MANSFIELD, Texas — It’s no surprise Denton Ryan is 2-0 after wrapping up non-district play. How the Raiders got there is another matter.
Ryan, the No. 14 team in The Sporting News Texas top 25, relied heavily on cornerback John Catlin Jr. and the rest of the defense to come away with a 20-12 victory over Mansfield Timberview on Thursday night at Vernon Newsom Stadium.
Catlin, the brother of Carolina Panthers tight end and 2021 Ryan graduate Ja’Tavion Sanders, blocked two extra points and had an interception and a fumble recovery. Ryan shut out Timberview (1-1) in the second half and held the Timberwolves to 263 yards of total offense.
“I had to come step up for my team,” Catlin Jr. said. “I am a junior. I didn’t play last year. They were counting on me. We practice, practice, practice it. Practice makes perfect.
“If we want to be a championship team, we’ve got to practice perfect and we’ve got to play perfect. You see it on the field. It all translates.”
Denton Ryan head coach Dave Henigan is impressed with Catlin Jr., whose father was a standout football player for Denton.
“He’s got a high motor,” Henigan said. “He’s one of the fastest guys on the team — if not the fastest. He’s a playmaker. It’s in his blood.”
Ryan took the lead for good when a 7-yard touchdown run by Rontavian Brown and ensuing extra point by Haylen Keese made it 13-12 late in the third quarter.
Defensive end Errol West gave the Raiders some insurance when he recovered a fumble and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to help give Ryan an eight-point lead with 11:07 to play. Uzziah “Cookie” Warmate forced the fumble.
“Over and over and over again, the defense found a way to make stops,” Henigan said. “I can sit here and say that we didn’t play well offensively, but Mansfield Timberview is really good on defense. They were good last year on defense. Give credit to them.”
Catlin Jr. said he hopes to emulate Sanders, who helped Ryan win a state title before moving on to play for the University of Texas.
“I used to challenge him like, ‘I’m going to be better than you,’” Catlin Jr. said. “I’m a DB and he’s a receiver, so it’s like a brother battle. He inspires me a lot. That’s my big brother.
“I came out here and showed my heart out. He’s showing his heart out in the NFL. I’ve got to prove myself. I’ve got to be great.”
It was the second straight week Ryan’s offense, which has four new starters on the line, was sluggish after holding off Haslet Eaton, 26-20, in the season opener last week in Denton.
“We have a long way to go offensively,” Henigan said. “We have a long way to go on special teams. We don’t field a kick and another score. That’s two weeks in a row we gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown. We have a lot of things we need to improve on if we expect to beat people we expect to beat.
“The kids played hard, they battled, in all areas. They got after it. It was ugly, frustrating, but you win. We came back and won a game in the fourth quarter, which will help us in the long run. We have to be better.”
Timberview, which got an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown by Davin Hill, opens District 3-5A Division II next Friday at Argyle. Ryan will host Keller Fossil Ridge to start District 3-5A Division I play next Thursday.
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