Titans Collide with Stunning Results

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: September 7, 2020

Photos courtesy Alan Hale Photography

Iowa Park Stuns Canadian with Fourth Quarter Rally, 28-21

The first meeting of these programs generated statewide interest as both teams have been ranked in the top ten of their classes (Iowa Park, 4ADII and Canadian, 3ADII). The stage was set for a much different match up than the week 1 dominating wins both teams had just recorded.

Strange Beginnings

On the first play from scrimmage, Canadian RB Hayze Hufstedler never got a good handle on a pitch from QB Josh Culwell and when Hawks Carson Stevens and Chance Helton made contact with Hufstedler, the ball came out and Iowa Park recovered on the Canadian 27 yard line. Hoping to take advantage of the turnover quickly, Hawks QB Cirby Coheley dropped back to hit Helton with a pass inside the 15 yard line. But Wildcat DB Twister Kelton made a leaping interception bringing Canadian to the 28 yard line, ending a nearly sure short-field scoring opportunity for the Hawks. Two plays, two turnovers.

The Wildcats went on to settle in with a 7-play scoring drive ending with a 27 yard QB keeper by Culwell. The PAT snap to the holder was high and was snatched by K Edgar Salazar who was unable to make the 2-point conversion. The Canadian defense held IP out of the end zone twice in the red zone and continued to hold off the Iowa Park offense and notched a first half shut-out against a very dangerous squad capable of scoring on any snap from scrimmage. With 1:32 left in the half, Wildcat QB Josh Culwell (10-for-21, 101 yds passing, 2 TDs rushing) capped off an 11-play, 83 yard drive with another rushing TD from 19 yards out. A flea flicker fake PAT play scored a 2-point conversion with Hufstedler taking a toss from holder Twister Kelton, then throwing to an open RB Jake Krehbiel in the corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead going in at the break.

No doubt that the Wildcats felt good about a 14-point halftime lead, but they also know that feeling good about a lead doesn’t win the football game. Even when the Wildcats extended that lead to 21-0 with a 10 yard run by RB Landon Smith and a good PAT by Salazar at 5:34 left in the 3rd quarter, they knew they weren’t cruising down Easy Street.

Both of these teams have a history of overcoming adversity and seizing momentum when it’s needed. As in when you’re 3 scores down, like the Hawks were. Make no assumptions that Canadian had “let down” due to over confidence. This was a hot summer September night that had a lot of football left to play. The Wildcats knew that and certainly a strong and much bigger Iowa Park Hawks team were still intent to protect their own house.

The Aroma of Momentum

With just a little under a second left in the 3rd period, the Hawks began to seize the momentum they had needed in the first half. Hawks QB Cirby Coheley found RB Colin Howard in the week side flat with a couple key blocks from Isaiah Riley and Ty Cunningham to spring Howard loose for the 15 yard TD pass. The PAT was good and Iowa Park had the entire 4th period to work on improving, the 21-7 scoreboard still favoring the Wildcats.

It appeared that Canadian would keep rolling from their own 35 yard line with a 1st down run by Hayze Hufstedler, but the drive stalled out three plays later when forced to punt. Just three plays later, from their own 40 yard line, the big, but speedy, 6”4” 205lb QB Cirby Coheley broke a couple of Wildcat tackles and outrun the rest of the defense for a 60 yard TD on a designed keeper play with 9:06 left in the 4th . The score had narrowed to 21-13 as the PAT attempt failed.

Momentum is real. Sometimes you can smell it like a world-famous BBQ joint. After immediately holding the Wildcats to a 3-and-out on the next series, that momentum BBQ was smelling mighty good to the Hawks. The next 5-play drive started at the Hawks 48 yard line and featured a double pass from Coheley to Colin Howard, who then hit Ty Cunningham downfield for a 40 yard gain. Two plays later Coheley took in another rushing TD and this time Coheley tossed a 2-point conversion good to Kade Thomas. So, with 6:29 left in the game, Iowa Park had tied the game in true rally fashion.

For Canadian, the game had turned from a great effort with hopefully great results, to a nightmare of late game fatigue, bothersome injuries, and the inability to answer a squad of green jerseys pumped up with adrenaline brought on by what has to be described as a good ‘ole fashion home team rally.

The Wildcats next drive ended quickly with pressure on Culwell that forced an intentional grounding call and Iowa Park would start at their own 34 yard line with 5:19 left. Two plays later, Coheley aired out a 65 yard bomb to Kade Thomas. PAT kick was good, and just like that, a true-to-form 4th quarter rally produces the first lead of the game for the Hawks with 4:37 left in the game. The next drive for the Wildcats also ended in disaster, as Culwell was intercepted by Hawks DB Tom Garrett Slack on the first play of the series. Iowa Park made three first downs to hang on and run out the clock, securing their place in history winning the first ever of this series.

Next week the Wildcats will travel to take on the Bushland Falcons, great friendly non-conference rivals. Iowa Park will be taking on Burkburnett.

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

Stats courtesy of Ron Shrader, Canadian ISD

SCORING

1st 2nd 3rd 4th - Total

CANADIAN 6 8 7 0 - 21
IOWA PARK 0 0 7 21 - 28

CAN – Josh Culwell 26 yd run (PAT run failed) 10:03

CAN -Josh Culwell 20 yd run (2-pt conv. Hufstedler-to-Krehbiel pass good)

CAN – Landon Smith 10 yd run (Salazar kick good)
IP - Colin Howard 15 yd pass from Cirby Coheley (PAT kick good)

IP – Cirby Coheley 60 yd run (PAT run failed)
IP - Cirby Coheley 7 yd run (2-pt conv. Coheley to Thomas pass good)
IP- Kade Thomas 65 yd pass from Coheley (PAT kick good)

GAME STATS

FIRST DOWNS: IP – 20, Can – 15
YDS RUSHING: IP –241, Can – 157
YDS PASSING: IP – 187, Can – 103
TOTAL YDS: IP – 428, Can – 260
COMP-ATT-INT: IP – 12-26-2, Can – 11-23-2
PUNTS-AVG: IP – 6-36, Can – 8-35
FUMBLES-LOST: IP – 0-0, Can – 3-2
PENALTIES: IP – 5-50, Can - 5-45

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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.