Offensive Fire Power
A couple of area teams lit up the scoreboard and stat sheet Friday night. In McLean, Booker came close to sending the scoreboard into tilt mode registering a 93-49 win over the Tigers (1-1). The Kiowas (2-0) scored 19 or more points in every quarter and put up some gaudy stats in the process. Chase Nelson threw for 337 yards and five scores while also grabbing a reception for a score as well. His top target, Adrian Rosales, caught five balls for 182 yards and five touchdowns and tacked on fifty yards rushing and two scores. The athletic Julian Barton grabbed 114 receiving yards a score, rushed for 93 yards and another score and also registered a pick six and kickoff return touchdown in the process.
Davin Hext was unstoppable for White Deer in a 76-36 win on Thursday night against Lefors (0-2). Hext accounted for 351 yards rushing and six scores to go along with a pick six. Teammate Foster Black was also a menace to the Pirates rushing for 159 yards and two scores while tossing a TD pass.
Antelopes trample Cowboys
In a highly anticipated matchup of top five teams, No. 4 Whiteface dominated the middle quarters to secure a 58-38 win over No. 3 Happy at the Cowboy Corral Friday night. The Antelopes defense held Happy to 52 rushing yards while punishing them on the ground with a rushing attack that registered 283 yards.
Whiteface (2-0) held a 10-point lead, 24-14, with 1:04 left in the first half when their defense changed the complexion of this game. The Cowboys (1-1) were facing a fourth and goal from the three when Hayes Bressler was picked off in the end zone by Issak Solis. A touchdown would have put Happy in great shape heading to half, but the momentum shift was big as the Antelopes quickly marched down the field and Ethan Kauffmann scored from five yards out with 18 seconds remaining to extend the lead at half to 32-14.
The Antelopes ground game put a couple of more scores on the board in the third and built an insurmountable lead of 46-14 with 3:22 left in the quarter. The Cowboys never got closer than the final score after that as they had to turn to their passing game to try and create offense.
Whiteface’s Ethan Kauffmann was a man among boys as he carried the ball 26 times for 213 yards and six scores and had two other scoring runs called back on penalties. Bressler finished the night six of eight for 139 yards and three scoring tosses.
Indians shoot down the Owls
Behind three rushing touchdowns from Brance Teague, Northside pulled off a huge upset of Silverton, 33-32, on the road Thursday. The Owls came into the ball game as 45-point favorites but miscues and missed opportunities spelled doom for the home team.
The Owls (1-1) led this one 25-18 late in the third when they held the Indians on a fourth down pass and took over at their own ten-yard line. However, a fumbled snap led to a fumble recovery which gave Northside life deep in Silverton territory. Northside made Silverton pay a couple of plays later with a rushing score and two-point conversion which put them ahead 26-25 headed to the fourth.
In that final quarter, Jace Alvarado batted a pass up at the Northside 36 with 7:14 left and raced the distance to put the Owls back in front, 32-26. Less than a minute later, Teague made Silverton pay taking one to the house with 6:16 left. The crucial two-point conversion kick was made, and the Indians went back on top 33-32.
Silverton had a couple of chances inside two minutes in the final quarter but couldn’t make Northside pay. Facing a 3rd and goal at the Indians 10, the Owls pass was intercepted at the six which gave them a chance to run out the clock. A tough defensive stand stopped the Indians at their own 20 with 56 seconds left and allowed Silverton to drive to the five-yard line with seven seconds left.
On that first and goal play, however, Silverton’s Israel Flores took off to the end zone but fumbled the ball just before the line of play and ended any chance of a last second score.
Swifts rally for upset
It’s dangerous to make a Tyler Goodwin squad 45-point underdogs and Borden County found out why as the Nazareth Swifts rallied for a 33-22 win in Gail on Friday night.
The game was tied to begin the third, but the Coyotes (1-1) connected on a scoring pass in the first ninety seconds of the game to go up 22-14. That score held up until eight minutes remaining in the game when Lincoln Pohlmeier found Kayle Rogers for a nine-yard score. The extra-point attempt was missed which left Nazareth still trailing by two.
The Swifts (1-1) defense held Borden County on the ensuing possession which forced a punt and let Nazareth start their offense near the midfield stripe. Behind a big offensive line, the Swifts marched down and closed out the drive on a Cameron Pohlmeier two-yard run and a 26-22 lead with two minutes left. On the Coyotes next possession, Nazareth forced a fumble at the Borden County 25 and a Pohlmeier made them pay. Cameron Pohlmeier took the handoff on the next play and raced to the end zone to secure the win for Nazareth.
Around the area
Miami (1-1) made quick work of Boys Ranch (0-2) taking down the Roughriders, 50-0. Noah Homfeld led the way for the Warriors with 99 yards rushing and two scores while registering five tackles and a forced fumble on defense.
Valley (0-2) found the road on Saturday to be a tough one as they fell to the top ranked team from Gordon, 68-6. Ry Reed paced the Longhorns (2-0) with 90 yards rushing and four total touchdowns as Gordon only ran nine plays in the victory.
It was homecoming in Groom and the Tigers didn’t disappoint the fans as they dispatched Hedley (0-2), 51-0. Greyson Peet had 54 yards passing and two scores while gaining 106 yards rushing on just wo carries, both of those for scores. All four seniors for Groom (2-0) scored in the win.
No. 6 Benjamin (1-0) beat No. 9 Follett (0-2) 81-48 at home Friday night while Claude (1-1) went on the road and got the upset win over Petersburg, 30-26.
Chillicothe (2-0) took down Amarillo PCHEA 55-31 and the Lubbock Titans (1-1) rallied to take down San Jacinto Christian Academy 37-33.
Around the State
Coming off a loss to start the season, Division I and No. 7 Westbrook took out No. 5 Jonesboro 68-36 behind 235 yards rushing and three scores from Case Custer.
In Division II, No. Jayton had no problem with No. 4 Klondike as they raced away with a 50-0 win.
May pulled out an upset win over DII No. 2 Oglesby, 66-45.
Riley Sustala was unstoppable for No. 2 Abbott (2-0) in a 60-8 victory over Bynum. The senior scored three times on the ground, three more times receiving while racking up 11 tackles and a scoop and score for good measure.
No. 9 Buena Vista notched an impressive 61-15 victory over Union Hill behind Jackie Jurado’s 122 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
The Three Way Braves are now 2-0 on the season after they beat Weatherford Grace Christian Academy 56-0. That is the first 2-0 start for the Braves in their school history.
