BREAKING: Arlington Seguin has secured a thrilling 23-22 victory over Mansfield Summit, clinching the final playoff spot in District 3-5A Division II during a nail-biting showdown Thursday night at Vernon Newsom Stadium. The victory came down to the wire, highlighted by a crucial 32-yard pass on a fake punt executed by senior wide receiver Johnaven Polk.
With just under three minutes remaining and Seguin clinging to a one-point lead, Polk’s decisive pass to G’Manii Smith on 4th-and-7 from their own 43-yard line turned the tide, preventing Summit from seizing the momentum. “We worked on that play in practice this week, but not in that kind of wind,” Polk stated. “I had to do a little of everything, and our team is a monster that keeps fighting.”
Seguin, now 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the district, is ranked No. 15 in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 5A area rankings. This victory marks the team’s second consecutive playoff appearance and the ninth in school history. The Cougars will enter the playoffs as the fourth seed and prepare for a challenging first-round road game.
Mansfield Summit, despite a strong performance this season with a 6-4 record, will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year after a successful five-year streak from 2018-2023. Coach Channon Hall expressed disappointment, stating, “I felt good about the way we were coming back in the second half.”
The game saw Seguin leverage a strong second half, scoring two touchdowns after a 8-8 tie at halftime. Polk powered through with two rushing touchdowns from 10 and 4 yards out, while Summit’s senior quarterback Ian Gebhardt rushed for 152 yards and led a late-game rally.
Summit’s final possession nearly turned the tide, reaching the Seguin 36-yard line before ending in an incompletion in the end zone. The Jaguars’ efforts fell short, despite Gebhardt’s impressive scoring run, which narrowed the gap to 23-14 at the end of the third quarter.
Both teams struggled in the first half, with multiple penalties impacting their momentum. A potential touchdown for Seguin was nullified by a penalty, leaving both teams frustrated with a measly eight points scored before halftime.
As the Cougars celebrate their hard-fought victory, attention now shifts to the upcoming playoff matchups. Fans and players alike are eager to see if Seguin can build on this critical win and make a deeper playoff run.
Stay tuned for more updates on Seguin’s playoff journey and the implications for Mansfield Summit’s future.
