Bushland’s Baylor King (12) runs away from a Canadian defender during the Falcons monumental 49-42 comeback win at Canadian on Friday night. [Alan Hale/ Press Pass Sports]
It one of the more memorable comebacks in recent years the Bushland Falcons showed a never die attitude erasing a 28-point halftime deficit to absolutely stun No. 2-ranked Canadian in an epic, 49-42, overtime victory at Wildcats Stadium on Friday night.
The Falcons put a stop to the Wildcat’s impressive 16-game winning streak dating back to last season. Ironically, it was Bushland that broke Canadian’s iconic 31-game winning streak in 2016 as well.
It was also the Wildcats first home loss five years since falling to Perryton, 24-14, on Sept. 9, 2016.
This game was by definition the tale of two halves. Canadian (2-1) came out clicking on all cylinders scoring 14 points off Bushland turnovers, while controlling the tempo offensively for what seemed to be a commanding 35-7 advantage at halftime. However, Bushland (1-1) found something in the Wildcats secondary and attacked it starting in the third quarter. Bushland punched in back-to-back touchdowns in the third stanza by Kash Bradley cutting the Canadian lead, 35-21 with six minutes left.
The Wildcats did answer with their lone second half score on a 25-yard touchdown run by Camren Cavalier putting Canadian up 42-21 with 11:52 to go.
But here came the Falcons. Bushland marched right down the field gaining massive chunks of yardage behind the connection of quarterback Brian Marrell and receiver Baylor King. Marrell torched the Canadian defense over the final seven minutes hitting huge touchdown passes to King of 35-yards, 64 yards and the game-tying score of 42-yards with 30 seconds to play that forced overtime with the game tied, 42-42.
Marrell and the Falcons took that momentum into the overtime period getting the ball first, and scoring on their second play when Marrell connected to Hayden Labrier on a 25-yard touchdown for Bushland’s first lead.
The Bushland defense then stifled Canadian on its overtime possession at the 1-yard line to seal the monumental comeback.
The Falcons outscored the Wildcats 35-7 in the second half, and 42-7 counting the OT frame.
A Bushland offense that had yet to find its footing through the first two games definitely came alive with 554 total yards. Marrell, a senior, had a career effort, overcoming some first quarter miscues going 17-of-22 for 325 yards with four TD tosses. He also added 106 yards rushing with another score.
On top of his three touchdown receptions, King finished his career night with five snags for 170 yards, and teammate Carston Fry tallied 86 yards on five catches.
Despite the loss, Cavalier totaled 333 yards of offense for the Wildcats and combined for four touchdowns. Running back Luke Flowers carried the ball 24 times for 148 yards with a score and had a pick six.
Bushland 49, Canadian 42 (OT)
Bushland 7 14 21 7 — 49
Canadian 28 7 7 — 42
Friona rolls over Muleshoe
After a slow start the Friona Chieftains got things going in a frantic hurry to roll over rival Muleshoe at home with a 55-13 pummeling on Friday night.
Friona is off to a 3-0 start to the 2021 season, while the Mules fall to 1-2.
For a second week in a row quarterback Bryan Chavira was masterful with the offense leading a Chieftains offense that put up 514 total yards.
Chavira, a senior dual-threat standout, chewed up Muleshoe tallying 197 yards rushing on only 18 carries with a pair of touchdowns. He also went a perfect 3-for-3 through the air for 46 yards and a score. Running back Mario Bautista added to the big offensive production with 130 yards on 10 totes and two touchdowns. Teammate Jacob Bautista totaled 100 yards of offense with two rushing scores and a receiving TD. Jacob also made nine tackles on defense, three of those for a loss.
Friona 55, Muleshoe 13
Muleshoe 7 6 — 13
Friona 24 21 10 — 55
Spearman’s Brayden Klafka celebrates after a score against Dalhart at Lynx Stadium on Friday night. [Tucker Stroud/ Press Pass Sports]
Spearman starts fast to down Dalhart
The Spearman Lynx came out of the gate for a 14-0 first quarter lead, and were able to make that advantage standup for a 21-7 home win against Dalhart on Friday night.
The Lynx (2-1) suffered some early first half injuries that hampered the second half. But fortunately for Spearman the scoring had been done.
Spearman scored on its opening two drives with the first touchdown coming on the brother connection of quarterback Carson Seaman finding Cade Seaman for a 33-yard strike putting the Lynx up, 7–0. On the ensuing possession, Fabian Hernandez found pay dirt on a 19-yard touchdown run, then in the second quarter Brayden Klafka made his presence known on a 20-yard scoring run.
The Spearman defense held the Golden Wolves (0-3) to 32 yards on the ground.
