Tigers Become Wildcats Latest Victim
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Updated: November 30, 2015
photo: Alan Hale
Anson Tigers Fall in Regional Round to Canadian Wildcats 56-7
PLAINVIEW, TX - The Anson Tigers took their shot at taking down the #1 Canadian Wildcats in the Regional Championship game on Thanksgiving Day. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they had the same experience as many of the 12 teams that have played Canadian this season, looking up at the scoreboard down 40 plus points to the Wildcats at halftime. In Anson’s case, 56 points to their zero.
After the opening kickoff into the end zone by Canadian’s K Benigno Heredia (8 for 8 PATS) for a touchback, the Tigers started their opening drive by moving the sticks with a risky 4th down conversion with a keeper by QB Cade Baker from their own 34 yard line. The next set of downs would see Anson punt into the wind, giving Canadian a short field starting at their own 47 yard line.
The first play from scrimmage for the Wildcats would display the juking moves and deceptive speed of RB Chance Cook (10 carries for 136 yards, 3 catches for 58 yards) as he took the weak side sweep 53 yards for a TD. This would prove to be the beginning of a snowball effect of 3 and outs for the Tigers, leaving Canadian with a short field to work with throughout the first half. The barrage of unanswered of Wildcat points in the first half equated 56, with 439 yards of offense compared to 11 yards and 0 points totaled by Anson. Other than the first score by Cook, scores were recorded by RB Cooper Trolinger (1 yard TD run), RB Chance Cook (39 yard TD run and 52 yard pass reception), WR Manny Ramsey (70 yard and 5 yard TD pass receptions), WR Cameron Copley (6 yard TD reception), and RB Bailey Urschel (1 yard TD run). Urschel’s TD marked the final score for Canadian with 2:45 left in the 2nd quarter.
Canadian’s NASCAR offense has scored totals from 24 to 62 points in the first half on 10 of the 13 teams they’ve faced this season while their defense held a shutout through the first half on those same teams. Two key Wildcat offensive players (among others), RB Cook and QB Tanner Schafer (13 for 14, 253 yards, 0 INT) have played only 10 full quarters of football in the last 5 games.
The ball hawking Canadian defense not only limited the Tiger offense to just two first downs in the first half, but also collected two possessions by INTs, both by DB Nick Dumbauld. The speed and quickness of the Wildcat defense draws as much attention as the fast-to-line-up-quick-snapping offense. Defensive leaders LB Holton Hufstedler, LB Mario Flores, DE Cory Chidester, DE Cooper Trolinger, and others kept the Anson offense in check for (11 yards in the 1st half) and 108 total yards compared to 604 yards totaled by the Wildcats.
Anson’s Head Coach Chris Hagler mentioned Canadian’s speed in an interview with the Amarillo Globe News as being hard to duplicate in practice. It would appear that his statement could be referring to either the Wildcat offense or defense; or both.
With 2:36 left in the 3rd quarter, Anson’s QB Cade Baker hit WR Michael Steven on a quick sideline pass where he picked up a good block and eluded several other Wildcat defenders before being tripped up by Canadian DB Edgar Moreno and falling into the end zone 45 yards later, saving the shutout.
As the first winter type storm has rolled through the Texas Panhandle, there’s been a cancellation of another game in this same Regional round. It features the other two teams along with Canadian from District 1-2ADI left in the playoff bracket, Stratford and Wellington, and has been rescheduled for Monday, November 30th, 6:00 p.m. at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The winner of that contest will face District member Canadian again in the Quarter-finals at a time and place to be announced. The anticipation will be high, knowing that both Wellington and Stratford played as well against the Wildcats as any teams that faced them this season, even though both gave up losses to the defending State Champions in conference play.
By Jerry Brunson, Class 2A and Canadian Wildcat Correspondent
@CHSWildcatNews on Twitter
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