Canadian Blanks Sanford-Fitch 54-0

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: September 22, 2019

Photos courtesy Canadian Wildcats

Wildcats Soar on the Road

It is inevitable at times for small-school football to be plagued with injury and participation issues. That was the case for the Sanford-Fritch Eagles Friday night as they hosted the top ranked (#1 3A DII) Canadian Wildcats. With only 21 players on their roster and two of their four team captains out with injuries among several others, the Eagles took to the field despite the overwhelming odds of achieving victory.

Even the Wildcats are dealing with more injuries to key players at one time than experienced in years, highlighted by team captain Colton Risley attending the coin flip on crutches. He is rehabbing from a broken tibia, but is hoping to return in week 8 or shortly after.

The Eagles deferred the coin toss choosing to kickoff to the Wildcats. Canadian had to start at their own 11 yard line due to good coverage by Chase Nivens of the Eagles. The Wildcats opening drive seemed to stall out with good defensive work from Eagles Londen Rowe, Dalton Graham, Kyler Moffitt, and Tylan Woods. But the Wildcats chose go for the 1st down on their own 20 yard line on 4th & 2 to go. That decision defined the strange nature of this game, just as the next play which saw Canadian’s premier RB Hayze Hufstedler> go for an 80 yard TD run did. Hufstedler took a handoff up the middle and blew past the linebackers that had been sealed off with blocks by Saul Escamilla and Alan Jara. The only Eagles left unblocked were already 3-5 yards behind the speedy Hufstedler.

Eagles QB Hunter Athey discovered why every offense to face the Wildcats this season struggles to move the ball down the field, let alone score against the defense known as The Blackout D. In the first series Athey handed off to RB Trace Patterson for a 17 yard gain and the only 1st down in this game against the Wildcats.

Canadian’s QB Grant McCook, in his service limited to the 1st half, threw a perfect 10-for-10 passes for 153 yards, 2 TDs (WR Gary Anderson, WR Reagan Cochran), and no interceptions. Landon Smith chalked up 82 yards rushing on 10 carries with 2 TDs in the 2nd half, proving to be a real workhorse whenever called upon. Kicker Edgar Salazar, like QB McCook’s performance, kicked a perfect game of PATs going 6-for-6.

The school spirit and love for Texas High School Football of the Sanford-Fritch Eagles is noteworthy considering the circumstances they were faced with in this matchup. The sportsmanship and hospitality they showed the Canadian Wildcats in a situation not wished upon any school was a testament to the “Greatest Game in the Greatest State”.

Canadian will take to the road for the third straight week in a neutral field site series with one of the top ranked TAPPS schools in Texas, Grapevine Faith Christian Academy at Vernon’s Lion Stadium, Saturday, September 21, 2:00 P.M. kickoff. The aforementioned issue with injuries is a without a doubt a concern to the Wildcats, however, Head Coach Chris Koetting expects the backups to continue improving and perform to the best of their ability. Koetting recognizes the situation is certainly beyond the control of the Wildcat coaching staff and the game strategy changes very little, as players are challenged to do their job every play, then prepare for the next.

by Jerry Brunson

@CHSWildcatNews (Facebook & Twitter)
chswildcatnews (Instagram)

Stats courtesy of Ron Shrader, CISD

CANADIAN 21 14 7 12 - 54
SANFORD-FRITCH 0 0 0 0 - 0

Scoring

C – Hayze Hufstedler 80 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 10:17
C – Grant McCook., 2 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 5:00
C – Reagan Cochran 11 yd pass from McCook, (Edgar Salazar kick) 1:00

C – Gary Anderson 19 yd pass from McCook, (Edgar Salazar kick) 9:14
C – Jake Krehbiel 14 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 3:07

C – Landon Smith 6 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 5:27

C – Ethan Jackson 4 run, (kick no good) 10:34
C - Landon Smith 6 yd run, (kick no good) 1:26

FIRST DOWNS: SF – 1, C – 16
YDS RUSHING: SF – (-37), C – 206
YDS PASSING: SF – 0, C – 153
TOTAL YDS: SF – (-37), C – 359
COMP-ATT-INT: SF – 0-2-0, C – 10-10-0
PUNTS-AVG: SF – 8-28, C – 0-0
FUMBLES-LOST: SF– 0-0, C – 0-0
PENALTIES: SF – 2-10, C- 2-20

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Want to see how the Canadian teams stack up against some of the best all time?

We have the 2015 Championship and 2017 teams already created and football fans and game board players around the world are coaching the Canadian Wildcats against some of the greatest teams in history.

2015 Canadian - The Wildcats won the Class 2A Division I State Championship with a convincing 41 point win over Gulf Coast power Refugio. This was Canadian's 4th Championship win in 5 Championship games since 2007.

2017 Canadian - The Wildcats extended their winning streak to 16 years. All 16 years they have had 8+ wins. This team made it to the Semifinals with a high scoring offense and great defense.