Childress quarterback Collin Bishop (15) stiff arms Spearman defender Cooper Campbell during a Class 3A Division II regional semifinal at Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon. [Ben Jenkins/ Press Pass Sports]
Often times the sequel never lives up to the original but Friday nights Class 3A Division II regional semifinal clash at Happy State Bank Stadium may have exceeded expectations.
In a game that came down to the wire once again, the Childress Bobcats were able to gain a measure of revenge from a Week 5 overtime loss, stunning No. 5 Spearman, 27-21.
As bouts of sleet and light rain greeted both teams to start the second half the Bobcats took to the ground game riding the legs of quarterback Collin Bishop and freshman running back Dareon Mathis. Childress took the lead in the third quarter on a Bishop 1-yard score that ate over six minutes of the third quarter, giving Childress a 19-14 advantage. But Spearman answered right back as the gun sounded to end the third on Fabian Hernandez 4-yard run, and suddenly it’s 21-19 the Lynx were in the lead.
With 6:30 left in the game the tides turned once again when Bishop went in for his second 1-yard plunge of the half then hit Avery Jalomo on the successful two point conversion to put Childress up 27-21.
Spearman had one last chance as they took over at its own 16 with 2:35 left to play. Quarterback Jack Wilkerson drove the Lynx to the Childress 22-yard line with 12 ticks left in the game. With both sides of fans on their feet, Wilkerson took one final snap and immediately looked for wide receiver Brayden Klafka in the left corner of the end zone. However, Childress defensive back Devron Sims stepped in front of Klafka for the clutch interception, and sealed the victory with five seconds remaining.
Childress (10-2 overall) get a District 3-3A Division II rematch with No. 1 Canadian (12-1) in the state quarterfinals. That game is set fot 7 p.m. Friday back at Happy State Bank Stadium. The Wildcats handled Childress in the first meeting, 63-13, on Nov. 7.
Spearman ends a great season at 10-2.
Bishop, the Bobcats gritty QB, carried the ball 33 times for 139 yards while Mathis added 94 yards on the ground on 17 carries. The Childress defense held Wilkerson to 8-of-19 passing for 141 yards and two picks, while he carried the rock 15 times for 65 yards. Division I prospect Brenen Thompson had 74 yards rushing and 41 receiving yards, and Klafka finished with 125 yards receiving.
Childress 27, Spearman 21
Childress 7 6 6 8 — 27
Spearman 14 7 — 21
First Quarter
S – Brayden Klafka 66 pass from Jack Wilkerson (Miguel Zamara kick), 11:12
C – Dareon Mathis 1 run (Casear Rojas kick), 3:29
S – Brenen Thompson 9 run (Zamara kick), 1:37
Second Quarter
C – Avery Jalomo 12 pass from Collin Bishop (run failed), 0:31
Third Quarter
C – Bishop 1 run (kick blocked), 5:07
S – Fabian Hernandez 4 run (Zamara kick), 0:00
Fourth Quarter
C – Bishop 1 run (Jalomo pass from Bishop), 6:30
Childress Spearman
First Downs 22 19
Rushing 235 170
Passing 100 186
Total yards 335 356
C-A-I 11-19-1 9-20-2
Punts;avg. 3-30.0 2-33.5
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Pen-yards 9-59 4-40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Childress: Bishop 33-139, Mathis 17-94, Lane Foster 1-2, Aaron Dawson 1-0. Spearman:Â Wilkerson 15-65, Fabian Hernandez 8-22, Klafka 1-9, Thompson 6-74.
PASSING – Childress: Bishop 11-17-1-100. Spearman: Wilkerson 8-19-2-141, Thompson 1-1-0-45.
RECEIVING – Childress: Devron SIms 1-1, Jalomo 3-31, Foster 1-13, Lamont NIckelberry 3-54, Mathis 2-(-5), Michael Rodriguez 1-6. Spearman: Thompson 4-41, Klafka 3-125, Jack Campbell 2-20.
No. 1 Canadian makes it look easy against Idalou
Canadian’s Twister Kelton (3) looks for running room against Idalou during a Class 3A Division II regional semifinal at Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon on Friday. [Trevor Fleeman/ Press Pass Sports]
It was suppose to be a battle between two district champions, and two of the best in the region.
It was anything but.
Canadian turned it on in the second quarter before Idalou knew what hit them on the way to a 56-6 thumping in a Class 3A Division II regional semifinal at Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon on Friday.
No. 1 Canadian (12-1 overall) is headed to the state quarterfinals for an eighth year in a row, and will now take on rival Childress (10-2) at 7 p.m. Friday back at Happy State Bank Stadium.
Idalou, No. 5 coming in, suffers its only loss of the season, ending the year at 10-1.
Idalou tried controlling the ball on the ground chewing up half the first quarter clock before failing to convert on a 4th and four from the Canadian 20. From that point forward it was all Canadian. Two drives later, receiver Twister Kelton took an end around nine yards and Canadian was up 7-0. Kelton scored again in the second quarter, followed by a pair of Hayze Hufstedler scores of four and 24 yards to put Canadian up 28-0 at half.
Hufstedler wasn’t close to done. To open the the third quarter, the bulldozing senior found a big hole and turned on the jets going 73 yards untouched for a 35-0 advantage. Hufstedler finished his day with 13 carries for 189 yards and three TDs. Kelton found pay dirt four times rushing for 52 yards, and catching four passes for 83 yards.
The Canadian defense locked down an Idalou offense that was averaging over 45 points a game and 330 rushing yards per contest. Canadian limited Idalou to one score in the third quarter, only 200 rushing yards and forced five turnovers, including a 56 yard pick-six by freshman Camren Cavalier.
Canadian 56, Idalou 6
Canadian 7 21 28 — 56
Idalou 6 — 6
First Quarter
C – Twister Kelton 9 run (Edgar Salazar kick), 1:06
Second Quarter
C – Kelton 6 run (Salazar kick), 7:58
C – Hayze Hufstedler 4 run (Salazar kick), 2:37
C – Hufstedler 24 run (Salazar kick), 1:20
Third Quarter
C – Hufstedler 73 run (Salazar kick), 11:24
I – Brock Leatherwood 13 pass from William Wall (kick failed), 9:38
C – Kelton 56 pass from Josh Culwell (Salazar kick), 8:51
C – Kelton 35 run (Salazar kick), 6:26
C – Camren Cavalier 50 interception return (Salazar kick), 4:44
Canadian Idalou
First Downs 23 18
Rushing 278 222
Passing 238 77
Total yards 516 299
C-A-I 14-23-2 5-15-3
Punts;avg. 2-40.0 5-37.4
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2
Pen-yards 5-50 3-25
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Canadian: Kelton 4-52, Hufstedler 13-184, Jake Krehbiel 1-1, Culwell 4-17, Luke Flowers 1-15, Landon Smith 4-17, Cavalier 3-(-7), Isay Ramirez 1-1. Idalou:Â Wall 17-96, Jared Jack 7-18, Kelly Koch 6-20, Ryan Lozano 11-51, Leatherwood 9-41, Landin Fulcher 1-(-4).
PASSING – Canadian: Culwell 12-19-1-238, Cavalier 2-4-1-8. Idalou: Jack 0-4-0-0, Wall 5-11-3-77.
RECEIVING – Canadian: Krehbiel 1-23, Flowers 1-14, Reagan Cochran 3-51, Kelton 4-83, Hufstedler 1-12, Gary Anderson 2-47, Trace Mitchell 2-8. Idalou: Mitchell Mangan 3-59, Leatherwood 1-13 Lozano 1-5