Claude uses late field goal for win

With 41 seconds remaining in a fantastic game with McLean, Claude head coach Brantlee Lemons was facing a fourth and goal from the five in a tie ballgame. After three straight running plays netted nothing on the ground, the veteran coach opted for the rare field goal in this wide-open game and that call propelled the Mustangs to a 28-24 win to spoil Homecoming for the Tigers on Friday night.

The leg of Claude (2-1) kicker Dylan Sims proved to be valuable in this one for more than the game winning kick. McLean (0-3) tallied the only score in the first half as Grey Hagler rumbled from nine yards out midway through the first quarter, but the two-point conversion kick failed, and the Tigers were up 6-0.

Two turnovers in the second quarter thwarted scoring drives for the Mustangs as McLean went to half holding that six point lead. Right after half the Mustangs coughed up the ball again and Slayde Stalls recovered it at the Claude 31. A few plays later Wyatt Hagler found Jesse Woods for a 14-yard score, but the two-point conversion failed again as McLean led 12-0.

The Mustangs finally found the end zone midway through the third quarter on a Thomas Slack two-yard plunge and Sims point after went in to cut the lead to 12-8.  The teams exchanged scores, but that two-point conversion try failed again for McLean while Sims buried his for a 18-16 lead for the Tigers.

With 5:03 left in the game, Wyatt Hagler found Grey Hagler streaking to the corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown toss and a 24-16 lead after the Tigers failed to convert the two-point kick for the fourth time on the night. The Mustangs rallied back less than a minute later as Holden Tice found Trapper Godfrey streaking down the left sideline for a 25-yard scoring toss and Sims nailed his third straight kick to tie things up at 24.

On the ensuing possession, McLean failed to get much movement and turned the ball over to Claude at the Tigers 29-yard line. After a 24-yard run from Godfrey and a face mask penalty the Mustangs found themselves with a first and goal at the five with less than two minutes remaining.

Claude tried to close things out on the ground, but a stingy Tigers defense forced a fourth and goal and decision time for Lemons. That’s when the Mustangs head man decided to put the game on the foot of Sims. Lined up on the left hash mark from 22-yards out, the right footed kicker banged the ball through the night sky with ease and the rare four-point field goal for the win.

Slack finished the night with two short scoring runs while Godfrey carried the ball 20 times for a hard earned 72 yards. Wyatt Hagler was effective in the loss connecting on seven of eleven passes for 142 yards and two scores.

Warriors keep rolling

It didn’t take long Thursday night for Miami to put away Wildorado as the Warriors hammered the Mustangs, 72-12, by halftime via the mercy rule. 

With the win Miami moves to 3-0 on the season with another undefeated team in White Deer visiting Warriors Stadium next week.

Noah Homfeld continued his strong start racking up 118 rushing yards on only five carries with four finding the end zone. His running mate, Chance White, had 90 yards rushing on eight attempts and three scores. The field general, Jack Kotara, chipped in 52 yards on the ground on three carries and scoring once while connecting with William Sims on a 24-yard touchdown strike.

A strong start to the season has catapulted the Warriors to the eleventh spot in the latest rankings. Both sides of the ball have played well with the defense only giving up 40 points on the young season as Homfeld and Kotara lead the charges.  The duo combined for 15 tackles with five of those tackles for loss against the Mustangs and have accounted for 37 tackles this season and three sacks.  

Offensively, Gunner Lackey went down in week one, so White stepped in to hold down the fort. The speedy freshman has 304 rushing yards and five scores this season while Holmfeld has punched it in eight times in three big wins for the Warriors. Their All-State center, Kristopher Gorecki, has gotten stronger and anchors the middle for that rushing attack and provides great protection for Kotara when he throws.

As you peek at District 1-1A, it looks to be a two-team fight for the title between Miami and Follett.  To nab a title the Warriors will have to beat the Panthers for the first time on the road since 1998 and a win Friday night would likely see them walking into Follett with an unbeaten record and a district title on the line.

Bucks hand Patriots first loss

A matchup of unbeatens met in Amarillo on Friday night with White Deer getting a 39-16 victory over San Jactinto Christian Academy as the Bucks used a balanced attack to get the win over previously unbeaten San Jacinto (2-1).

White Deer (3-0) stormed out to a 24-8 lead in the first quarter and took that lead into the half. The Bucks added a score in the third quarter but failed on the two-point conversion to lead 30-8 heading to the fourth.  The two squads exchanged scores in that final stanza, but the Bucks tacked on a safety by Cayndean Mynear and walked away undefeated for one more week.

Balance was the key for the Bucks offense. Mynear toted the rock for 13 times while picking up 77 yards and Foster Black had 72 rushing yards on 16 carries.  With that grinding rushing attack they were able to find spots in the Patriots secondary. Black was 3-of-4 passing for 84 yards and two scores and Logan Matlock added 74 yards through the air on 4-of-7 passing and two touchdowns. Lucas Radina was the leading receiver racking up 127 yards receiving on six catches with three of those going to the house.

