JACKSONVILLE — Isaiah Burton hauled the ball in, turned toward the end zone and dove toward the pylon.

And just like that, Whitehouse remained unbeaten.

In an intense matchup between rivals, Burton’s overtime touchdown reception from Patrick Mahomes lifted the Wildcats past Jacksonville, 42-35, in a District 16-4A thriller Friday night at the Tomato Bowl.

The score came after Jacksonville missed a field goal during its first overtime possession, which set the stage for Whitehouse to improve to 7-0 and 2-0 in district. The Indians, who fell to 3-4 and 1-1, were primed to go ahead by at least a field goal in overtime, but a trick play on third down at Whitehouse’s 5 backfired and forced them to attempt a 25-yard field goal.

Moments after it sailed right, Whitehouse got the ball back and needed two plays to reach the end zone as Wildcats players rushed the field and Jacksonville coaches disputed whether Burton had actually scored.

Mahomes finished the night 15 of 29 for 242 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with senior receiver Dylan Cantrell six times for 130 yards and a touchdown. Mahomes faced an aggressive pass rush that sent the junior to the turf multiple times.

Jacksonville quarterback Carter McCown finished 25 of 48 for 344 yards and four touchdowns, but was intercepted five times. The sophomore’s favorite target was senior receiver D.D. Franklin, who caught 11 passes for 238 yards and three TDs.

The teams combined for 42 points in an electric second quarter, during which Jacksonville scored with 40 seconds remaining to go into the break up 28-27.

McCown finished the half with 199 yards and three touchdowns through the air, but was intercepted twice and that included a pick-six by Whitehouse defensive back Vincent Dunning.

Franklin and Darrell Minifee each made acrobatic touchdown grabs in the corner of the end zone in the second quarter, en route to finishing the first half with seven catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns and six catches for 53 yards and a TD. Mahomes, meanwhile, passed for 135 yards and a pair of scores to Dylan Cantrell (13 yards) and Jake Parker (19 yards).

———

Whitehouse 42, Jacksonville 35 (OT)

At Tomato Bowl, Jacksonville

Whitehouse 6 21 8 0 7 — 42

Jacksonville 7 21 0 7 0 — 35

First Quarter

JAC—Stacy Cummings 11 run (Ryan Travis kick), 3:56.

WHI—Dylan Cantrell 13 pass from Patrick Mahomes (kick blocked), 1:56.

Second Quarter

WHI—Dominique Hollie 2 run (Destin Wilkins kick), 10:05.

WHI—Vincent Dunning 30 interception return (Wilkins kick), 9:50.

JAC—D.D. Franklin 75 pass from Carter McCown (Travis kick), 9:39.

WHI—Jake Parker 19 pass from Mahomes (Wilkins kick), 8:28.

JAC—Darrell Minifee 15 pass from McCown (Travis kick), 6:08.

JAC—Franklin 8 pass from McCown (Travis kick), 0:40.

Third Quarter

JAC—Coleman Patterson 15 pass from Mahomes (Cantrell from Mahomes), 3:54.

Fourth Quarter

JAC—Franklin 72 pass from McCown (Travis kick), 7:37.

Overtime

WHI—Isaiah Burton 24 pass from Mahomes (Wilkins kick).