Canadian Doesn’t Sleep on Bushland
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Updated: September 2, 2017
photos: Michael Kerrigan
Revenge is Sweet for Canadian with 47-23 Victory over Bushland
A year ago, the Class 4A Bushland Falcons made headlines by halting a 31-0 win streak by the then defending Class 3A DII State Champion Canadian Wildcats. However, this year’s season opener proved to be sweet revenge for Canadian even though they trailed Bushland 20-23 after the first half.
Bushland misfired on the first play from scrimmage with a holding call that turned a direct hit into a warning shot across Canadian’s bow with what could have been a 77-yard TD with a quick sideline pass from QB Colton Moore (20-46-3) to WR Gage Climer. Errors by both teams most likely caused by nervous first-time starters made for a rather sloppy first period. Canadian held off the Falcons in the Red Zone with 50 seconds left in the first, but gave up a safety when QB Casen Cavalier (23-32-0) had a wayward punt from the Canadian 11 yard line bounce off his blocking linemen. Cavalier was unable to find a remedy for the mistake as the ball went into the end zone with several Falcons in pursuit. Bushland led with the unlikely score of 2-0.
The second quarter saw both teams open up the scoring. Bushland’s Moore hit Climer for a 17-yard TD and hit WR Jacob Pollock twice for TDs, one from 26 yards and another from 61 yards out. Canadian answered with a 3-yard TD by Cavalier on a keeper, and then hit WR Matthew Lynch for a 23-yard TD. Canadian’s first half scoring ended with Wildcat RB Alexis Flores slipping through a hole on the strong side and past the Falcon linebackers for a 57-yard footrace he won to the end zone easily. Canadian went into the locker room to regroup down 20-23 due to the safety and a missed PAT by Garrison McCook, who was 4-for-6 on PATs for the night.
What seemed to be shaping up to become a great back-and-forth barnburner was not to be. The Wildcat defense made adjustments that prevented being scorched by WR Pollock’s routes and introduced the ball hawking secondary that was previously advertised. Canadian DB Kelton King chalked up his first INT for the season, while DB Grant McCook hauled in two INTs.
While Canadian’s defense began the merciless march toward shutting out the Falcon offense in the second half, their offense found plenty of opportunity to blow the game wide open with passing scores from Cavalier to WR King from 2-yards, and twice to WR Trent Evans from 10 and 27-yards. The run game also remained viable with another rushing TD by Flores from 11-yards.
The 47-23 victory for the Wildcats after trailing at halftime was quite a shock not only to the Bushland Falcons, but also to those listening on the radio and monitoring on social media. Both programs show available talent for promising seasons.
Bushland will be taking on Amarillo Caprock next Friday, as Canadian will host Amarillo River Road at home one more week before hitting Highway 83 north to Perryton on September 15.
by Jerry Brunson for Lone Star Gridiron
@CHSWildcatNews
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