CORSICANA, Texas — Under the bright homecoming lights, the Corsicana Tigers found their rhythm and never looked back. Senior quarterback Kevin Pointer Jr. (#2) led a dominant offensive showing and a resilient defense as Corsicana surged past Mesquite Poteet, 49-28, Friday night at Community National Bank & Trust Stadium.
Pointer threw for 225 yards and four touchdowns, including two in a momentum-swinging third quarter that broke open a 14-14 halftime tie. Running back Keenan Murphy (#0) rushed for over 90 yards and two touchdowns, both in the second half, while wide receiver CJ Davis (#4) hauled in a pair of scoring receptions, totaling 80 yards on the night.
“It means a lot, being that it’s homecoming and our first homecoming and district win in over three years,” Pointer said after the game. “Coach told us what we needed to do at halftime, and we came out and executed.”
First Half: Even Fight, Missed Chances
Mesquite Poteet struck first, capping an early 65-yard drive to lead 7-0 with 10 minutes left in the opening quarter. Corsicana answered with creativity, converting a fake punt by Allen Walker II (#3) for a first down and finishing the drive with a 22-yard touchdown pitch from Pointer to Davis, tying the game at 7-7.
The defenses traded stops until late in the half. Poteet’s quarterback Isaiah Hall (#7) — who threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns — led multiple red-zone trips that stalled out. Two missed field goals and two failed fourth-down conversions left the Pirates frustrated.
“Our issue wasn’t moving the ball, it was finishing,” said Poteet head coach Terrance Orr II. “We got in the red zone four times in the first half and only came out with seven points. We’ve got to do a better job of converting”.
Pointer found Mark Brown (#7) on a 22-yard touchdown pass with three seconds left in the half, sending Corsicana into the locker room up 14-7.
Second Half: Corsicana’s Explosion
The Pirates opened the third quarter with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Hall to Kyler Cornelious (#2), tying the game at 14-14. But that momentum was short-lived.
Pointer responded immediately, leading a five-play, 63-yard drive capped by a 17-yard touchdown to Drake Petty (#14) to regain the lead, 21-14. Moments later, Pointer hit Davis again on a 33-yard strike, pushing the margin to 28-14.
Head coach Eugene Rogers credited practice & preparation for the defensive dominance that followed.
“Last week, we didn’t get off the yard on third down,” Rogers said. “So in practice, we worked on forcing stops, and tonight, our guys did that… I’m proud of them for putting it on grass”.
Corsicana’s defense swarmed Hall on the next possession. After a sack by Josiah Lopez (#31) and a forced fumble in the end zone, Poteet’s defense briefly answered with a scoop-and-score to narrow it to 28-20. But Corsicana’s offense never lost control.
Murphy broke loose on a nine-yard rushing touchdown, followed by Frank Jackson’s (#17) 20-yard pick-six, giving the Tigers a commanding 42-20 lead late in the third quarter.
Murphy then sealed the night with a 56-yard touchdown run in the fourth, front-flipping into the end zone before cramping on the sideline. His score, Corsicana’s seventh touchdown of the night, capped a homecoming performance that had fans roaring.
“It’s what Corsicana football should look like,” Rogers said. “We know what we’ve got in this group — Pointer, Murphy, Davis, Brown — they’re explosive, and we’re only getting better”.
Poteet’s Grit, Corsicana’s Finish
Despite six failed fourth-down conversions and two missed field goals, the Pirates battled to the end. Hall connected again with Cornelious for a late 50-yard score, and running back Dylan Davis (#4) added 60 rushing yards with a touchdown. But Poteet’s 95 penalty yards and turnovers proved costly.
“We’re not satisfied,” Orr said. “Corsicana played physical and hit us in the mouth. We’ve got to match that intensity every day, this was humbling, but we’ll get better because of it”.
Rogers, meanwhile, emphasized that the win won’t make his Tigers complacent.
“We’ll take the weekend, but Monday we go back to work,” he said. “We’re gonna work harder with the win than we did with the loss”.
Final Box Score
Corsicana Tigers 49, Mesquite Poteet Pirates 28
At: Community National Bank & Trust Stadium, Corsicana, TX
Records: Corsicana 3-3 (2–1 District 8-5A), Poteet 2-4 (1–2 District 8-5A)
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesquite Poteet | 7 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 28 |
| Corsicana | 7 | 7 | 21 | 14 | 49 |
Game Stats (Estimates)
| Category | Corsicana | Mesquite Poteet |
|---|---|---|
| Total Offense | 412 yds | 338 yds |
| Passing | 225 yds (Pointer 17/25, 4 TD) | 210 yds (Hall 16/31, 2 TD, 1 INT) |
| Rushing | 187 yds | 128 yds |
| Turnovers | 1 (INT) | 3 (INT, 2 Fumbles) |
| Penalties / Yards | 7 / 65 | 9 / 95 |
| 4th Down Conversions | 2 / 2 | 0 / 6 |
| Time of Possession | 26:30 | 21:30 |
Individual Leaders:
Corsicana: Pointer Jr. 225 yds, 4 TD; Murphy 93 yds, 2 TD; Davis 4 rec, 80 yds, 2 TD; Jackson 1 INT-TD.
Mesquite Poteet: Hall 210 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT; Cornelious 5 rec, 105 yds, 2 TD; Dylan Davis 60 rush yds, 1 TD.
Stats and play-by-play are live in-game estimates based on NTX Varsity Sports coverage and field reporting.