Gunter Tackles Canadian 56-27

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: December 18, 2017

Photos by Michael Kerrigan

Gunter to Defend State Championship
at AT&T Stadium with 56-27 Win Over Canadian

The highly anticipated rematch of last season’s semifinal between the defending State Champion Gunter Tigers and the Canadian Wildcats played at Leo Brittain Field at Lions Stadium in Vernon did not disappoint. However, Gunter’s powerful run game and stingy defense has secured their opportunity to defend their 2016 State Championship at AT&T Stadium versus Newton this week.

With Gunter’s first offensive play from scrimmage, this game proved how costly turnovers can be in a championship game. QB Daylan Bower rolled to the weak side to execute a play-action pass, but was sacked by OLBs Bill Koetting and Ethan Brewster. The ball was jarred loose and Canadian recovered on the Tigers 10-yard line. Two plays later, Wildcat QB Casen Cavalier scored on a keeper taking advantage of the game’s first turnover.

However, as the first half progressed, it would be Gunter that would capitalize on Canadian turnovers. Those included once on downs, an interception, and a fumble deep, giving Gunter a short field. Adding 21-points to the board much easier and faster than expected was a relief for the Tigers and a curse for the Wildcats.

Tigers QB Bower would score on 3 and 1 yard runs in the 1st quarter and a third time in the 2nd quarter when given a short field after a failed 4th down conversion attempt by Canadian’s offense. The Wildcats would make their second 4th down conversion to the Tiger 42-yard line only to suffer a 56-yard pick-six by DB Braiden Clopton just a few plays later. Clopton would then score on the offensive side of the ball on the next series with a run from 6-yards out. Canadian worked their way into the red-zone and scored with a 2-yard Cavalier run with 2:21 left in the first half ending with a 35-14 lead by Gunter. Certainly the most disappointing half played by Canadian all season thanks to a few crucial miscues and a stout Tiger defense.

The opening drive of the 3rd quarter by the Tigers practically put the game entirely out of reach for the Wildcats, burning up 6 minutes and 46 seconds and extending the lead to 42-14.

Canadian would continue to threaten with the ability to score quickly with the high tempo passing game that totaled 251 yards. Cavalier would hit WR Garrison McCook from 37-yards out with 3:32 with in the 3 rd period and WR Trent Evans from 5-yards out with 7:13 left in the game. But Gunter would answer each of those scores with runs from Clopton (9-yard TD) and RB Dylan Jantz (2-yard TD), running out the clock with the final possession of the game leaving a final score of 56-27. All of Gunter’s 300 total yards were on the ground, as the first play of the game (although designed as a pass play) did not result in an attempted pass.

Canadian ended their season (14-1) far above expectations considering that the complex no-huddle NASCAR offense had only one returning starter and the highly ranked defense returned only four starters.

Gunter (15-0), as previously mentioned, will defend their State Championship in the 2017 Class 3A-DII title game versus Newton, another perennial 3A power, on Thursday, December 21, at AT&T Stadium with the kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Jerry Brunson for Lone Star Gridiron
@CHSWildcatNews

	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Canadian	7	7	7	6	27
Gunter	14	21	7	14	56

SCORING BY QUARTER:
First Quarter
C—Casen Cavalier (Edgar Salazar kick), 9:53
G—Daylan Bower 3 yd run (Evan Gonzalez kick), 5:02
G—Bower 1 yd run (Gonzalez kick), 2:13
Second Quarter
G—Bower 1 yd run (Gonzalez kick), 7:06
G—Braiden Clopton 56 yd interception return (Gonzalez kick), 5:13
G—Clopton 6 yd run (Gonzalez kick), 4:04
C—Cavalier 2 yd run (Salazar kick), 2:21

Third Quarter
G—Bower 3 yd run (Gonzalez kick), 5:11
C—Garrison McCook 37 yd pass from Cavalier (Salazar kick), 3:32
Fourth Quarter
G—Clopton 9 yd run (Gonzalez kick), 9:53
C—Trent Evans 5 yd pass from Cavalier (kick failed), 7:13
G—Dylan Jantz 2 yd run (Gonzalez kick), 3:58