While Canadian’s Camren Cavalier and Bushland’s Dawson Jaco were both quick on the draw, Cavalier’s Wildcats fired first and often, which led to predictable results.
In a matchup of Class 3A Panhandle powers, No. 1 Canadian outlasted No. 7 Bushland 55-35 in a game every bit as entertaining as expected when these two teams meet. Cavalier and Canadian (2-0) were more productive in the first 12-plus minutes of the game and Jaco and Bushland (1-1) had the better numbers in the second half.
However, scoring 35 unanswered points to open a game is generally a foolproof formula to win, which worked in Canadian’s favor. But considering the history of the rivalry between these two teams, you never take anything for granted.
“Certainly, when you’re getting ready to play Bushland you know that’s a possibility,” said first-year Canadian head coach Andy Cavalier, who scored his first home victory at the school. “We fully intend to keep a zero on that board for the entire game knowing well and good they’re going to make plays. We knew early we needed to be able to keep scoring. We had that lead early on and we knew if we didn’t keep scoring it was going to be right back into a tight battle.”
Two years ago, when Cavalier was a defensive coordinator, the Wildcats led Bushland 35-7 but ended up losing in overtime. Bushland had pulled off the rare trick of beating Canadian twice in a row after last year, however, third time wasn’t a charm for the Falcons.
It was as prolific a first half statistically on offense as would be expected of the two teams. But Canadian had more of those numbers in rolling to a 38-14 halftime lead.
The Wildcats scored on their first five possessions as quarterback Camren Cavalier and his receiving corps seemed to do whatever they wanted to against the Falcons on offensively. Cavalier threw four touchdown passes in the first quarter, three of them to Luke Flowers.
“I know Bushland’s quarterback Dawson Jaco and he’s a good buddy of mine,” Cavalier said. “He’s a great quarterback in everything he does. Being a senior here in Canadian and helping these guys get the win tonight is a good feeling. I’m glad I could help each and every one of my teammates.”
Only 40 seconds into to game, Cavalier hit Flowers over the middle for a 52-yard scoring pass and a 7-0 lead. Later, Cavalier would hit Flowers for scores of 40 and 13 yards to make it 28-0.
Cavalier also hit Preston Neumeier for a 43-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Flowers was Cavalier’s favorite target with five catches for 157 yards and four touchdowns, and his 44-yard scoring catch late in the third quarter gave the Wildcats a much-needed cushion.
Flowers has been seeing more time in the young season split out at receiver after spending most of his first two seasons at running back, and the move has worked.
“(Assistant) coach (Hayden) Merket works with whatever the defense gives us and he came up with a great game plan and Camren threw great passes all night long,” Flowers said. “Our O-line stepped up in a major way. A lot of them hadn’t played in a game like this. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys.”
Kaden Crooks scored on a 23-yard run 28 seconds into the second quarter to make it 35-0, and it would have been easy for the Falcons to fold their tent. However, they made it more competitive by scoring on their next two possessions.
In a span of 3 ½ minutes, Dawson Jaco hit Kade Gavina on a 13-yard scoring pass and Easton Fuentes scored on a 1-yard run to cut it to 35-14. Canadian’s Emiliano Hernandez kicked a 26-yard field goal with 1:12 left in the half to make it 38-14.
The Falcons scored on their first two possessions of the second half to make the locals more anxious. Jaco, who completed 20-of-31 for 307 yards and four touchdowns, hit Gavina on a 40-yard scoring pass, then 78 seconds later completed a 71-yard scoring bomb to Max Rodriguez to cut it to 38-28. But Bushland got no closer.
“Ultimately my job is to have the football team ready to play at 7 o’clock and we weren’t ready to play and that’s on me,” Bushland coach Josh Reynolds said. “I think that first half we were going through the motions a bit and (the Wildcats) kind of stung us. We challenged our kids in the second half. I was proud of our kids for coming out and fighting and getting it down to 10.”
Gavina had 9 catches for 112 yards for the Falcons.