Coahoma Challenged but Canadian Captures Area Crown

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: November 24, 2019

Photos courtesy Alan Hale Photography

Tough Coahoma Squad Unable to Stop Canadian in Area Match, 49-14

As the playoff season rolls on for Canadian, it isn’t void of big, tough physical teams like the Coahoma Bulldogs giving the Wildcats plenty of bumps and bruises along the way. Fortunately the Wildcats, who are still trying to get some key players healed up before the next round, didn’t suffer any significant injuries in Friday night’s Area Championship round at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium in Plainview.

There is no doubt that several backups from Canadian’s bench gladly took a beating to win another gold ball. It would appear to those not in attendance or listening to Canadian Sports Network Radio (with Russell Gadbois and Steve Forrest on the call) would think from the score updates provided on Facebook and Twitter that this game was a typical beatdown of an inferior team. But seeing Coahoma hold the Wildcats to seven points in the first period, then coming out of the halftime break to run the ball down the throats of one of the best defenses in the class was impressive. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, their defense wasn’t only less substantial than the Wildcat’s defense, but suffered from different flavors of a lightning-in-a-bottle offense that never allows defenses to catch a breath between snaps. Turnovers by the Bulldogs at crucial moments in the game also contributed to a large score deficit.

Canadian started the offensive action with a 19 yard run for a 1st down by RB Hayze Hufstedler (17 carries, 130 yards, 4 TDs) but could not convert the first 3rd down of the game three plays later. The Bulldogs got backed up on their own 3 yard line due to the 54 yard punt by Wildcat QB Grant McCook. Taking the shotgun snap in his own end zone, Coahoma QB Zack Schneider made it around the edge for a 20 yard gain to get the Bulldogs out of the hole, but 7 plays later the drive fizzled on their 43 yard line and were also forced to punt.

After holding the Bulldogs again, McCook engineered an 11-play drive down to the Coahoma 27 yard line to have a pass tipped by the intended receiver, Tate Mitchell and intercepted by DB Ky Kemper. That emotional swing in the action didn’t translate into momentum for the Bulldogs as they were forced to punt again 6 plays later as the clock was running out in the first quarter. But before the clock ran out, Canadian showed just how fast their offense could reel off plays by going 69 yards in 5 plays, scoring with an 8 yard run by Hufstedler with 24 seconds left in the period.

The second period proved to be disastrous for Coahoma when a Schneider pass from Canadian’s 7 yard line intended for TE Avry Burgans in the end zone was intercepted by LB Stephen Pulliam. The Wildcats capitalized on that turnover to the tune of a 3 play drive ending with a Hufstedler TD from 11 yards out at the 9:14 mark that was set up by a huge 57 yard scramble by Grant McCook. The Wildcats continued to dash any hopes for a first half score by the Bulldogs when DE Rhet Pennington intercepted another Schneider pass from the Canadian 28 yard line. Even when Coahoma DB Braxton Chandler intercepted a McCook pass intended for WR Gary Anderson, they would be held to two more three-and-outs. The Wildcat run game stayed on point with another TD by Hufstedler from 4 yards out with only 1:42 left in the first half and it appeared the Wildcats would take a 21 point lead into the locker room at the break until the unexpected happened to Coahoma again. Going three-and-out and punting the ball away to WR Twister Kelton to fair catch on the Canadian 38 yard line, the next play from scrimmage Grant McCook torched the Bulldogs on a 62 yard QB draw for yet another TD with only 1:01 left. McCook was 11-for-20 passes without a TD pass, but went 210 yards on 13 carries and 2 TDs.

Coahoma received the kickoff to start the second half with great determination and a plan to show Canadian what smashmouth football was all about. Starting on their own 21 yard line, Schneider, the 6’1”, 230 lb QB punished Canadian for 10 plays of a 12 play drive with Keegan Dobbs, Travis Mitchell, and Gaige Hill leading the way from the backfield and C Garrett Anderson (5’10” 250), OG Alejandro Gonzales (5’11” 393), and OT Jonathon Schneider (6’1”, 345) opening up the middle and off-tackle plays to give their big stout QB some running room. The first play of the series, Schneider almost broke for a TD but was tripped up by DB Twister Kelton. Schneider and company converted a 4th down and 11 to go from the Canadian 35 yard line hitting WR Sean Striegler on a 34 yard gain going out of bounds on the 1 yard line covered by DB Gary Anderson. Schneider finished the marathon drive that included two Coahoma penalties with the 1 yard TD on the next play.

It seemed that Coahoma’s fortune had changed when their defense handed Canadian a three-and-out with a sack on McCook. However, 3 plays later Schneider was intercepted by DB Tate Mitchell on the Wildcat 43 yard line. Scoring opportunities were missed by both teams as the 3rd period wound down.

The Bulldogs went to work in the 4th quarter putting together a 14 play drive all the way down to the Wildcat 8 yard line when DL Colton Cooper dislodged the ball on a sack to be recovered by DL Alan Jara, seemingly putting all of that effort on ice. However, without question the most exciting, but short stretch of the game came on the third play of the new Wildcat possession, LB Avry Burgans intercepted a McCook pass for the pick-six. K Isaac Murillo finished with the PAT and just like that, the Bulldogs were only 2 scores down, 28-14.

Canadian’s offense took over the rest of the final period in an almost nonchalant fashion. In just a little over one minute off the clock from the pick-six by Burgans, the Wildcats drove 55 yards in 4 plays that ended with the last of Hufstedler’s 4 TDs on the night. Another Bulldog three-and-out allowed the Wildcats to go 65 yards in 4 plays ending with another 37 yard rumble by McCook with 5:32 left in the game. Coahoma RB Brysen Kerby fumbled on the next Bulldog possession setting up a couple of possessions by the Canadian reserves, the last of which QB Ethan Jackson scored on a 5 yard keeper for a TD. K Edgar Salazar (7-for-7 PATs) finished up the scoring freezing the scoreboard at 49-14 with 1:58 left. Coahoma ran out the clock to Canadian’s Area Championship victory. Canadian moves on to the Regional Semis to face the Cisco Lobos. That game is scheduled for a 2:00 P.M. kickoff at Lion Stadium, Vernon, Texas, on Friday, November 29th .

by Jerry Brunson
@CHSWildcatNews – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Stats courtesy of Ron Shrader, CISD

1ST 2ND 3rd 4th Total
CANADIAN 7 21 0 21 - 49
COAHOMA 0 0 7 7 - 14

Can – Hayze Hufstedler 8 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 0:24

Can – Hayze Hufstedler 11 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 9:14
Can – Hayze Hufstedler 4 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 1:42
Can –McCook 62 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 1:01

Coa –Zack Schneider 1 yd run, (Isaac Murillo) 8:00

Coa –Avry Burgans 12 yd INT return, (Isaac Murillo) 8:36
Can – Hayze Hufstedler 17 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 7:42
Can –McCook 37 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 5:32
Can –Ethen Jackson 5 yd run, (Edgar Salazar kick) 1:58

FIRST DOWNS: Coa – 16, Can – 24
YDS RUSHING: Coa –161, Can – 393
YDS PASSING: Coa – 75, Can – 122
TOTAL YDS: Coa – 236, Can – 515
COMP-ATT-INT: Coa – 10-22-3, Can – 14-21-3
PUNTS-AVG: Coa – 7-28, Can – 2-47
FUMBLES-LOST: Coa – 2-2 Can – 0-0
PENALTIES: Coa – 3-40, Can - 4-20

(click photos to see slideshow)

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