Tunstall rallies to defeat winless Magna Vista

RIDGEWAY — Even after going up by two touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of Friday’s game against Magna Vista, Tunstall still had to come back late in the game to defeat the Warriors 28-18.

“It was too easy early,” Tunstall coach Buddy Brown said. “We knew what could happen but our kids didn’t believe it. We showed some grit, being down at their place and coming back.”

The Trojans (4-4) jumped out on top early on a 3-yard touchdown run by Justin Williams with 6:50 left to play in the opening quarter.

Tunstall opened the lead to two touchdowns just moments later when Tae Gunter scored from 2 yards out to put Tunstall ahead 14-0 at the 3:39 mark.

Magna Vista (0-8) answered with a score of its own on the next drive when Anthony Redd found Lee Butler for a 55-yard touchdown pass to put the Warriors on the board with 2:34 left in the first quarter.

The Warriors took the lead at the beginning of the third quarter when Rashad Woods returned the second half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.

Tunstall regained the lead late in the third on a 1-yard touchdown by Cameron Skates, and eventually sealed the win with 1:29 left in the game because of a 57-yard touchdown run by Williams.

Brown was impressed with his team’s comeback.

“We knew it would be tough,” Brown said. “I have a lot of admiration for Joe and his team. They just keep getting better. But we showed our heart tonight, just bowed our necks and got it done.”

Magna Vista coach Joe Favero had trouble finding a positive with his team’s performance.

“I just don’t know,” Favero said. “It is tough to play a good team and go back and forth like that. It is hard to get over that hump. I just don’t know.”
Favero feels his team is close to a breakthrough.

“We played hard. We just have got to get over that hump and win a game. I told the guys it is about the little things, and we just need to do a better job. We tackled a lot better, and played better on special teams.”

Favero feels his team is one key player away from getting over that hump.

“We just have got to have someone step up and make plays,” Favero said.

Brown feels good about the future of his team.

“This is a big win,” Brown said. “Our kids just need to hang in there. We have another big game next week against Martinsville.

“We do have a few things to work on. We always need to work on blocking and tackling. We have a bad habit of shooting ourselves in the foot, and that is our problem in a nutshell. But I am proud of the effort.”