Using two quarterbacks and switching between them is something Mesquite football coach Mike Reardon is used to. He seems to like it. Gives him something to toy with over the weekend after a game.

Reardon pulled a switcheroo two weeks ago with his current QBs -- junior Steven Bevan and senior Tommy Trammell. Trammell played well the first three games and then ran into the buzzsaw known as Chaparral. Bevan took over halfway through that game. It was Mesquite's only loss.

Reardon liked what he saw of Bevan in that one and the last  two weeks Bevan has been the starter. Barring injury, Bevan will be the Wildcats' guy the rest of the way.

Bevan completed 10-of-11 passes Thursday night for 119 yards and rushed for another 48. He was instrumental in three consecutive scoring drives in the second and third quarters that helped rally Mesquite to a 24-14 win over city-rival Highland at Highland.

Mesquite improved to 5-1 and 2-0 in the 5A Central Region. The Wildcats have won two games in a row after a humbling loss to Chaparral on Sept. 16.

"Tommy and I just traded spots," Bevan said of his taking the quarterback reins and Trammell moving to defense at safety. "I  think we're both satisfied with it. It took us a little while to get going tonight. But once the O-line got going, it made a big difference."

Mesquite's offensive line needed to get going. Highland (2-3, 0-1 region) entered the game with a two-game winning streak. The Hawks also scored the first 14 points of the game to stun Mesquite. A 25-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Colten Oliver in the first period and a 1-yard TD run on the Hawks only sustained drive of the game by running back Jake Vehonsky on the opening play of the second period had Mesquite reeling.

Ten yards of offense in the first period was all Mesquite mustered. But after the second Highland TD, Bevan began showing the skills that elevated him to his starting role.  An 18-yard pass completion and runs of 7 and 12 yards keyed a 60-yard scoring drive that pulled the Wildcats to withing 14-7 midway through the second period.

Back-to-back pass completions to tight end R.J. Rickert that totaled 51 yards led to a 30-yard field goal by Devin Foy to cut the lead to 14-10 at halftime.

Highland's slim lead lasted until 3:11 remained in the third period. That's when Mesquite completed a10-play, 77-yard march that put it in front, 17-14. Bevan was 5-for-5 passing on the drive for 46 yards. He threw to four different receivers and the last pass was 11 yards for the score to Rickert.

"I like having a couple quarterbacks,"  Reardon said. "The last time I went with one from start to finish was Tim Ruben when I was at Saguaro. I think now we've found our guy. Steven played very well. Has two weeks in a row. He fits what we like to do with the spread."

The other change Reardon made in the lineup that took place this week, was on punt returns. Running back Anthony Lopez, the Wildcats breakaway threat in the backfield, got the nod there. Just a couple minutes after Mesquite took the lead and its defense forced a three-and-out, Lopez fielded a punt at his 38. Sixty-twon yards later the scoreboard read Mesquite 24, Highland 14. Lopez added 85 yards rushing on 15 carries.

"We don't have anyone with the speed he has," Highland coach Pete Wahlheim said. "We got off to a good start tonight. Did a good job on defense. Sometimes in the second half we jjust don't play through adversity. We had a lot of that  tonight."

Four second-half turnovers didn't help, including three interceptions. Highland has been switching out quarterbacks, too, out of necessity not coach's decision.

Hayden Haviland, who began the season as the Hawks starter, suffered a broken hand in the third game of the season against Desert Ridge. Junior Merrick Madrid has taken over the last two weeks. Madrid had a solid first half Thursday, but threw two picks and lost a fumble in the second half. Madrid was 9-for 15 for 154 yards. Only 36 of those yards came in the second half.