Canadian Opens District With 62-7 Win

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: October 10, 2015

photo: Libby Brewer

STINNETT, TX – On a perfect evening for football, the Stinnett West Texas Comanches hosted the opening week of District 1 Class 2ADI conference play against the defending State Champion Canadian Wildcats. Unfortunately for the Comanches, it was apparent after the Wildcats posted 28 points in the first quarter, that the Canadian NASCAR offense would continue the passing AND running roughshod over opposing defenses.

The offensive lightning round executed on West Texas might not have been as severe if not for the ball hawking Wildcat defense that produced three consecutive interceptions on the first three Comanche drives. Even a novice football fan would have guessed that the West Texas offensive strategy was to move the ball against Canadian with a passing attack to their tall corps of wide receivers (one stretching the tape to 6’6”.) But Canadian’s defense responded with the three consecutive picks, two by DB Manny Ramsey, and the third by DB Cameron Copley.

The first interception by Ramsey was converted to points in a four play, 50 yard drive that took only 41 seconds. No, that wasn’t a typo - 41 seconds; 1 second longer than a play clock cycle. This drive set the stage for a flood of Canadian scoring, featuring RB Chance Cook (10 carries for 200 yards) scoring two rushing TDs and one pass reception TD, WR Cameron Copley with one rushing TD and one receiving TD, WR Sawyer Cook with two receiving TDs, and finally reserve QB Corbin Douthitt rushing for two TDs.

The Wildcat “Air Canada” passing attack was turnover-free against the Comanche defense. Standout QB Tanner Schafer (17 of 20 for 227 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) delivered all of the passing TDs for Canadian, then sat out much of the 3rd quarter and the entire 4th quarter to watch the Wildcat reserves improve their skills to become the deep bench needed for playoff competition.

One of the most exciting plays of this game, however, was provided by Comanche QB Brandon Seaman and WR Nathan Thompson at the beginning of the 2nd quarter. From Canadian’s 18 yard line, Seaman was chased out of the pocket and rolling to his left, launched a pass to Thompson just as Canadian DE Cory Chidester ran him down. Thompson did his part by leaping over Wildcat DB Manny Ramsey for the catch, falling into the end zone. The PAT was good, but that would be the only scores of the night by West Texas. The Comanches produced 153 total yards offense compared to 557 yards by Canadian. The Wildcats pass defense allowed 188 yards receiving, but shut down the Comanche run game to the tune of a negative 28 yards, yet another excellent performance by a bending, but unbreakable Canadian defense.

Next week’s quest of Canadian seeking another District Championship will see the Wildcats hosting the Wellington Skyrockets, coming off of an 18-8 loss to the Stratford Elks. Although Wellington is seeded lower in the district than Canadian and Stratford, they will seriously prepare to make good on their opportunity to ruin the Wildcat’s win streak (21-0) and current district record.

Although the entire Wildcat team has vowed to not live in the past, i.e., ‘last season’s team was last year, this season’s team is this year’, they cannot avoid the fact they are the defending State Champions. The team’s attitude has become not to get caught up in the elevated rankings and numerous sports writers and web sites that predict the season to end with a championship repeat. For the Wildcats, the one thing they actually do work hard to retain from last season is the ‘one game at a time’ focus during the weekly practices. A look at the scores through Week 6 verifies the success they’ve had with that philosophy against several teams in higher UIL classes during the regular season. But as everyone knows, after the district is decided, it’s win-or-go-home.

By Jerry Brunson, Canadian Wildcats Correspondent