2017 Pigskin Preview by The Canadian Record

THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2017

Ten years ago, the Canadian football team achieved every Texas town’s dream. The Wildcats completed a state-championship run after defeating Elysian Fields by a convincing 40-25. It’s been a decade now, but the tradition and expectation of ending the season, in December, with a win has only grown four-fold. The Cats came back in 2008, this time down a classification as 1A, and embarrassed Mart 38-7 for back-to-back state championships. They nearly pulled off a three-peat in 2009, before being robbed by Goldwaithe. “It was awesome growing up,” said senior Matthew Lynch, whose father, now Superintendent Kyle Lynch, led Canadian to their inaugural state championship. “I remember every single season. I remember the playoff scores from 2007. Growing up watching the tradition and expectation, that’s really helped me. When we won those two state championships, I realized that wasn’t an easy thing to do. I’ve seen multiple teams

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come through here, one of the best teams in the state, and not be able to do that. It takes a certain kind of player and certain kind of team to get that job done. Five years passed and the Wildcats crushed Mason, 34-7, for their third state football championship. Then, one of the greatest Texas high school football teams in history demoralized Refugio, 61-20, in 2015. Another potential three-peat slipped through the Wildcats’ fingers, when they fell to eventual state champion, Gunter, 44-34 in the semifinal last year. The culture of winning is ingrained in Canadian football now. Ten years might as well be last season. Expect no less in 2017. This season, a ragtag group–led by eight anonymous up-and-comers, with as many new faces as 2016 presented–has a whole brand-new look in the two deep. Canadian will have to find a way to replace 4,515 of their 6,209 yards of offense last

season, 481 of their 577 total points scored, and 142 of their 258 solo-tackle production. But the team is confident and pundits won’t be fooled again, listing the Cats as high as fifth in Dave Campbell’s poll. “I feel really good,” said Head Coach Chris Koetting. “We had so many question marks, and some of those are getting answered. We have pretty good depth at most of our positions with guys that can play. We didn’t know what to expect when we started. Guys are really stepping up, filling roles, and showing us that they can do some things.” In fact, one of the most consistent praises from every coach through two-a-days has been the significant depth displayed by the entirety of the roster, not just 15 guys. “Overall,” said Defensive Coordinator Andy Cavalier, “Our team is probably deeper than we’ve been, since I’ve been here. Not necessarily as talented as we’ve been, but overall, have more guys that are all even and can play. At the beginning of the season,

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we’re going to get to play a lot of kids and figure out who we’re going to be.” “They’re working extremely hard,” said Receivers Coach Jeff Isom. “Something [we] stress to them is, our expectations aren’t going to change because of new faces or experience. The nice thing about here is, from seventh grade on up, we use the same terminology and same drills. I’m looking forward to a good year out of those guys.” So far, the 2017 Wildcats have shown they are more than capable of filling their predecessor’s shoes. In the two preseason scrimmages, Canadian has outscored their Borger and Panhandle opponents 50-12. That, in large part, has been bolstered by the return of 18 seniors—eight with significant experience from last season in various positions. As necessity dictates as well, many of those players have found themselves filling the significant holes left behind by last year’s talented 12-3 squad. Specimens Tyler Richardson (preseason

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All-State OL) and Jackson Anderson head up one of the biggest and meanest offensiveand defensive-line combinations in the state. Not just a strength for the Wildcats, but the absolute backbone. Behind that beefy line, the running game helmed by Alexis Flores and Caleb Martinez is not just a pleasant surprise, but a versatile one-two punch weapon that will wreak havoc on defenses and pick up yards when the Wildcats need it most. That’s not to shortchange the passing game, though. Air Canada lives on in a completely new iteration with first-year triggerman, Casen Cavalier hurling bolts to talented senior receivers, Matthew Lynch and Kelton King. The duo pulled the Cats’ tails out of the fire last week versus Panhandle with two massive catches to tie and win the live quarter versus Panhandle. Lynch and King also specialize as twoway athletes, bolstering a shutdown secondary that has yet to give up a single passing

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touchdown in the preseason. In front of them are experienced linebackers, Wyatt Bishop and Levi Long—a pair of the most fundamentally sound, smart players on the field. Consistent and committed attendance at summer lifts and conditioning has continued to be an integral part of the Cats’ success. “If you just took a break during the summer,” said Bishop, “you wouldn’t be prepared for the season. We’ve had a good count this summer. Probably the best senior count we’ve ever had. We’re prepared to do physical work on the field. When you do that, you win games.” This break, the Wildcat Stadium parking lot remained as full as ever with players adding more muscle and speed, the 44-34 semifinal score still picking at the scab of what could have been—or what should have been, in vengeful memories. For the first time in two years, Canadian is the challenger to the title, not the defender.

