District 2-5A Division IÂ
Amarillo High survives shootout to win 2-5A DI opener
When it comes to games involving a lot of points, the Amarillo High Sandies have had mixed results this season.
Friday night, those results fell on the positive end when they most needed to do so.
In their District 2-5A Division I opener against Lubbock Monterey at Lowery Field, the Sandies fell behind the Plainsmen by 10 points at halftime in what’s become a typical offensive shootout for them. However, they opened the second half with 21 straight points to take control of the game for good and held on for a 50-42 victory to get off on the right foot in district play.
It was the third time this season Amarillo High (2-2, 1-0 in district) has been involved in a game where it has both scored and given up 40 points at the same time. The Sandies beat San Angelo Central then lost to Midland High the next week with that formula, but against Monterey (1-4, 0-1), they came out on top.
Monterey took a 29-19 lead as Kyree Baxter ran for three touchdowns. But the Sandies got a big play early in the third quarter, as Austin Sluder returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to cut it to 29-26.
Lopez had another stellar game at quarterback for the Sandies, completing 21-of-32 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. Jude Dunavin ran for 134 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, and caught a 22-yard scoring pass from Lopez to start the fourth quarter.
Amarillo High’s Cooper Manning had six catches for 129 yards.
Baxter had a huge game for Monterey, running for 176 yards and four touchdowns on only 14 carries. Monterey’s Luke Arrington completed 16-0f-23 for 291 yards and two touchdowns to Cam Taylor, who had eight catches for 161 yards.
Caprock routed by Abilene High
Caprock got a rude awakening to open 2-5A DI play on the road, as Abilene High jumped out to a 21-point lead at the end of the first quarter and Caprock never could catch up in losing 55-14 at Shotwell Stadium.
Trailing 21-0 in the second quarter, Caprock (1-4, 0-1) got on the board on a 15-yard scoring pass from Juan De La Cruz to Xayvion Gonzalez. De La Cruz threw two touchdown passes to Gonzalez in the second quarter.
The first one marked as close as the Longhorns would get. Ryland Bradford caught two touchdown passes from Brayden Henry and ran 74 yards for a score as Abilene (3-2, 1-0) led 35-14 at halftime.
Gonzalez was a bright spot offensively for Caprock with six catches for 102 yards. Abilene had two 100-yard rushers, as Henry ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, and Ethan Joyner ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
Class 4A
Bushland scores epic overtime win at Dumas
In one of the games of the year so far in the Panhandle, Class 3A Bushland went on the road and pulled out a slugfest with Dumas as quarterback Quaid Ferris scored on a 25-yard run in overtime to give the Falcons a 48-42 victory which kept them undefeated.
It was an appropriate end to a game in which the two teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense.
Bushland (5-0) took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but Dumas (2-3) rallied with 28 points in the second quarter to lead 35-28 at halftime. Ferris scored on a 9-yard run to tie the game in the third quarter and the two teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter, resulting in overtime.
It was a huge night for Ferris, who completed 18-of-29 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. Bushland’s Slade Perry ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
Dumas had a huge night passing, as Colton Mills completed 24-of-36 passes for 403 yards and five touchdowns. Blake Robinson, James Coaly and Imanol Marquez all had over 100 yards receiving.
Randall rolls past Estacado
Randall’s offense stayed in high gear and the Raiders stayed perfect on the season heading into district play, as they rolled over Lubbock Estacado 50-26 on Thursday night at Happy State Bank Stadium to finish non-district play 5-0.
The Raiders wasted no time against Estacado (1-4), jumping out to a 21-0 first quarter lead. They displayed their usual balanced offense, with Kaison Benton opening the scoring with a 66-yard scoring pass to Kaiden Miller and two touchdown runs from Dylan Ray.
Randall threw for 219 yards and ran for 209. Benton completed 14-of-20 passes and had two touchdowns along with running for two scores.
Roberto Chavira actually had the biggest night running the ball for Randall with 100 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
Defensively, the Raiders bent a bit but didn’t break, giving up 290 yards. Gio Miranda and Drayven both had 11 tackles.
Canyon outlasts Piedra Vista
The Canyon Eagles are officially headed into district on a roll, as they kicked into gear offensively to hold off Piedra Vista, N.M. 44-30 at Happy State Bank Stadium for their fourth straight victory.
Canyon (4-1) was balanced offensively, as quarterback Boston Bell may have had the best game of his career. Bell completed 22-of-27 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Colt Cruth, who had five catches for 83 yards.
Cruth continued to be productive running the ball, as he had eight carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns. He led a running game which picked up 207 yards.
Perryton routs Pampa
Perryton broke a three-game losing streak with a dominant performance, as the Rangers jumped on Pampa and didn’t let up for a 49-7 victory at home.
Quarterback Cooper Schilling played a part in all seven touchdowns for Perryton (2-3). Schilling completed 16-of-25 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 131 yards and the other four touchdowns on 11 carries.
Perryton’s Gordo Estrada had eight catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Pampa (2-3) had only 100 total yards of offense.
Dalhart edges Borger
Quarterback Hunter Trusler continued to show he’s a capable sub for the injured Kyler Read, as he carried Dalhart offensively in a 21-14 victory at Borger.
Trusler accounted for all three touchdowns for Dalhart (4-1), running for 136 yards and all three scores on 19 carries.
Borger (1-4) also had one player account for all its touchdowns. Tyler Brooks caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Randles in the first quarter to tie the game, and he ran two yards for a score to cut it to seven in the fourth quarter.