On Friday, November 9, the Jaguars hosted the Denton Ryan Raiders at Neal E. Wilson Stadium for the final football game of the season.

The Jaguars were quick to put points on the scoreboard during their first possession.

Within the first three minutes of the first quarter, junior quarterback Connor Wanhanen threw a pass through a crowd of players to senior wide receiver Caleb Brake for the first touchdown of the game.

After Denton Ryan gained possession, Flower Mound forced the offense back and received the ball back with plenty of time left on the clock.

Near the end of the first quarter, junior kicker Andrew Hitscherich kicked a field goal that gave Flower Mound a two-score lead.

At the start of the second quarter, Denton Ryan’s Mitchell Bridges rushed four yards to the end zone, allowing the Raiders to score their first touchdown. By the end of the first half, the Raiders were able to score one last touchdown and take the lead 14-10.

The second half began to look dim for Flower Mound after Wanhanen threw an interception, allowing Denton Ryan to get the ball back.

By the end of the third quarter, Denton Ryan’s lead widened when kicker Marc Orozco kicked a field goal, making the score 17-10.

Flower Mound’s spirits were lifted when senior running back Cole McKeel caught Wanhanen’s throw in the end zone, tying the game at 17-17.

With 8:14 left in the game, Flower Mound had time to score once more but was unable to complete the job.

Flower Mound’s chances of making it to playoffs looked slim at 2:47 when Denton Ryan’s Maurice Gordon rushed 10 yards for a touchdown.

Although the Jags had enough time left to tie the game, they were unable to put a play together, making the final score 24-17.

The Jaguars not only had another defeat, but lost their chance to make it to the playoffs. Flower Mound’s overall record of 3-7 ranked the Jags 5^th overall in District 5-5A. Only the top four teams in the district move on to the playoffs.

Senior wide receiver Finn Foster reflected on how he felt the team played this season.

“I thought the team did really well as a whole,” Foster said. “Unfortunately, our record doesn’t show it. But we changed a lot from years past. We changed the attitude of not only our team but also the whole school, so I think we made a large impact on Flower Mound.”

Senior running back Cole McKeel also felt the Jags played well this past season.

“I thought that in this season the team played with a lot of heart,” McKeel said. “We tried to play to the best of our ability but some things just didn’t fall our way. Yet, I think under Coach Johnson we performed well.”

Flower Mound’s first season under head coach Dane Johnson wasn’t the ideal record, but Johnson only had positive thoughts on the players.

“I’m proud of them, their attitude, and how they handle the change really well,” Johnson said. “I think these boys have a lot of character. They got along really well and I think they represented the school well. There was great school spirit in this class.”

As for the underclassmen of the team, they feel that the seniors made an important impact upon them.

“They showed us how to work hard and they really motivated us throughout the year,” junior running back LaJohn Williams said.

The junior quarterback also had thoughts of how the seniors affected him.

“They’ve set examples for us with traditions that we are going to carry on next year,” Wanhanen said. “They’ve provided me with friendships that I’ll have for the rest of my life and so I’m blessed that I’ve had three years with these guys. Our record wasn’t what we wanted ideally, but I’m going to remember this season for the rest of my life.”