Nazareth survives Springlake-Earth
Two times this year, Nazareth has rallied from a deficit to pull off big wins, so the Swifts decided to flip the script and run out to big leads in both quarters of their District 2-1A Division I game with Springlake-Earth only to see the Wolverines rally twice before Nazareth was able to shut the door and leave with a 68-52 win Friday night.
The Swifts (5-3, 2-0) seemingly scored at will behind two rushing scores from Cameron Pohlmeier, a long scoring toss to Pohlmeier from his brother Lincoln and two scoring tosses from Rhett Ethridge. With 1:53 left in the half, Nazareth held a commanding 44-16 lead and this game had the makings of a blowout.
On the Wolverines (3-5, 2-1) next possession, they quickly marched down the field and Froylan Agundiz found Bryan Longoria on a short pass and the senior broke two tackles on the way to a 38-yard score to cut into the visitors lead.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Springlake-Earth and Agundiz and Longoria made the defense pay, this time from 45-yards out as a 28-point lead for the Swifts was cut to 14 headed to half.
It was more of the same for Nazareth’s offense to start the second half as Ethridge tossed his third scoring strike of the night to Lincoln Pohlmeier from 54-yards away. The Swifts defense then stepped up to seemingly put this one away. Agundiz’s pass was tipped by a defender and into the waiting arms of Cameron Pohlmeier and the talented junior did the rest.
Pohlmeier raced down the far sideline, avoided a tackle at the mid-field stripe, and raced to paydirt from 67-yards out to give the blue and gold a 60-30 lead with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The problem with that lead was no one told the Wolverines they were done. Springlake-Earth’s offense moved quickly and scored from the four when Agundiz found Robert Flores to cut the lead to 60-36.
After a quick four and out possession from Nazareth, Springlake-Earth’s offense, namely Agundiz and Flores, made the Swifts pay again. The southpaw spread back found his speedy back from 15-yards out and suddenly the lead was cut back to 16 with nine minutes left in the game.
Flores then teed the ball up at the 30 and delivered a low line fastball off a Swifts receiver and beat everyone to the ball as the Wolverines had all the momentum and seemingly appeared to be in great position.
After a penalty pushed the ball back the Wolverines 35, Agundiz avoided pressure in the pocket and delivered a bullet downfield to Flores at the 20. However, the pass was a little high and Flores tipped the ball into the hands of Lincoln Pohlmeier at the 17 as Nazareth avoided a bullet.
Using as much clock as they could, the Swifts trudged downfield and had a first down deep in Wolverine territory. That forced Springlake-Earth to use two timeouts. On third down from the 24, Agundiz sacked Ethridge for a six-yard loss, and the home team used their last timeout. A fourth down pass fell way short, and the Wolverines took over at their own 30 with just over five minutes left in the game.
Agundiz quickly moved the offense into position and found Josiah Castillo at the goal line where a Nazareth defender hammered the sophomore, but Castillo had enough presence of mind to stick the ball across the plane of the goal for the score. The two-point conversion kick was good and suddenly the green and gold was only down 60-52.
With the home crowd in a frenzy, Nazareth answered back. Ethridge took the onside kick on one bounce and raced to the Wolverines 13 with 4:18 remaining. Using every second of the play clock available, the Swifts found themselves in a fourth and goal situation at the one-yard line.
Lining up in a tightly stacked formation, Ethridge quickly pitched the ball to Cameron Pohlmeier who outraced every defender to the right pylon for a score and sealed the win for Nazareth.
Cameron Pohlmeier was the workhorse for Nazareth carrying the ball 22 times for 173 yards and three scores while also hauling in that long reception for a touchdown. Ethridge was effective going 4-of-8 for 119 yards and three scores.
In the loss, Agundiz put up big numbers again. The lefty gained 147 yards on the ground while passing for 265 yards and six scores. Flores was his top target hauling in seven balls for 114 yards and those two scores.
Mustangs run past Roughriders
Claude has never made the playoffs since dropping down to play Six-Man ball in 2018. In fact, the Mustangs best record in that time was a 6-4 mark last year. All of that may be history, though, as Claude took down Boys Ranch at home Friday night for a big District 1-1A Division I win.
