Canadian Unchallenged by Amarillo Highland Park

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: October 23, 2017

Photos: Michael Kerrigan

Canadian puts up 72 on Hornets

In every sport, there will always be the occasional mismatch. Typically, they are not intentional, but mostly due to demanding schedules that a number of teams or individuals have agreed to prior to any impending situations that might arise in the ability to perform. This was certainly the case Friday night when the highly ranked Canadian Wildcats hosted an out-manned Amarillo Highland Park Hornets team in UIL District 1-3A DII.

Highland Park, now in the midst of rebuilding a program, are forced to play as many sophomores as there are available seniors. With the Wildcat’s size up-front and the speed of their experienced skill players, the Hornets literally faced a merciless deficit in the law-of- physics. The possibility that HP will drop down into class 2A-D1 in the next UIL alignment could give their program the ability to grow and compete better.

Canadian received the opening kickoff and proceeded to put points on the board with a six-play drive starting from their own 36-yard line capped by a 28-yard TD pass from QB Grant McCook (12 for 14, 226 yds, 4 TDs) to WR Matthew Lynch. Kicker Edgar Salazar (10 for 10 PATs) was good on the PAT. Only one minute of the first quarter had rolled off the clock.

McCook, a sophomore, made his varsity-starting debut Friday night in place of an injured Casen Cavalier. Cavalier is on the mend from some pulled knee ligaments and a cracked tibia that he experienced during the Childress game. He actually continued to play and finish that game. However, until Cavalier’s return, McCook will run the high tempo, air raid style offence (once nicknamed “Air Canada” by a Fox Sports Southwest reporter) with little or no difference in efficiency. McCook’s ability at the QB position is such that he could start for almost any other team in the region with the exception of a few and his performance Friday night proved that true. The first half became a scoring marathon for the Wildcat offense with little resistance.

The next score came with 8:03 left in the first when McCook pitched-out to his older brother, WR Garrison McCook, in motion for a 23-yard TD. The Salazar kick was good. With 6:11 left in the first, Wildcat RB Alexis Flores scored on a 1-yard TD run, PAT good.

Canadian’s defense was always ready and tight as ever. When Hornet QB Ott over-threw WR Ethan Morris, DB Garrison McCook was right there to gather up the INT. That led to RB Christian Garcia (8 for 99 yds, 3 TDs) receiving a pass for a 43 yard TD, PAT good with 4:41 left in the first. McCook would throw two more TD passes in the second quarter, a 19-yard strike to Lynch and a 4-yard TD pass to WR Ethan Brewster. Canadian’s defense scored a safety by taking down Hornet QB Landyn Ott in the end zone, and two minutes later, Wildcat RB Christian Garcia scored from the 2-yard line.

In the first half, the Wildcat defense kept the Hornet offense in check with -17 yards and no first downs while the Canadian offense scored 51. McCook and several other starting Wildcats sat out the remainder of the game, as is the typical response by the Canadian coaching staff.

Jack Koetting took over the quarterback duties from McCook in the second half and promptly drove down to Highland Park’s 13-yard line from the Canadian 39. Hornet DB Adrian Andrade then intercepted Koetting in the end zone as he tried to hit WR Garrison Cook. Andrade was able to advance the ball to the 2-yard line and the Hornet offense managed to mark two first downs before being forced to punt from their own 28-yard line.

As the second half progressed, HP still had problems keeping the Wildcats out of the end zone. RB Christian Garcia ran for his third TD from 3-yards out, RB Jesus Perez broke for a 21-yard TD, and WR Adrian Valenzuela received a pass from Jack Koetting from 29-yards out and scored unexpectedly with a great second effort.

Next week Canadian travels to Spearman for the next conference 1-3A DII contest and Highland Park will host the battle of the Hornets when Tulia rolls in from the south.

Jerry Brunson for Lone Star Gridiron
@CHSWildcatNews

Stats courtesy of Ron Shrader, Canadian ISD