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Canadian Returns to the Win Column

Alan Hale Photography

photo: Alan Hale

3A Canadian Takes Down 4A River Road 44-7

Making a return trip to the Amarillo metro area for the second straight week, Canadian didn’t waste any time and effort returning to the win column against 4A Amarillo River Road. After last week’s disappointment, falling by 3-points against a much improved and motivated Bushland team, the schedule took a radical departure by facing a struggling program at River Road.

Even with four key starters out of the line-up including All-State WR/DB Cameron Copley, the Wildcats went in at halftime with a 37-0 lead, looking much more like the team fans have seen dominate 2A through 4A teams on the pre-district schedule for the last several years. The injuries have no doubt caused Head Coach Chris Koetting and staff great concern, however, they are still drawing fresh talent from a deep bench to face tougher opponents in the coming weeks.

River Road’s offense came out with some noticeable execution issues against a well prepared Canadian defense. That defense looked great despite playing without last year’s Championship Defensive MVP Cade Throgmorton, who will return next week for the Perryton game. The Road’s first offensive series found them with a 3rd & 11 and confusion about the play call.  It forced them to take a time out as the play clock ran down. On the next play, QB Noah Mason over-threw TE Dom Velasqez.  The misguided passed gave a reaching Canadian DB Trae Dwyer-Krehbiel an INT on the River Road 46.  He returned his prize to the 20 yard line. This set up a short drive that ended with a 1 yard TD by RB Chris Jones with 7:45 left in the 1st.  Jones had 3 TDs and his second 100 plus yard rushing game for the season with 116 yards for the night.

Although his name is not found listed among the players that scored, Canadian’s WR Manny Ramsey had a huge impact in this game. Ramsey’s 53 yard punt return advanced the ball to the River Road 14 yard line setting up a 27 yard FG by Corbin Douthitt. Ramsey also received a screen pass that went for 51 yards to the River Road 1-yard line that set up a one yard TD run by Holton Hufstedler. The obscure YAC stat (Yards After Catch) is considered a priority for the Canadian receiver corps and it shows.

River Road’s offensive play calling improved as they went to the ground game, and pulling in Canadian secondary defenders, QB Mason managed to hit a wide open Hunter Mitchell playing TE for a 35-yard TD in the 4th quarter, River Road’s only score of the night. Mason ended the night passing 8 for 17 and 2 INTs, 87 yards, compared to Canadian’s Douthitt throwing 15 for 19, no interceptions and 175 yards. Canadian racked up 371 total yards (196 rushing) to River Road’s 240 total (153 rushing).

Next Friday, September 9th, it will be River Road’s turn to hit the road to play Dalhart (0-2), which could be a competitive, entertaining contest with another struggling 4A team to determine who gets their first win of the season.

Canadian will get an opportunity to defend their home field matched with the 4A Perryton Rangers, an on-again, off-again Highway 83 rivalry. This season the Rangers bring a lot more confidence to earn some pay back as they recall that five years ago to the day (9/9/2011) was the last time they earned a W against Canadian 33-32. Perryton certainly considers this year to be "on-again." Canadian hasn’t lost in Wildcat Stadium since 9/6/2013 in a game against Stratford (22-21) and the next two weeks facing Perryton and Stratford (a game scheduled by Fox Sports Southwest DQ Game of the Week) will be another big test for the Wildcats and highlight the motto “PROTECT THIS HOUSE!”

Jerry Brunson for Lone Star Gridiron
@CHSWildcatNews

 

Team1Q2Q3Q4QFinal
Canadian132470-44
River Road0007-7

Scoring Summary
C -- Chris Jones 1 run (Douthitt kick good)
C – Tyler Carr 27 pass from Douthitt (kick failed)
C – Holton Hufstedler 1 run (Douthitt kick)
C – Jones 4 run (Douthitt kick)
C – Jones 3 run (Douthitt kick)
C -- Douthitt 27 FG
C – Alexis Flores 5 run (Douthitt kick)
RR -- Hunter Mitchell 35 pass from Noah Mason

Stats

Photos by Alan Hale Photography, http://alan79014.smugmug.com/

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