Behind timely stops and an efficient offense, the Mustangs took down the Roughriders 78-48 to get their sixth win of the season and the first in district play. With two district games left in which Claude (6-2, 1-1) will be heavily favored, a new high-water mark for wins and a playoff berth are within view.
This game started slow as the Mustangs chewed up almost half the first quarter before Thomas Slack plunged in from four yards out for his first of three first half scoring runs. The Roughriders (6-2, 1-1) answered with two minutes left in the quarter as Isaac Acosta found Jacobe Gonzales from 26-yards away and made the two-point conversion kick to lead 8-6.
The Mustangs attack went to work again scoring on the first play of the second quarter to jump back in front 14-6. That’s when the first of three defensive stops by Claude changed this game.
Taking over at the Boys Ranch 30, the Mustangs just needed four plays to score as Slack rumbled in from two yards out to push the margin to two scores at 20-6 with 8:14 left in the half.
From that point to the end of the half the two teams combined for eight touchdowns. The big one coming at the end of the half as the Mustangs took advantage of a Holden Tice to Brady Shelton pass from the 19 to give Claude a 50-34 lead with 14 seconds remaining.
The second big stop in this game came on the opening drive of the second half for the Roughriders. Behind the big arm of Isaac Acosta, Boys Ranch marched down the field and found itself in a first and goal from the Mustangs 14-yard line. After a short pass to Cord’e Jackson and two incomplete passes, Acosta and crew faced a fourth and goal from the ten. A pass into the end zone was knocked down by Korbin Jackson and that’s where the offense took over.
After a couple of short runs, a penalty pushed Claude back to the nine facing a third and 16. Tice dropped back in the pocket and Trapper Godfrey released out of the backfield into the left flat where he grabbed a short pass and avoided a couple of tackles before being brought down 50-yards later.
The Mustangs then finished off the drive thanks to Godfrey’s four-yard run and allowed the home team to take a 58-34 lead with three minutes left in the third.
Forcing a second straight turnover on downs, Claude took over at the Boys Ranch 25, but the offense was unable to put the game away as a fumble recovery by the Roughriders was the only time in the game the Mustangs didn’t score all game.
With a chance to get back in the game, Boys Ranch faced a fourth and seven at the Claude 27. Acosta hit Jackson on a quick out but Shelton made a great open field tackle to stop the speedy receiver two yards short of the first in what would turn out to be a knockout blow.
Claude took over at their own 22 and used a punishing ground game to go the length of the field in six plays capped off by Godrey’s third of five rushing touchdowns and an insurmountable lead of 64-34.
Claude’s version of thunder and lightning in the duo of Slack and Godfrey accounted for seven touchdowns on the ground for the Mustangs while Tice tossed two scoring strikes to Shelton.
In the loss, Acosta continued to shine as the junior gunslinger put up six more passing touchdowns with four of those throws going to Jackson.
Division I recap
White Deer (6-2, 1-1) rebounded from last week’s loss to Boys Ranch in District 1-1A play by thumping Wildorado, 54-7, to keep the Mustangs (0-7, 0-1) winless on the season.
Five weeks into the season, Happy was winless and things were looking bleak. Fast forward three weeks and they have won two straight as they hit the road and took down Kress 62-14. The Cowboys (2-5, 1-1) are now 16-2 all-time in Six-Man play against the Kangaroos (4-4, 0-2) and have thrust themselves square into the middle of a district title race. Kreid Cluck led the Cowboys with seven passing touchdowns on 11-of-17 through the air and 235 yards. Luke Dempsey caught three balls for 97 yards and two scores while AJ Seal took all three balls he grabbed to paydirt in Happy’s win.
In District 5-1A it was a nail biter in Silverton as the Owls (2-6, 1-1) dropped a heartbreaker to Petersburg, 42-41. This game was back and forth all night long before the Buffaloes (3-5, 2-0) took the lead late and held on for a very important district win.
Valley started its district action in style by taking down Lorenzo, 63-16, to pick up their first win of the year. The win over the Hornets (2-6, 0-2) also marked the first coaching win for Patriots (1-6, 1-0) alum Daxton Allen.
