school. I just wanted to make sure the team was ready for it.”

At the start of the game, Marcus was quick to put points up on the scoreboard.  After the kickoff, senior running back Wyatt Verret scored the first touchdown of the game and silenced the Jaguar sideline.

“During the first quarter, Marcus’s quick scoring really put us down, and it broke us,” senior defensive back Derrick Erb said. “Defensively, we needed to make those stops on the big plays, but we didn’t.”

With 9:17 left on the clock in the first quarter, the Marauders were up by a touchdown.

After gaining possession of the ball, Flower Mound junior quarterback Connor Wanhanen’s first throw of the night was intercepted by Marcus’ Tyler Mouton, whose 25-yard run widened the gap of the score.

“We should’ve come out strong,” Wanhanen said, “and in that first play, I shouldn’t have
thrown that ball.”

Within minutes of the first quarter, Flower Mound was down 13-0 after Marcus was unable to carry out the field goal.

A spark of hope for the Jaguars ignited in the 6th minute as senior running back Cole Mckeel hurdled over Marauder Garrett Putnam into the end zone for the first touchdown for Flower Mound.

However, Marcus was quick to take back the touchdown with 2 minutes remaining. Marcus’ Ryan Vaughn rushed 4 yards to end the 2^nd quarter. By halftime, the score was 34-7 Marcus.

The Jaguars, ready to turn the game around, were greeted by an explosion of cheers from fans as they exited the tunnel.

At the beginning of the 3^rd quarter, Flower Mound was moving towards Marcus’s end zone.  With 7:29 left, Connor Wanhanen redeemed himself from his earlier mistake with a 4-yard rush for a touchdown. The Jaguars needed two more touchdowns to win the game.

Despite Flower Mound being able to hold off Marcus for the rest of the game, they were unsuccessful in putting more points up on the board.

With a few minutes left in the 4^th quarter, Flower Mound was nearing the end zone with a hope to make one last play. A fumble by Finn Foster ended the game, 34-14.

A loss against Marcus was tough to swallow for Flower Mound as the fans in red stormed the field.

“I wish we came out with more fight,” senior wide receiver Brendan Ianiero said. “The team was excited and pumped up for the game, but when we went out on the field, we didn’t show how energized we were. I wish that the energy carried over from the locker room onto the field.”

“We learned not to take opponents for granted,” Wanhanen said. “We were overconfident and weren’t prepared. When you come into a game like that, the results show.”

Friday’s game moved Marcus to 4^th place in the 5-5-A district, which gives them the chance to be in the playoffs.

However, the Jaguars still have a possibility to move into the playoffs if they beat Denton Ryan this upcoming Friday, and if Marcus loses to Hebron.

Senior defensive lineman Sean Flynn has his own thoughts on how Flower Mound’s defense should play in the upcoming game.

“In this week’s game we need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot,” Flynn said, “cut down on all of the mental mistakes, and make sure that they don’t happen again.”

The deciding game for the playoffs will happen on Flower Mound’s Senior Night at Wilson stadium on November 9, as they host Denton Ryan.