Hernandez ended his evening with 81 yards rushing with a TD. Cason Mackie added 70 yards on 12 carries.
Spearman 21, Dalhart 7
Dalhart 7 — 7
Spearman 14 7 — 21
Tulia tames Fritch
The Tulia Hornets are off to a fast start to the year and kept the momentum rolling with a Homecoming blowout win against Sanford-Fritch, 51-6, on Friday night at Younger Field.
The Hornets (3-0 overall) offense continues to be on fire totaling 489 yards in the victory led by junior quarterback Travon McCaslin. McCaslin picked apart the Eagles on Friday completing 15-of-24 passes for 261 yards with five touchdown tosses. Brayden Franco was the recipient of six of those, snagging six catches for 67 yards with two touchdowns. Koein Maeda added three catches for 81 yards and a score, while Damian Castillo led a bruising run effort thanks to 135 yards on 15 carries and two TDs.
Defensively, Tulia held Fritch (0-3) to 169 yards. AJ Ramirez led the Hornets with 10 tackles with a fumble recovery.
Tulia 51, Sanford-Fritch 6
Fritch 6 — 6
Tulia 14 27 7 3 — 51
Shamrock stays perfect
Shamrock kept its Irish charm going with a hard fought 42-20 win at Highland Park on Friday night.
For a second straight year Shamrock is off to a 3-0 start. The Hornets fall to 0-3.
The Irish offense stayed hot showing great balance in the victory. Running back Caden Peevy is on a season tear racking up his second game over the century mark this year. Peevy pounded his way past Highland Park for 115 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns.
But quarterback Kit Macina was the story of the contest. Macina used his feet to pile up 230 rushing yards on 16 carries with a TD. He also added 162 yards threw the air with two more touchdowns. His main target was senior leader Justin Moon. Moon made six catches for 115 yards with a touchdown.
Shamrock 42, Highland Park 20
Shamrock 16 12 6 8 — 42
H. Park 6 8 6 — 20
Class 2A
Vega’s Ryan Grawunder dives for extra yards against Panhandle at Longhorns Stadium on Friday. [Johnette Stribling/ Press Pass Sports]
Vega outguns Panhandle in shootout
Not every night fans see a total of 95 points put up in a game and someone still wins by 23, but that’s what the crowd saw Friday night as Vega beat Panhandle 59-36 at Longhorns Stadium.
The Longhorns (3-0) snapped a four-year losing streak to Panhandle with the win.
Vega trailed only once in the game after a Landyn Hack 38-yard touchdown run put the Panthers on top 7-6 in the first quarter.
Vega responded with quarterback Ryan Grawunder’s second rushing touchdown of the first quarter taking a 13-7 lead and never looking back.
The Longhorns continued to go to Grawunder over and over Friday night both on the ground and through the air. The senior dual-threat quarterback ended his night with 8-of-11 passing for 210 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground he accounted for 140 rushing yards on 14 carries and added four more touchdowns to his collection. When it wasn’t Grawunder toting the rock, running back Jose Silerio was delivering. Siero finished off the big night with 123 yards on 12 rushes adding on two scores to the Longhorn total.
All together this game saw 865 yards, 14 touchdowns without a single turnover.
Panhandle falls to 0-3.
Vega 59, Panhandle 36
Panhandle 7 15 6 8 — 36
Vega 13 28 12 6 — 59
Gruver’s hot start continues
Gruver’s home stands were rocking as the Greyhounds blistered West Texas High thanks to a 58-6 win Friday night.
It’s Gruver’s first victory against the Comanches (0-3) since 2014.
The Greyhounds took no time asserting themselves in this one putting up 42 first quarter points. The most interesting part about this was there was not one touchdown scored by the same player in that first quarter. Ridge Holland, Edgar Lopez, Pratt McLain, and Gus Gaillard all scored on touchdown runs as Colton Millsap collected a touchdown pass from Mason Gibson and lastly Saul Chacon returned a 20-yard fumble return.
The Greyhound defense allowed 108 total yards on the night.
Gruver is now a perfect 3-0.
Gruver 58, West Texas High 6
West Texas 6 — 6
Gruver 42 3 13 — 58
Dimmitt takes battle of the Bobcats
Sunray took an early lead Friday night, but Dimmitt was able to score 30 unanswered to take the matchup 31-12 on the road in Sunray.
Dimmitt (2-1) has now won consecutive games for the first time since the 2016 season.
The passing game was rolling for the as Gabriel Ontiveros finished his night with 318 yards and four touchdowns through the air.
The QB had an obvious favorite receiver on the night as Daunte Perez led all receivers with 228 yards and two touchdowns. Ontiveros got his name called often in the running game as the mobile QB led his team in rushing with 11 rushes for 53 yards and another score.