Division II recap
Follett geared up for their big game at home next week against unbeaten Miami by taking down Groom (2-5, 0-1). The Panthers (4-4, 2-0) cruised by the Tigers 73-28 to set up next week’s game that will likely be for the district title.
The No. 10-ranked Paducah Dragons grabbed a road win in McLean (2-6, 1-1) behind the running of Ethan Garibaldi as the Dragons (7-0, 1-0) notched a 73-39 victory in District 2-1A Division II action. The junior runner carried the ball 27 times for 305 yards and six scores while Darren Mackey added his eighth kickoff return for a score on the season.
Undefeated Whitharral found Amherst (2-4, 0-1) difficult to put away but the Panthers offense was too much as they ran by the Bulldogs 68-33. Whitharral (8-0, 2-0) is now undefeated in District 5-1A action with only Anton standing between them and a district title.
Also, in 5-1A, former Texas Tech linebacker Brian Duncan has his Anton team in the hunt as they took down Lazbuddie, 77-32. The Bulldogs (3-4, 1-0) have won three of their last four in an effort to get a playoff berth.
Quick hits
In TAPPS District 1 play, Midland Holy Cross had no problem with Holy Cross Catholic Academy notching a 50-0 win. Other action in that district saw Lubbock Christ the King take care of Lubbock Kingdom Prep, 62-38.
That sets up a big matchup next week between the Lions and San Jacinto Christian Academy in Lubbock. Both teams are 1-0 in district action, and the winner will have an inside track to the district title.
The biggest game of the week will be in Follett as the Panthers host undefeated Miami. The winner of this one will likely be the champion of District 1-1A Division II. The Panthers have 22 of the last 24 meetings between the two schools and the Warriors have not won in Follett since 1998.
Other Division II games with big district implications includes Anton at Amherst with the winner likely grabbing the second spot in district 3-1A.
The playoff picture for District 2-1A Division I will be much clearer after next week’s action. A rematch between Happy and Springlake-Earth highlights the schedule. The Wolverines had no problem with the Cowboys three weeks ago, running away with a 54-6 non-district win. However, since Happy made changes at quarterback the Cowboys offense has found a groove. Also, Nazareth will host Hart looking to stay undefeated in district action with only Happy left on the schedule.
In District 1-1A, Booker travels to Boys Ranch for a pivotal matchup. The Kiowas are coming off a bye week and own a district win over Claude while the Roughriders will be looking to bounce back after their loss this week. A win for Boys Ranch would really shake things up while Booker could be looking at back-to-back titles if they can pull off the victory.
State recap
Ira took down number five Westbrook on Friday night, 56-34. Brandt Cox was a big part of the Bulldogs (5-2, 2-0) victory notching 107 yards on the ground with a score and threw for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Ira’s defense also had a pick six and the special teams contributed a kickoff return for a score to put the Bulldogs in a prime spot for a playoff berth in rough and tumble District 7-1A Division I.
Union Hill is happy to have EJ Mowery back in the fold. The junior spread back led the Bulldogs (6-2, 2-0) to a 52-0 win over Campbell (5-2, 0-1) in District 10-1A. Mowery ran for 194 yards and passed for 126 with a combined seven touchdowns in the win.
Trent just posted their first winning season since 2012 as Michael Wallis posted an incredible 373 yards rushing on only nine carries while finding paydirt six times as the Gorillas (6-1, 1-0) took down Olfen 70-25 in District 6-1A Division II play.
The big game for week nine will be number three Robert Lee (8-0, 2-0) traveling to Water Valley (7-0, 1-0) to take on the second ranked Wildcats. The District 8-1A Division I matchup could be the first of two meetings between the district rivals in Region II.
Other top matchups include Blanket (7-1, 2-0) traveling to Zephyr (6-1, 1-0) in District 13-1A Division II. This will be the 26th meeting in Six-Man play between the two teams who are separated by eleven miles of blacktop on Highway 1467. Also, upstart Northside (6-0, 1-0) travels to Newcastle to battle the eight ranked Bobcats (5-2, 2-0) for district 6-1A Division I supremacy.