Stinnett Puts Up Battle Against Canadian
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Updated: September 2, 2019
Photos courtesy Alan Hale Photography
Canadian Holds Off Determined Stinnett West Texas 36-22 in Season Opener
The 2019 season opener at West Texas High Comanche Stadium saw Stinnett West Texas field a much improved Comanche team from last season. A talented group of skill players and a physical line were determined to light up the scoreboard more than last year’s 35-6 loss at Canadian.
Lone Star Gridiron had West Texas #18 in the state in Class 2A DI. Other polls are kinder to the Comanches, having had them as high as #6. Canadian ranks #1 in the LSG poll and remains in the top three in other state polls in 3ADII. Even on paper this game was worth the trip, and neither team disappointed.
The Wildcats started on their own 30 yd line and finished a 14 play drive with QB Grant McCook scoring the first TD of the season from the 1 yard line with 8:47 left in the 1st quarter. The PAT by K Edger Salazar was good. The Comanches started their first offensive drive by lighting the fuse to some fireworks that RB Aaron DeLuna had brought to the backfield. On the first play from scrimmage, DeLuna spurted past the D-line on a trap play, jetting beyond the linebackers for an exciting 53 yard gain.
It might have been longer if DeLuna had not lost control of the ball down the sideline while planning to deal with Canadian’s secondary closing in on him. Unfortunately for WT, the drive stalled out on a missed 4th down conversion on the 14 yd line. It signaled however, that Stinnett was playing to win.
The next Canadian drive featured a 29 yd gain from a Grant McCook scramble, then on the very next play, a 45 yd break-away rushing TD by RB Hayze Hufstedler. Hufstedler went on to rush for 236 yards on 23 carries and three more TDs for the night as a great warmup for a season that the Wildcats will utilize his skill and speed in that position.
The second quarter proved to be a standoff with WT holding off any more scoring from Canadian’s fast paced offense. However, the Wildcat defense certainly had their hands full trying to contain QB Avian Cruz, one of the most elusive scramblers in the Panhandle in any class. And future opposing teams will note that although Cruz is only 5’6”, he has a stiff arm that packs a punch. He finished the game with 88 yds rushing.
The Comanches took the 2nd half kickoff and produced an 11-play drive that culminated in their first score, a Cruz to WR Jaykob Hernandez pass from 35 yds out with 7:23 left in the 3 rd quarter. The 2-point conversion was no good from the 18 yd line, a penalty assessed on WT after the TD apparently due to Hernandez spiking the ball.
The ball control and momentum for WT quickly died whenever Canadian’s Hufstedler broke a 62 yd run from the 38 yd line for a TD on the very next play from scrimmage at the 7:09 mark in the 3rd . Then after the Canadian defense held again, the 3rd quarter continued to be a disaster for WT as Hufstedler went into the end zone untouched from the 5 yd line with 2:11 left in the 3rd , giving the Wildcats a 28-6 lead.
The scoreboard said that a repeat of last season’s matchup was in the works, however, the Comanches said different in the 4th quarter as Cruz scored two consecutive TDs, one from 1 yd out and another from 5 yds to cut the deficit to only 6 points, 28-22 with 7:36 left in the game.
No doubt the atmosphere became electric whenever it appeared that the WT rally could possibly produce an upset of monumental proportions. That’s when Canadian’s ball control and clock management put together an 11-play drive that ended with Hufstedler running over a defender at the goal line to score and McCook popping out of an obvious stop by WT on the 2-point conversion and falling into the end zone to make the score 36-22 with 4:36 left in the game. The Comanche rally had ended and Canadian held the 14-point the lead to the buzzer.
by Jerry Brunson
@CHSWildcatNews (Facebook & Twitter)
chswildcatnews (Instagram)
Stats courtesy of Ron Shrader, CISD
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian | 14 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 36 |
| Stinnett WT | 0 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 22 |
Q1
C – Grant McCook 1 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 8:47
C – Hayze Hufstedler 45 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 6:21
Q2 – NO SCORES
Q3
WT – Jaykob Hernandez 35 yd pass from Avian Cruz, (conversion failed) 7:23
C – Hufstedler 62 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 7:09
C – Hufstedler 5yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 2:11
Q4
WT – Avian Cruz 1 yd run, (Cruz to Aaron DeLuna pass good) 11:17
WT - Avian Cruz 5 yd run, (Cruz to Hernandez pass good) 7:36
C – Hufstedler 5yd run, (McCook run good) 4:35
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