Taylor has faced its fair share of adversity this season.

From big turnover to start the season with lots of players stepping into varsity for the first time, to the major injuries the team has faced and going on a six game losing streak, there were plenty of times when the Mustangs could have given up, but the team has remained positive and motivated throughout it all.

“A big thing that the coaching staff and the team leaders have been talking to them and our team leaders have been talking to them about how you face that adversity,” said Taylor head coach Chad Simmons. “Things haven’t gone the way they thought they would want so far this year and its kid of dominoed with everything they’ve faced, but it comes down to, what other choice do you have? They’ve put their nose to the grindstone and gone to work everyday and worked to stay positive.”

Taylor came into this week needing a win to get back on track and facing Mayde Creek on Taylor’s homecoming and the positivity and motivation from the Mustangs paid off. Taylor came out 39-22 winners on Friday at Rhodes Stadium, as the Mustangs rattled off 29 straight points to start the game and easily rolled to their first district win of the season.

The Taylor players never had any doubt they would get back on track.

“No matter what the record is and nobody what anyone says we all go out there and play,” said senior safety Hollis Robinson Jr. “We all work until it’s time to go home every single day, that’s what it’s about and we’re going to do it again on Monday.”

Taylor go the lead with five minutes left in the first quarter as Mayde Creek snapped a ball out of the endzone on a punt attempt when the team was backed up near its own goal line.

The Mustangs would never relinquish that lead.

Michael Whitaker III returned the ensuing kickoff to the Mayde Creek 9-yard line before rushing in a 9-yard score on the next play. Two minutes later, after the Taylor defense had given the team a short field, Chase Cobbin threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt Fahey to increase the lead.

Cobbin, a sophomore who was called up from the junior varsity earlier this month because of injuries at the quarterback position, rushed for 28 yards and threw for 33, while Taylor’s running backs pounded away at the defense.

“As a young quarterback he (Cobbin) has really stepped up a lot,” Whitaker said. “He’s come up from JV and taken a major role and kept getting better. He’s just done a lot for us.”

Taylor got an interception late in the first quarter from Jase Forester in another big play from the defense.

Tyler Irving scored on an 11-yard run up the middle later in the second quarter and Taylor pooched the next kickoff which they ended up recovering. Whitaker capped off a dominant first half with a 25-yard touchdown run before Jaylen Bragg got Mayde Creek on the board in the final seconds of the half on a 6-yard pass to Leroy Turner.

“I’m just really proud of the guys tonight,” Simmons said. “They played a heck of a ballgame and they deserved it. They’ve kept their heads up and kept working and competing.”

Mayde Creek’s defense made a play to start the third quarter as they stripped the ball and Greg Meeks Jr. returned it 25-yards for a touchdown, but Mayde Creek put things out of reach with an Alei Sabek field goal in the third quarter and a Dante Archie touchdown run in the fourth quarter, before Carldell Beard threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Kelly in the final seconds to trim the Taylor lead.

“We really were able to pound the ball down the field tonight,” Whitaker said “We really focused on the run game and we did really well with that tonight.”

Mayde Creek will face Morton Ranch next week while Taylor will be in for a battle against Cinco Ranch.

“It was extremely important to get this win,” Robinson said. “As a senior, as a captain and someone who feels they are in a leadership position, I really felt like we needed this win. I really wanted this for my team and wanted to see the young guys get one. It was a packed crowd for homecoming too. This win is just the sugar on top.”

Taylor 39, Mayde Creek 22

First quarter

Taylor: Safety, snap out of endzone, 5:57

Taylor: Michael Whitaker 9 run, 5:30

Taylor: Chase Cobbin 18 pass to Wyatt Fahey (Jackson Waller kick) 3:27

Second quarter

Taylor: Tyler Irving 11 run (Alei Sabek kick) 5:25

Taylor: Michael Whitaker 25 run (Sabek kick) 3:20

MC: Jaylen Bragg 6 pass to Leroy Turner (Jacob Campos kick) 0:05

Third quarter

MC: Greg Meeks Jr 25 fumble recover, 11:00

Taylor: Alei Sabek 33 field goal, 3:42

Fourth quarter

Taylor: Dante Archie 3 run (Sabek kick) 7:00

MC: Carldell Beard 57 pass to Jordan Kelly (Beard 2 pass to Kelly) 0:19

Team stats

Individual Statistics

Rushing -- Taylor: Tyler Irving, 15-87-1; Michael Whitaker, 12-86-2; Dante Archie, 16-71-1; Andrew Meza, 2-15; Alei Sabek, 1-(-12); Mayde Creek: Tay’Shawn Wilson, 10-34; Jaylen Bragg, 3-8; Marvin Bodden, 2-1; Leroy Turner, 1-1

Passing -- Taylor: Chase Cobbin, 3-10-33-1-0; Mayde Creek: Jaylen Bragg, 10-25-59-1-1; Carldell Beard, 4-8-112-1-0

Receiving – Taylor: Wyatt Fahey, 1-18-1; Dante Archie, 1-11; Michael Whitaker, 1-4; Mayde Creek: Jordan Kelly, 4-119-1; Marvin Bodden, 4-35; Leroy Turner, 4-12; Tay’Shawn Wilson, 1-6; Jaylen Bateast, 1-(-1)