MESQUITE – A fourth-and-one pass that went for 41 yards and a touchdown vaulted Mesquite to a 23-14 win over Hebron at E.H. Hanby Stadium.

Running back Darien McNealy took the short pass from Luke Halpin and made a terrific cutback to reach the end zone. The touchdown gave the lead back to Mesquite, 17-14, with 9:55 to play at E.H. Hanby Stadium.

Field goals of 41 and 44 yards by Bradley Baladez sealed the win for Mesquite, No. 20 in the 5A area poll, which improves to 2-0 for the first time since its state title run in 2001.

Hebron, No. 16 in the area, drops to 0-2 for the first time since its first varsity season in 2000. Hebron had not lost back-to-back games since 2003.

Just prior to Mesquite's fourth-down pass, Hebron had taken its first lead of the game, 14-10, after a 13-play drive. Darius Staten scored his second touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run to finish a comeback from a 10-0 deficit in the fourth quarter.

Staten nearly had three touchdowns, but he fumbled at the goal line at the end of a 15-yard carry in the second quarter. The ball went out of the end zone for a touchback.

Hebron's opening drive of the game ended in a turnover when Mesquite's linebacker Darnell Taylor came up with the first of his two interceptions. Taylor's second pick came in the fourth quarter on the next play from scrimmage after McNealy's 41-yard score.

Mesquite took a 10-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game after Marcus Trice returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown.

Hebron scored just before halftime thanks to a 76-yard reception by Tyshon Nobles that set up a 1-yard score by Staten.