The McKinney football team started a new streak Thursday with a 45-21 victory against Frisco Heritage from Ron Poe Stadium.

One year separated from a winless season, the Lions won their second straight game thanks to big plays on both sides of the ball.

Heritage finished with more yards than McKinney (416-382) but more turnovers. McKinney returned two interceptions for touchdowns, and junior wideout T.V. Williams continued his hot start with 48- and 62-yard touchdown catches to put the game out of reach three minutes into the fourth quarter.

"We'd like to be able to do it both ways, grind it out and make big plays," said Jeff Smith, McKinney head coach. "But obviously, you love having guys that make plays, so that's exciting.”

McKinney junior kicker Matt Roberts kicked a 39-yard field goal for the game's first points with nine minutes left in the first quarter. Coyotes junior running back Connor Price fumbled two plays into his Heritage's ensuing possession, and McKinney appeared to capitalize.

Junior running back Tommy Candela scored on a double-pass gadget play when senior quarterback Robert Somborn threw a lateral to junior wideout Dalon Willis, who threw back across the field to Candela. But the Lions were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct before Candela reached the end zone, negating the touchdown.

Heritage sophomore K.C. Brown would intercept Somborn's next pass for his second interception in as many games.

Candela broke down the left sideline for a 46-yard run on the Lions' next possession, which senior Jonathan Shannon finished by hurdling over a goal-line defender for a 3-yard touchdown.

The Lions looked to expand the lead, but penalties proved costly throughout the night. A block in the back wiped out what would have been a 62-yard touchdown run for Shannon, and Somborn threw a second pick, this time to junior linebacker Walter Miller.

"It was a rocky start, but it wasn't that they were better than us, it was just a few mistakes and a few miscommunications," Somborn said. "The defense they were running was kind of tricking us.”

Heritage junior Sean Jones scored on the Coyotes' ensuing drive, pushing a pile into the end zone for three of his 161 yards on the ground to bring his team to within three at 10-7.

McKinney responded with its first big play of the night, a 56-yard touchdown pass from Somborn, who hit Shannon in stride behind the Coyote defense. Shannon tipped the pass to himself and went untouched for the score, making it 17-7.

Then it was the Lion defense's playmaking turn. Junior safety Jontrell Rocquemore jumped an out route and returned Blackwell's pass 70 yards for a touchdown, pushing the Lions' lead to 24-7.

Blackwell drove the Coyotes 75 yards with a mix of runs and passes, and pulled them within 10 with a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior Tyler Stuhan with three seconds left in the half.

"Blackwell is a tremendous player, and he's just a sophomore; that's what's scary," Smith said. "We were worried about him on his feet more than we were about him throwing the ball, so our game plan was to obviously just try to contain him. But he's got a good arm, and he showed that tonight."

Blackwell dropped off significantly from his Week 0 rushing frenzy, gaining 36 yards on 14 carries. He completed 22-of-33 passes, but another of his incompletions went the other way for six early in the second half.

Facing third-and-7 from his own 13-yard line and one play after Rocquemore dropped what was nearly his second interception of the game, Blackwell tried to hit a curl route over the middle and was picked off by senior Dalton Harris, who returned it 20 yards for a score.

Candela, who had run for 87 yards on six carries, injured his collarbone midway through the second quarter and didn't see the field the second half. Fortunately for the Lions, Williams came alive, breaking free on a corner route to catch Somborn's play-action pass for a 48-yard touchdown.

Senior wideout Connor Fuentes, holding for the extra point, took the snap and darted to the front left corner of the end zone for a two-point conversion, giving his team a 39-14 lead as the third quarter came to a close.

On yet another Somborn play-action pass, Williams burned up the left sideline and caught it over his shoulder for a 62-yard touchdown, scoring for the second time in three Lions plays to make it 45-14.

"We got them on the play action a lot and took advantage of the one-on-one on the outside with T.V.," Somborn said. "He can burn by anybody, but my whole receiving crew is just awesome. I'm the luckiest guy out here, because I have so many weapons."

Charles, who ran for 42 yards on eight carries in the second half, scored from 2 yards out with four minutes left in the game, and McKinney ran out the clock.

Somborn finished 4-of-8 for 166 yards, three touchdowns and the two interceptions. Blackwell threw for 162 yards and a touchdown, but brought his interception total this season to four.

Sophomore Alex Nah led the Coyotes with 41 yards receiving on four catches. Jones and senior Evan Chavez also had four catches for Frisco Heritage.

The Coyotes play Greenville on Friday at 7:30 p.m. from FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco. The Lions will look to continue their winning streak with road game against Irving Nimitz that same time.

"We can't be satisfied with 2-0," Smith said. "We've got a lot of work left to do, there are a lot of things these guys still want to do. They're hungry for that, hungry to go attack each week."

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