Football Recap: North Mesquite Takes Loss Despite Strong Efforts from Julien Simpson and Terrance Collins

North Mesquite had lost four straight at home dating back to last season, but on Friday they dropped down to 1-5 to make it five. They came up short against the Newman Smith Trojans, falling 44-23. If the Stallions were looking for revenge after losing 48-13 to the Trojans when the teams met back in October of 2024, then they'll just have to keep looking.

North Mesquite's loss came despite strong showings from Terrance Collins and Julien Simpson. Collins rushed for 163 yards and one touchdown while picking up 8.2 yards per carry, while Simpson rushed for 101 yards and one TD on only nine carries. Collins really tore up the turf during one magnificent 79-yard run.

As for Newman Smith, the victory (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 3-2. Those wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 7.7 points on average over those games.

Newman Smith's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Axel Lofstrand led the charge by throwing for 348 yards and five TDs while completing 76.2% of his passes. That's the most passing touchdowns Lofstrand has posted since back in October of 2024. Newman Smith's leading receiver Maxim Mingo was Lofstrand's top target yet again, picking up 163 receiving yards and a pair of scores.

Looking ahead, North Mesquite will take on Sunset at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Newman Smith, they will square off against White at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The Trojans will be up against the Longhorns' rather soft defense (which has allowed 30.17 points per matchup), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance.