HOUSTON – With four games remaining and following one of the worst losses in school history, Coach Ronnie Thompson realized that his team has reached a crossroads.

“The kids realize where we are,” Thompson said after the Titans fell in a 66-7 thrashing to No. 4 Galena Park North Shore in Houston Friday night. “And they have to want to do something about it. We have to strap it on, especially if we don’t want to be here. Confidence is something we have to earn and learn.”

The Titans learned very quickly about just how tough are the Mustangs, who established a state record with 73 straight regular season victories, last week. North Shore managed a 21-0 lead less than five minutes into the game, before the Mustang offense ever took an offensive snap.

“We just weren’t able to get anything going,” Thompson said. “But I think that’s more of them than us. We just couldn’t move them or move anything. They’re so strong and so quick.

“This is the best team I’ve seen in the three years since I’ve come back,” Thompson said. “They’re big and strong; they throw the ball well. They attack the ball on defense. I’m not sure about their kicking game, because we didn’t get to see much of that”

After the Titans failed on their first three offensive plays, Terrance Kindle blocked a Hulices Nunez punt and Alton Demby carried the ball 20 yards to the end zone for the Mustangs’ first score.

Demby stepped in front of a Jarael Alexander pass and returned it 62 yards for North Shore’s second score. Three plays following the kickoff, Alexander fumbled after a 16-yard loss and Jestin White recovered the ball in the Titans’ end zone that gave the Mustangs a 21-0 lead with 7:22 left in the first quarter.

Once the Mustangs offense got the ball, they marched 45 yards in three plays with Tracy Woods scoring on a three-yard run with 5:09 left in the first.

North Shore added their final first quarter touchdown on a 13 yard pass from Alex Tillman to DeAndrew White that made the score 35-0 after 12 minutes

The Titans tried most everything in their arsenal, including utilizing three quarterbacks in the first quarter. But neither Corwin Keal, who scored the Titans’ only touchdown on a two-yard fourth quarter run, nor Solomon Jones, had much success with the speedy Mustang defense.

“I was real happy to see him score,” Thompson said of the Titans’ only points. “These are good kids, and they try hard, and they work hard. They deserved that.”

“We didn’t find out until their doctors examined him at half, that Jarael had a concussion, so we’ll have to wait and see on him,” Thompson said. “Now we’re down to two quarterbacks with four games remaining.”

The Mustangs showed little leniency in the second quarter. White recovered a Keal fumble at the Titans’ 16, but the defense held and Ricardo Perez kicked a 31-yard field goal. The Mustangs scored on a 15 yard run by Woods to make it 45-0 with 8:37 remaining in the half.

White scored on another 13-yard pass from Tillman and Tillman raced 34 yards on the final play of the half to give the Mustangs a 59-0 cushion.

After a scoreless third quarter, Memorial moved 50 yards in four plays, with Keal connecting with Nate Davis on a 35-yard pass to the North Shore 12. Two plays later, Keal scored on a keeper around the right side of the Mustang defense. Hulices Nunez added the extra point with 3:53 left in the game.