Amarillo High running back Blake Bedwell looks for a hole against El Paso Chapin during a Class 5A Division I bidistrict game at Dick Bivins Stadium on Thursday night. [John Moore/ Press Pass Sports]
The Amarillo High Sandies kept the momentum rolling from their recent District 2-5A Division I title by winning an eighth straight game in a lopsided 44-7 throttling of El Paso Chapin on Thursday night at a crisp Dick Bivins Stadium.
The Class 5A bidistrict win puts the Sandies at 9-2 overall, and earns AHS its first gold ball since the 2015 season. It’s also the first career playoff win for second-year head coach Chad Dunnam, who had been gunning for a gold ball for six years at Dumas prior to coming to Amarillo High.
The Sandies advance on to the area round where they’ll await the winner of Friday’s Crowley-Colleyville Heritage game.
AHS came out guns blazing against the Huskies (2-9). On the second play from scrimmage, running back Blake Bedwell took an inside trap and went 68-yards untouched putting AHS up 7-0.
But the offense struggled their way through the majority of the first half. Back-to-back drives stalled, resulting in chip shot field god by A.J. Villar.
It wasn’t until the closing minute of the second quarter that AHS found the endzone again. That score came on a 17-yard strike from quarterback Will Maynard to Davin Lemmons with 57 seconds to play, sending the Sandies to half up 20-0.
However, the offense found its rhythm in the third quarter behind another big play from Bedwell. The senior broke off a 57-yarder identical to his first TD, extending the advantage, 27-0.
After forcing another three-and-out on the ensuing possession, the Sandies put the game on ice, going on a 10-play, 73 yards march with Maynard scoring on a 2-yard run to make it 34-0.
AHS finished the night with 406 yards — 204 rushing, 202 passing.
The Sandies defense held Chapin to 158 yards
Bedwell ended his performance with 123 yards on six carries with two scores.
Amarillo High 44, El Paso Chapin 7
Chapin 7 — 7
Amarillo High 7 13 21 3 — 44
First Quarter
AHS—Blake Bedwell 68 run (A.J. Villar kick), 7:48
Second Quarter
AHS—Villar FG 23, 11:43
AHS—Villar FG 26, 6:58
AHS—Davin Lemmons 17 pass from Will Maynard (Villar kick), 0:57
Third Quarter
AHS—Bedwell 57 run (Villar kick), 11:44
AHS—Maynard 2 run (Villar kick), 6:29
AHS—Beau Mitchell 26 fumble return (Villar kick), 6:21
Fourth Quarter
AHS—Villar FG 42, 9:19
EPC—Demian Rodriguez 10 run (Irvin Duran kick), 4:25
Chapin Amarillo High
First downs 12 16
Rushing 148 204
Passing 10 202
Total yards 158 406
C-A-I 4-8-0 12-20-0
Punts-Avg. 7-29.0 2-46.5
Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-1
Penalties-yards 4-42 8-52
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Chapin: Jacob Williamson 18-55, Rodriguez 21-88, Michael Smith 3-5, Omar Castillo 1-3, Ian Peterson 1-(-3). Amarillo High: Bedwell 6-123, Taevon Hood 7-27, Maynard 9-35, Levi Slaydon 5-19.
PASSING—Cooper: Rodriguez 4-8-0-10. Amarillo High: Maynard 12-20-0-202.
RECEIVING—Chapin: Michael Hernandez 1-2, Michael Saenz 1-3, Williamson 1-0, Benny Favela 1-5. Amarillo High: Lemmons 4-64, Hood 4-63, Bedwell 1-12, Phillips 1-28, Thomas Terrell 1-7, Peyton Conner 1-28.