Canadian Begins 2020 With Win over Stinnett West Texas
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Updated: September 2, 2020
Photos courtesy Alan Hale Photography
West Texas Outmanned by Canadian, Falls to Wildcats 77-26
The Canadian Wildcats continue to hold on to a regular season win streak of 16 games beginning back in 2018 with their home opener win against Stinnett West Texas. But don’t think for a second their win streak will roll right along with 56-point first half performances as on this night. Iowa Park, Bushland, and Perryton will be ready and willing to be streak-breakers. And Bushland actually has experience at breaking Wildcat win streaks.
Some rosters will be down across Panhandle programs this season and West Texas is certainly feeling the effects with only 21 varsity players travelling to Wildcat Stadium Friday night. There’s a ripple of that trend at Canadian ISD, even though the Wildcats have a 31-man roster. It is the dreaded ebb of the ebb and flow of small school numbers and the effect it has on their sports and extracurricular programs.
Last season, WT’s QB, Avian Cruz, gave the Wildcats plenty of grief as one of the most exciting keep-the-play alive scrambling QBs in the Panhandle. And Cruz didn’t disappoint his fans in this game either. Even though it’s evident WT lost key linemen to graduation, Cruz picked up right where he left off last season by rushing 92 yards and passing 22-for-33 for 294 yards and 4 TDs.
But Cruz’s effort would be dwarfed by Canadian’s offensive firepower which features 6’2” 190 lb. gunslinger Sr. QB Josh Culwell (15-22, 291 yds, 6 TDs) leading an experienced, talented group of skill players behind an offensive line groomed by Coach Hayden Merket.
Canadian WR Twister Kelton started off the season with the first score and first TD reception from 18 yards out with 10:50 left in the 1 st quarter after a bad exchange from WT’s Cruz in the backfield led to a turnover. The 1st period scoring continued with RB Hayze Hufstedler (9 carries, 158 yds, 3 TDs) scoring on an 8 yard run, RB Landon Saenz catching a 26 yard TD pass from Culwell, and Hufstedler also receiving a 40 yard TD pass from Culwell.
Wildcat kicker Edgar Salazar went 100% on the night by adding PATs for every TD scored by the Wildcats, totaling 11 PATs. Perhaps Salazar’s only miscue all night was an errant kickoff going out-of-bounds for a penalty. Salazar’s ability to put English on the pigskin to make it fall like a rock between the goal line and the 5 yard line sometimes comes up short with a penalty. But most of Salazar’s kickoffs landed in the end zone, adding to the impressive display of the kicking game Canadian has with Salazar’s leg.
The 2nd quarter was more competitive with WT’s Cruz hitting Weston Gray for a 15 yard TD at the 9:46 mark, the 2-point conversion failed. But Wildcat QB Culwell maintained his pace tossing another 42 yard TD to Kelton, then giving the ball to Hufstedler for a 60 yard TD sprint with 7:40 left in the first half. Cruz then engineered another drive to the red zone and passed from 5 yards out for a Logan Gray TD reception.
The celebration for WT didn’t last long because on the ensuing kickoff. Canadian’s Hufstedler demonstrated a brilliant, patient, block-following 72 yard return that was mixed with his ability to cut and shift into another speed when necessary. The Comanches were able to shake off the disappointment and shock of Hufstedler’s KO run-back and went right to work with Cruz finding Weston Gray again for a 63 yard TD pass with only 1:27 left in the first half. But unfortunately for WT, Canadian’s offense is never concerned with how much time they have, only how well they can use the time they have to work with. To prove that, RB Jake Krehbiel got open on his pass route to catch another Culwell TD pass with 13.7 seconds left.
So, you’re impressed? Well hold the phone. Avian Cruz wasn’t going to waste ONE second of those 13.7 he had left in the 2 nd quarter. On the first play from scrimmage after the kickoff, Cruz connected with his younger brother WR Andreus Cruz for a 64 yard TD. RB Wesley Cooper ran in the 2-point conversion and WT had cut the deficit to 56-26 with 0.0 left on the clock.
It was obvious that after the Comanches scored 26 points in the 2nd quarter, the Wildcat defense got an attitude adjustment to start the 2nd half. That didn’t bode well for the WT offense. And it didn’t help to see Avian Cruz suffer a game ending injury in the 3rd , which added to the difficulty in scoring again, which didn’t happen. But WT was true to their pride to continue to compete and display sportsmanship under the circumstances.
The Wildcat offense continued to run the drills necessary to sharpen their skills for the weeks ahead. The O-line opened up an opportunity for Hufstedler to go 30 yards for another TD and Culwell took advantage of tossing to another favorite target, Angel Garcia, for a 30 yard TD pass. The 4th quarter brought out more opportunities for the Canadian offense and saw backup QB Trace Mitchell complete a 6 yard TD pass to Landon Smith.
Next week Canadian will hit the road for a test against Iowa Park. The Wildcats have played in that venue several times through the years, but never against the home team. It should be an interesting and challenging matchup.
by Jerry Brunson
@CHSWildcatNews – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Stats courtesy of Ron Shrader, Canadian ISD
SCORING
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
CANADIAN - 28 28 14 7 - 77
WEST TEXAS - 0 26 0 0 - 26
Q1
Twister Kelton 18 yard pass from Josh Culwell (Salazar kick) 10:50
Hayze Hufstedler 8 yard run (Salazar kick) 6:10
Landon Saenz 26 yard pass from Culwell (Salazar kick) 2:40
Hayze Hufstedler 40 yard Culwell pass (Salazar kick) 2:00
Q2
Logan Gray 5 yard pass from Avian Cruz (run failed)
Hayze Hufstedler 72 yard kickoff return (Salazar kick)
Weston Gray 63 yard Cruz pass (pass failed)
Jake Krehbiel 17 yard Culwell pass (Salazar kick)
Andreus Cruz 63 yard Cruz pass (Wesley Cooper run)
Q3
Hayze Hufstedler 8 yard run (Salazar kick) 11:19
Angel Garcia 30 yard Culwell pass (Salazar kick) 8:55
Q4
Landon Smith 6 yard pass from Trace Mitchell (Salazar kick)
GAME STATS
FIRST DOWNS: WT – 19, Can – 17
YDS RUSHING: WT –125, Can – 259
YDS PASSING: WT – 310, Can – 302
TOTAL YDS: WT – 435, Can – 561
COMP-ATT-INT: WT – 23-39-2, Can – 17-25-0
PUNTS-AVG: WT – 4-37, Can – 1-26
FUMBLES-LOST: WT – 1-1, Can – 0-0
PENALTIES: WT – 8-55, Can - 8-85
(click photos to see slideshow)
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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.
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