FREEPORT — It took one quarter for Terry to figure out Manvel’s multi-faceted offensive attack. Unfortunately, one quarter was all the Mavericks would need.

    The Mavericks (9-2) scored all of its points in the first half and held off a late Ranger rally to earn a 24-17 victory over Terry (6-5) Friday night at Hopper Field.

    Manvel’s prolific offense did all the damage it needed early on, then relied on its defense in the final minute to win its first-ever postseason game and advance in the Division II, Region III-4A playoffs.

    The Mavericks scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions, threatening to decide the issue in the first half.

    A 50-yard run by Kaylon Melancon set the stage for Trenard Taplin’s 34-yard romp on an inside trap for a 7-0 lead just two minutes into the game.

    Manvel pushed it to 14-0 on its next possession, set up by a 61-yard punt return by Koree Ames and capped off two plays later on a Trevion Alexander one-yard plunge.

    Terry took over with excellent field position after a short Manvel punt and needed just three plays to get on the scoreboard. After sophomore quarterback Antoine Arboleda raced 30 yards on the option, Bryce Johnson covered the final eight yards on a fullback dive over right guard, trimming the Maverick lead to 14-7 at the 4:48 mark.

    Manvel struck again with 2:12 left in the first, moving 80 yards in nine plays, with Taplin breaking inside and scoring on an 8-yard run for a 21-7 lead.

    Both offenses moved the ball with success in the second quarter, but could only manage field goals, leaving Manvel ahead 24-10 at the break.

    After giving up 24 first-half points, Terry (6-5) took momentum away from the Mavericks with a running game led by James Bowsier (18 carries, 106 yards), despite the loss of Arboleda late in the first half.

    Junior Varsity signal-caller Cody Williams stepped in and engineered a 12-play, 73-yard drive that consumed just under six minutes to open the second half.

    On second and nine from the Maverick 13-yard line, Williams threw a fade pass to the right corner of the end zone, where Derrick Griffin outjumped the Manvel defender and pulled in the pass to cut the deficit to seven.

    Manvel never reclaimed any of its quick-strike offense from the first half, thanks in part to the foot of Ranger punter Dillon Stavinoha, who three times backed the Mavericks inside their own 10, along with an inspired Terry defense that allowed just 103 yards total offense in the second half.

    But after a Williams interception, Manvel had an opportunity to run out the clock. But an Alexander fumble was recovered by Ranger Lawrence Springs, giving Terry one last shot with 2:26 remaining.

    Terry’s third quarterback, Stavinoha, hit four consecutive passes to move the Rangers into Maverick territory. But three straight incompletions from the 40 — including a toss into the end zone that Griffin was unable to bring down — gave the ball back to Manvel with 58 seconds left.