Defensively, Creed Powell-Ferguson had nine stops and Mynear had six with three of those for losses. Black was effective on that side of the ball as well notching eight tackles and a fumble recovery.

Jaxon McKnight cracked the century mark on the ground for the Patriots as he picked 101 yards on 16 carries and a score. Broxon Potter went 11-of-24 through the air for 116 yards, and a lone touchdown pass to Jacob Lyons.  Jonathan Cruz led the defense again this week notching 12 tackles on the night.

The Bucks head to Miami next week for another battle of the unbeatens while San Jacinto welcomes in an undefeated Boys Ranch squad and their potent offense.

Happy and Follett struggling early

The season has started off less than ideal for two of the blue bloods in the Texas Panhandle as Happy and Follett have each started the season at 0-3. Although both squads lost a lot to graduation you must look deeper to get the full story.

For the Cowboys, their loss to Klondike (3-0) on Friday night at the Cowboy Corral was their third straight scoreless game as they fell 56-0.  However, the schedule for the black and gold has been one of the toughest in the state. Rankin, Whiteface and Klondike are a combined eight and one with all three ranked inside the top ten.  

Things don’t get easier for a team that is 126-29 over the last twelve years. The Cowboys will hit the road to face No. 4 ranked Whitharral on Friday night before finishing off non-district action against Springlake-Earth and McLean who are a combined 1-5 on the season. In a wide-open District 2-1A, Happy is counting on the brutal early season schedule to pay dividends when it counts.

The same could be said for Follett to start the year. Just like Happy the combined record of their opponents is 8-1 with Benjamin and Whiteface ranked and Saint Jo making a beeline for the top ten as well. Against the Antelopes (2-1) in Claude Friday night, the Panthers fell 60-14 despite 122 yards passing from Wyatt Terrell and two scoring receptions by Logan Meeks.

Expectations are high in Lipscomb County after the Panthers have only registered two losing seasons since 1994 and have been in the state finals four times during the same period. With a schedule that should net wins the next two weeks before their rivalry game with Booker, the Panthers could be back to .500 at the start of October with a playoff berth a real possibility.

Week 3 quick hits

Whitharral (3-0) backed up their No. 4 ranking in Division II as they blasted O’Donnell (1-2) 58-8 behind 195 yards rushing from Greg Johnson on only five carries with all five of those finding the end zone.

Boys Ranch (3-0) continues to put up video game numbers as they took down Hedley (0-2) 64-6 as the defense got into the act with two pick six scores.  

After back-to-back games against top ten teams, Nazareth (1-2) found some sweet home cooking as they took down Silverton(0-3), 54-6, Friday night to post their first victory of the season. The Swifts district mates, Springlake-Earth (1-2) also grabbed their first win with a 74-26 thrashing of Petersburg (0-3).

Reydn Rosales was unstoppable for Booker (2-1) as he scored three times on the ground and had two interceptions returned for scores all in the first quarter as Booker took down Groom (1-2) 62-12.

Don’t look now but Kress is undefeated after winning a shootout with Southland (0-3), 84-44, on Friday night at home while Lazbuddie (1-1) secured their first win, 33-20, over Dawson (1-2).

The schedule didn’t get any easier for Valley (0-3) as the Patriots faced their second consecutive No. 1-ranked team. Jayton (3-0), out of Division II, are the defending state champions and they won 52-6 Thursday night.

Lorenzo (1-2) nabbed a 62-12 win over Wilson (0-3), Anton (0-3) fell to the Lubbock Titans (1-2) 56-8 and Leakey (1-2)dominated Amherst (0-3), 68-12, in a rare Saturday matchup.

State roundup

In a Division I powerhouse matchup, No. 6-ranked Rankin (3-0) scored with 11 seconds remaining to pick up a 48-44 victory over Westbrook Friday night.  The Wildcats (2-1) were marching down the field when a fumble with 51 seconds remaining gave the Red Devils the ball and life.  Rankin quickly moved downfield, and Gage Lopez connected with Isaac Armendarez from 23-yards out to secure the win.

Make it 33 straight wins for two-time defending champ Gordon (3-0) as they notched a 58-8 win over rival Strawn (2-1) at Stephenville’s new Art Briles Stadium Friday night. The Longhorns, ranked No. 1 in Division I, saw this game make the third quarter before putting away the third ranked Greyhounds.

Seventh ranked Benjamin (3-0), out of Division II, made a statement with a 58-26 road win over Borden County (2-1).

Jonesboro (2-1), 28-point underdogs to No. 8 Union Hill (2-1), pulled the upset Thursday night with an 83-34 win over the Bulldogs.