Canadian Sweeps District 1-3A
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Updated: November 7, 2016
photos: Michael Kerrigan
Canadian Downs Tulia and Captures District Crown
If you’ve never experienced the culture of Texas small school football, you missed an opportunity to savor the aroma of rural America at its best when Canadian closed the regular season against Tulia in Tulia Friday night. That aroma, detected by everyone present at Younger Field during halftime, was of an over-excited skunk. To the credit of Tulia’s Hornet offense late in the game, the halftime odor wasn’t a bad omen that meant the Hornets would be “Skunked”, even though Canadian owned a 41-0 halftime lead.
Canadian went right to work against the Hornets to prove execution was key to running the fast snapping, no huddle NASCAR offense by scoring on five consecutive possessions, all in the first quarter. QB Corbin Douthitt (15-of- 22, 189 yds, 3 TDs) engineered those drives with very few flaws ending the first with an 18 yard pass to WR Cameron Copley. The second, was a 3 yard run by RB Cade Throgmorton, (a 2 play drive setup by an interception by DB Trae Dwyer-Krehbiel). The third and fourth drives saw RB Alexis Flores scoring on 4 and 15 yard runs, and the fifth score connecting with RB Holton Hufstedler on a 10 yard pass into the end zone. Scoring on five drives within nine minutes of the first quarter should put any defense preparing for the Wildcats on notice. Evidence that ‘lightning in a bottle’ still exists for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats wrapped up their scoring in this contest with 6:12 left in the 3 rd quarter when OL Marshal Cates got the call on a dive play from the 1 yard line. Reminiscent of William “The Refrigerator” Perry of the Chicago Bears fame, Cates rumbled into the end zone standing up to represent all of the offensive linemen that work hard in the trenches every week.
Canadian racked up 424 total yards of offense with many off their bench getting reps beginning in the second quarter. The Wildcats also had a defensive back and two offensive starters out healing up minor injuries. Tulia managed to total 104 yards of total offense with only one turnover.
For Tulia, the Hornets made their last outing memorable by preventing Canadian from making them victims a third consecutive shutout. With 3:39 left in the game, Hornet Soph. QB Shawn Kelly threw a great pass from 24 yards out to a well-covered Soph. WR Dre Yarbrough, who made a spectacular catch on the 1 yard line falling into the end zone for the TD.
Although Tulia will be losing 14 Seniors from this team, it appears that they are loaded with young talent from the Sophomore and Junior classes to return next year under first year Head Coach Duane Toliver.
The story for Canadian has been opening conference play against Childress, one of the strongest teams in Region 1, escaping a close field goal showdown 18-17. The next four conference games had the Wildcats scheduled with the fourth seed of District 1-3A, Dimmitt, (49-0) the third seed, Spearman (52-0) and the two teams missing the playoffs, Amarillo Highland Park, (68-6) and Tulia. The improving Wildcats completed the sweep of District 1-3A to the tune of 235-31 against the five conference opponents.
The Wildcats will take their District 1-3A Championship into the playoffs beginning, Thursday, November 10th against Lubbock Roosevelt. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. at Canyon’s Kimbrough Memorial Stadium. The winner of the Canadian v Roosevelt game will face either Eastland or Ballinger. The second seed of District 1-3A, Childress, will play Coahoma. A first round win for Childress will most likely match them up with Cisco, another powerhouse team in Region 1.
by Jerry Brunson
Lone Star Gridiron
@CHSWildcatNews
Photos from the Dimmitt @ Canadian game courtesy of Michael Kerrigan Photography
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