COMMERCE- The #2 ranked Malakoff Tigers defeated the Commerce Tigers 35-22 in a win Commerce needed to keep their hopes for a second straight district championship alive. District front-runners Winnsboro and Malakoff will play next week, with the winner likely also securing a District 73A-D2 crown.
Commerce won the toss and elected to receive, but were forced to punt and the Commerce defense also held Malakoff to a punt on their first possession. On Commerce’s second drive, Malakoff senior receiver and cornerback Nasir Ross picked off Aiden Brown to set up Malakoff in Commerce territory. 5 plays and 47 yards later, junior quarterback Canyon marsh punched it in from two yards out to take a 7-0 lead after the extra point with 3:02 left to play in the first quarter.
On the ensuing kick-off, Commerce junior Gauge Erven muffed the kick return and Malakoff recovered, setting the gold and black Tigers up at the Commerce 36. Marsh ended the drive with an 8-tyard score to take a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
A Commerce punt led to an 8-play, 73-yard drive capped by a 34-yard touchdown catch from Marsh to a wide open sophomore Jordan Coleman to give Malakoff a 21 to nothing lead on the point-after.
The orange & black weren’t out, however, as senior Ky’Mani Graham returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score, the Commerce defense recovered a fumble, and senior Jonathan Martinez botted a 27-yard field goal through the uprights to make the score 21-10 Malakoff at the half.
The Commerce defense stood strong to start the second half, holding Malakoff to a turnover on downs deep in their own territory. Brown fired a pass intended for Brandon Anderson at the goal line, but Coleman jumped the route and picked Commerce off at the two-yard line, retuned to the six-yard line. Malakoff then drove 94 yards to score on a 35-yard catch by junior Will Self. It was 28-10 late in the 3rd quarter.
The teams traded punts and Malakoff downed theirs at the Commerce one yard line. After being stuffed for no gain twice, Graham busted through the middle of the line and turned on the jets, speeding 99 yards down the field for the score. The missed point-after made it 28-16 Malakoff with ten minutes left in the game.
Malakoff answered with an 8-play, 51-yard drive topped with a one-yard plunge by sophomore Marquis Robinson to extend their lead to 35-16 Malakoff with 5:35 left in the game.
Senior Donovan Maria took over for Aiden Brown and mounted a 7-play, 64 yard drive capped by a 21-yard strike to Brandon Anderson, as Commerce closed the gap to 35-22 Malakoff on a failed 2-point attempt with 2:37 left to play.
But the Commerce defense couldn’t hold Malakoff down, and the gold & black Tigers put up two first downs and then kneeled on the ball to take a 35-22 win over Commerce.
The Commerce offense was almost completely stifled on the night, managing just 222 total yards on offense, almost all of which came in the 2nd half. Brown was 1-of-8 passing for -2 yards and Maria had the one completion for a touchdown. Graham finished with 163 yards and a score on 9 carries, with 120 yards coming on just two carries. Anderson had just the one catch for 21 yards and a score.
Malakoff’s Canyon marsh was perfect on the night, going 14-of-14 for 209 yards and 2 touchdowns, while adding 40 rushing yards and a score. Marquis Robinson had 109 yards on 20 carries. Nasir Ross had 7 catches for 90 yards and Will Self had 5 catches for 75 yards and a score.
Undefeated Malakoff hosts undefeated Winnsboro in a game that may decide the district champ and Commerce travels to face the 4-1 Mount Vernon Tigers.
