The Forestburg Longhorns played their second game of the season on Thursday against Rising Star at Bryson.
The Longhorns did not come out on top as they lost 58-31 to the Wildcats.
Rising Star got the ball first and started moving the ball with outside sweep plays and quick dives up the middle. The Wildcats scored on a 21-yard run and went up 8-0.
Forestburg answered less than a minute later as Braxton Osteen found center Hayden Berry deep for 31-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was no good as the Longhorns trailed 8-6.
Forestburg got the first defensive stop of the game and got the ball on its own 20-yard line. Unfortunately, the Longhorns could not take advantage and threw an interception while still deep in their own territory. Rising Star would score a couple of plays later on a short run to make the score 16-6.
Forestburg’s offense stalled thanks to big negative plays that forced it to punt the ball away. The Wildcats would score shortly after on a 48-yard run to make the score 22-6.
Heading into the second quarter, the game seemed to be slipping away from the Longhorns. With the pace looking like it was heading for mercy rule ending, Forestburg needed to start making some plays to at least avoid that.
The Longhorns worked the ball down the field inside the Rising Star’s red zone. Looking at a fourth and goal though, a turnover on downs would have been crushing for Forestburg already down 16 points. Fortunately, a sweep run from James Stokes went nine-yards for a touchdown, making the score 22-12.
The Wildcats’ offense responded with several more quick dive runs up the middle that moved the ball down the field in big chunks. Rising Star scored on a short run to make the score 30-12.
The Wildcats lead grew even more as the defense recorded a fumble deep in their own territory and immediately scored on a long run to make the score 36-12. The game was in danger of getting away from the Longhorns, but again they had an answer on offense.
Osteen made some plays with his scrambling and arm while running back Jeremiah Perez started to find some room to run to balance things out. Perez scored on an eight-yard run to cut the lead in half 36-18 as Forestburg’s extra points woes continued to falter.
With the first half winding down, Rising Star was deep in the Longhorn’s territory. After the Wildcats completed a pass, Berry ripped the ball away from the player and ran from Forestburg’s 15-yard line all the way to Rising Star’s 16-yard line.
With less than a minute to play, the Longhorn’s were battling the clock as well as the defense. Forestburg’s offense struggled gaining any yards and were looking at a fourth down. Osteen found Berry again from 17-yards out after escaping some rushers for a touchdown, making the score 36-25 heading into halftime.
The Longhorns received the ball first in the third quarter. A touchdown would make it a one score game, but unfortunately Forestburg had to punt the ball away. The Wildcats took over and scored on another running play, this one from 26-yards away. The kick made it 44-25.
The Longhorns responded with a good drive down to Rising Star’s goal line. There was some resistance that led to a fourth down, where the Wildcats intercepted a pass.
Things were not looking good as some key Forestburg players started to come out with various injuries and cramping.
Fortunately, Korbin Hill intercepted a pass on defense and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown for the Longhorns, making the score 44-31 heading into the fourth quarter.
Early in the period Rising Star scored a rushing touchdown from 24 yards out to make the score 50-31.
With several key offensive players out and using every player available, Forestburg scrapped together an offense that could not move the ball as it turned the ball over on downs near midfield.
The Longhorns were not just going to lie down for the rest of the quarter though as their defense also got a stop, forcing a turnover on downs a few minutes later.
The offense, featuring some players in positions some had never practiced before, again struggled to move the ball, turning the ball over on downs. The Wildcats scored on a 14-yard pass a few plays later, making the score 58-31.
The makeshift Forestburg offense did move the ball a bit in its final possession, but an errant snap allowed Rising Star to recover the fumble. The Wildcats then ran out the clock to end the game.
After a short week, the Longhorns will get an extra day to prepare for their next game at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Throckmorton.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.