The UIL Texas High School Football playoffs opening game Thursday didn’t have much flare for the dramatics.
The Canadian Wildcats did what they were suppose to do by taking care of business and then some in a punishing 63-7 victory over outmatched Muleshoe during a Class 3A Division II bi-district contest at Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon.
This victory was unique in one way for Canadian as the Wildcats push a Texas Panhandle-best bi-district win streak to 23 straight games dating back to 2002.
“This has been a great legacy to get to step into,” Canadian head coach Andy Cavalier said. “There has been a lot great players and coaches to set us up to where we are as a program today. Now the challenge becomes, is we just don’t want to be successful because of the past, but it’s a daily fight to not relax and always be at are very best.”
After the two teams traded punts to open the game, it was all Canadian from that point forward. The offense got clicking in a hurry and the defensive line absolutely suffocated the Mules (2-9). On the Wildcats second possession, quarterback Weston Mitchell led a quick drive that resulted in a 26-yard pitch and catch to a wide open Camden Albin for a 7-0 lead.
From there it was a landslide.
Off a Bridger Burris interception on the next possession at the Muleshoe 25-yard line, Mitchell went right back to work hitting a strike to Gunner Brady for a 6-yard score and it was all of a sudden 14-0.
Canadian only started to pile it on from there. Thanks to forcing turnover after turnover and getting short fields to work with, the Wildcats had built a 28-0 lead by the end of the first, then the game was well out of hand at 42-0 by the 8:39 mark of the second stanza.
“I’m proud of the team effort,” Cavalier said. “For the most part we were firing on all cylinders and we were able to get turnovers and that helped the offense tremendously. They gave us big momentum, and I’m glad we were able to play a lot of guys. Some of those guys never get in the game, so I’m glad we got to get everyone in.”
The Wildcat defense was stifling on top of the six turnovers forced. Canadian held Muleshoe to 112 yards of total offense, caused relentless pressure into quarterback Leland Ortega’s face, and had 11 tackles for a loss as a team.
Defensive back Bridger Burris had two interceptions including a pick-six of 44 yards in the second quarter. Brady not only serves as a top target at tight snagging five catches for 57 yards with a pair of touchdowns, but is also a menace on the defense line with nine total tackles and two sacks, and teammate Yessi Juarez had six tackles, two quarterback hurries and a caused fumble.
“The trenches are the strength of this team,” Cavalier said. “Anytime you get pressure on the quarterback like we did that makes anything hard. We took away their run and that really made us even better. We need to continue to play like that.”
On the offensive side, Mitchell ended a short day going 12-of-16 for 154 yards throwing five TD passes. The junior also rushed for 53 yards and another score. Jet Cervantes caught four passes for 77 yards with a touchdown, and Albin had a pair of scoring catches.
Canadian (8-3) is now set to take on Merkel (8-3) in an area round matchup set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Leo Brittain Field Lions Stadium in Vernon.
Photos by Joe Garcia III:
