CEDAR HILL – Running back Ben Malena scored on a direct snap with nine seconds remaining and Cedar Hill withstood a furious Wichita Falls Rider comeback on the way to a 34-27 victory Friday night at Longhorn Stadium.

Cedar Hill (2-0) saw a 20-0 lead vanish as Rider (0-1) scored 27 third-quarter points to take the lead.

Malena's score, his second, came after Cedar Hill's Adrian Blaylock recovered a fumble as Rider neared field-goal range for a potential game-winning score with 1:36 remaining.

Malena rushed for 125 yards on 25 carries to go along with quarterback Driphus Jackson's 113 yards on 20 carries.

Rider's Eric Ward scored two touchdowns, including one on a 44-yard pass from Shavodrick Beaver as Rider grabbed the lead for the first time with 1:15 remaining in the third quarter.

The Longhorns dominated much of the first half, especially the first quarter.

Cedar Hill drove 73 yards in just over three minutes to score the game's first touchdown.

Jackson led the way, gaining 12, 34 and nine yards to get the Longhorns to the Rider 17.

On the next play, Malena burst up the middle for a 17-yard touchdown run, and Cedar Hill led 7-0 after Eduardo Camara's extra- point kick.

The Longhorns made it 10-0 after taking advantage of a 13-yard Rider punt, this time on Camara's 27-yard field goal.

Cedar Hill's Tyler Smith recovered a fumble off a bobbled snap on Rider's next play. Three plays later, Jackson found John Coleman, who weaved his way through two defenders for a 22-yard touchdown catch.

The Longhorns moved the ball with ease, at least through the first quarter when penalties and some uncharacteristic kicking miscues bogged down the offense.

Smith continued to shine for Cedar Hill, intercepting a pass and recovering another fumble midway through the second quarter, but Cedar Hill couldn't turn the turnovers into points after one field-goal attempt sailed wide right and another was blocked.

Camara added to Cedar Hill's lead with a 31-yard field goal with 2:53 left in the first half.