Dimmitt’s secondary was impressive, collecting five interceptions in the matchup. The effort came after Sunray was able to find the endzone twice before Dimmitt could. Sunray led 12-0 after two touchdowns passed by Armando Lujan to Govan Derma and Jimmy Dominguez.
Sunray falls to 1-2.
Dimmitt 30, Sunray 12
Dimmitt 0 19 6 6 — 30
Sunray 6 6 — 12
Stratford landslides Lakin
Code Rinne could not be kept out of the endzone in a lopsided 54-0 victory over Lakin, Kan., on Friday night at E.L. Sam Bass Stadium in Stratford.
The signal caller for the Elks (3-0) was nothing less than impressive. Through the air, the senior went a near perfect 7-of-9 passing with 155 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground Rinne relied on his speed to put him ahead, finishing his night with nine carries for 202 yards for an average of 22 yards a carry and five touchdowns to boot.
Zane Burr added 81 yards on his eight carries. On the receiving end of Rinne’s passes, Dru Jones led the team in yard with a 57 yard completion.
Stratford’s defense held Lakin out of the endzone in the shutout allowing only 104 total yards on the nigh and making an interception along the way.
Stratford 54, Lakin, Kan., 0
Lakin —
Stratford 21 20 7 6 — 54
Wheeler wins in dramatic fashion
The Wheeler Mustangs led for a majority of this matchup, but had to convert late to take the win from Quanah by a thrilling 24-18 count on Friday night in Quanah.
Quanah got on top early, but the Mustangs rattled off 17 unanswered between the second and third quarter to take a 17-6 lead heading into the final frame. The Indians made a charge to take an 18-17 lead late in the 4th.
Wheeler found themselves with only 1:45 on the clock with its backs to the endzone at their own 6-yard line needing one score to seal the victory. It was a big task, but the Mustangs made it happen driving the field all the way down to the Indian 35-yard line before Nathan Rowley found Kamonte Martin for the touchdown with only 14 seconds left in the game.
Rowley was big all night for Wheeler picking up 244 yards through the air on 15-of-23 passing and three touchdown passes. The running game was able to pick up 101 yards collectively to balance out the offense and keep Quanah on their toes.
Wheeler is now 2-1 overall.
Wheeler 24, Quanah 18
Wheeler 14 3 7 — 24
Quanah 6 6 6 — 18
Clarendon barrels over Bovina
The Clarendon Broncos played well on both sides of the ball taking down Bovina 49-7 at home on Friday night.
The Broncos (3-0) defense continues to give opposing offenses fits only allowing 15 points through their first three weeks of play.
With that kind of play from the defense, the offense had to reward them by getting ahead on the scoreboard and that’s exactly what happened. The Broncos were able to put up 21 in the first and tack on 14 in the second to take a commanding 35-7 lead at halftime before putting things to bed in the second half. Jordan Herndon was a beast on the ground for Clarendon picking up 140 yards on only nine carries. Brock Hatley was an efficient passer for the Broncos completing 7-of-13 pass attempts for 103 yards and three scores.
Bovina falls to 1-2.
Clarendon 49, Bovina 7
Bovina 7 — 7
Clarendon 21 14 7 7 — 49
Wellington grinds first win
Not a whole lot of offense in this one as both defenses kept the other from getting anything going. However, the Wellington Skyrockets were able to find some reprieve in the second half coming away with a hard earned 12-0 win against River Road on Friday night at Powell Field.
Wellington finds the win column for the first time moving to 1-2. River Road also is now 1-2.
In toal, this game saw only 305 yards between both teams, 248 of which came from the ground game.
Believe it or not this contest was scoreless at halftime until Wellington found offense in the second half.
As he’s been for the Skyrockets throughout his career, Marc Ramirez was the difference maker in this one. The senior All-State running back led all rushers with 112 yards and a score on 23 attempts in the matchup.
Creighton Killian also had a rushing touchdown for the Skyrockets.
Wellington 12, River Road 0
River Road — 0
Wellington 6 6 — 12
Farwell handles the Hornets
The Farwell Steers once again proved they are a force to be reckoned with taking out Sudan 62-0 in Farwell Friday night.
Corey Stancell was the story leading the Farwell’s offense with 355 yards rushing with five touchdowns on his 16 carries.
All five of Stancell’s touchdowns came from more than 40 yards out.
Interesting enough, the Steers (3-0) did take four shots passing but none successful all of their 522 yards came from the running game. Stancell obviously holds a bolk of that load, but backs like Carlos Castillo do well to compliment this offense. Castillo would tack on 82 yards and a score for the Steers on five carries.
Farwell 62, Sudan 0
Sudan — 0
Farwell 14 28 14 6 — 62