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And they want it back. Badly. So much so, that the year’s past scripted answers of, “one game at a time,” and “the next opponent,” have been shredded in favor of, “We want Gunter.” “Bushland, and then Gunter of course,” said senior Levi Long. “We’re hoping to see them deep in the playoffs. That’s our goal.” It would be a semifinal rematch, but to get there, the Wildcats will have to navigate another loaded predistrict schedule, and upend district 1-3A once again, before scratching their way through the playoffs. First up is Bushland, the team notorious for ending the longest winning streak in Panhandle history at 31. Perryton also pulled off a 24-14 upset of the Wildcats on their own home field—something that hadn’t been done since 2006, and their first victory over the Black-and-Gold since 2011. Then, a road trip to an undoubtedly bitter, ninth-ranked Stratford team who has suffered five losses

in just three years to the Wildcats, including a seemingly out-of nowhere upset last season to then 1-2 Canadian, then ranked No. 2 in the state. Canadian then makes a road trip to the intimidating Childress fortress in the first game of district. The Bobcats will be looking for their own revenge after Brenden Wyatt ripped victory from Big Blue’s hands and returned it for a 95-yard scoop-and-score. The rest of 1-3A continues to be Canadian’s for the taking, but then, and only then, can the Cats set their sights on the No. 3 Tigers down south. The Wildcats are still a hard team to bet against, and with the returners making 2017 their farewell tour, opponents will have plenty to worry about, especially if the Cats leave it all.

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With depth being a critical part of the WilWith depth being a critical part of the Wildcats’ road to success in 2017, no position may be deeper than receivers. That’s great news considering Canadian is notorious for airing the ball out. Even better with a rookie quarterback. The backbone of that core will be talented seniors, Matthew Lynch and Kelton King. “Early on,” said Receivers Coach Jeff Isom, “what stood out to me for those guys was how hard they run their routes, how hard they practice—every rep is a game rep, whether it’s a route, or they’re blocking. I’ve been really impressed with those two guys.” Though both will prove to be outside studs in 2017, the edge attackers cut their teeth last season in the defensive secondary, and not always with positive results. “It was my first varsity game,” said King, of last year’s season opener versus Bushland. “Cameron Copley was out with surgery.

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They were expecting me to make that play. I didn’t. If I had just kept that kid in front of me, hit him, given somebody enough time to come over and get him...They beat us by 3 points. That probably shouldn’t have been a 75-yard touchdown play.” But little by little, the newcomers grew into a role that was pivotal in the Wildcats’ postseason success. Lynch (10) and King (4) became the ballhawks the defense had been in search of, forcing nine interceptions in the playoffs, including a game-winner tip-drill into the outstretched hands of King, in the regional championship versus Sonora.. If they weren’t outright stealing the rock away from opponents, they were laying the lumber. Lynch collected a team second-best 25 solo tackles, and King notched 16. Both were team-best in pass breakups, splitting 23 evenly. Boasting a 6-foot wingspan helps, but so does the corners’ training regimen. “It’s the way we’re coached,” said King.

“We’re taught to always run to the ball, and when you get there, wrap up, make a play, start driving your feet, do whatever you can to get the guy down. Our coaches seal it into our brains what to do. They stay and put in the extra work for us so we know what we need to do. If we go out and do what they tell us to, that’s all it takes. I believe our coaches are putting us in the best chance of winning.” Making the transition to offensive playmakers was then seamless. Air Canadian loses 2,903 yards of last season’s 3,493 production. With Lynch and King, that may not matter a whole lot. “I like to throw it to Matthew,” said quarterback Casen Cavalier. “He does a great job of running his routes, getting open when we need him, and getting right where he needs to be—great field vision.” “Casen and I have been friends a long time before they moved here,” said Lynch.

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“I used to go to the Air It Out Camp with him and his dad. We’ve known each other a long time. I’ve caught passes from him for a while.” The two wasted little time showing off the 16-to-7 connection either, as Cavalier hit Lynch for a 70-yard bomb versus Borger that required a little juggling by the handyman. Lynch then caught touchdown passes of 64 and 29 yards versus Panhandle–the latter, a game clincher. “The play worked out perfectly,” said King. “Linemen did what they were supposed to, and Matthew did what he was supposed to—especially when we needed him.” “In big moments, that means the game is tight,” said Lynch. “Our job as seniors on that offense, we just gotta keep the attitude positive. If we get our heads down, the other guys are looking at us. We gotta keep trusting our quarterback, trusting our line, and eventually things are going to come togeth-

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er.” This isn’t a one-pony show though. Not by a long shot. After two weeks of waiting for somebody to become the go-to guy, Lynch’s acrobatics were the final nail in Panhandle’s coffin, but it was King that set up the tying score with a 55-yard screen reception. “We were big playmakers,” said King, after the scrimmage. “If we get the ball in our hands, it’s up to us after that. Nobody can dictate. Watching Manny [Ramsey] and Cameron [Copley], you start doing the things they do. They’re so good, you start learning those habits they pass down.” “Both those guys are two-way starters,” said Isom. “That, by itself, should be a good show of leadership. Both those guys are hard workers. They’ve been around and know what’s expected of them. They’ve seen the last few years, the long playoff runs, and where those things happen is in practice.

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We’re looking for big things from those two guys.” “At the Z-receiver position,” said Isom, “we have Carlos Ochoa. He provides some of that, as well. Good crew of senior receivers.” But that’s just the edge of the sword. Planted firmly in the middle of the field are hidden gems, Trent Evans and Tate Mitchell. Evans is a 2016 letterman while Mitchell will make his varsity debut Friday—hopefully. There won’t be much tape on No. 11 or 5. Both suffered injuries and have been sidelined without much scrimmage time. That hasn’t kept players and coaches alike from heaping praise on the middlemen. “Trent and Tate,” said Isom, “they’re both built kind of the same. They’re both speedy. They’re both quick. They can both stretch the field a little bit.” “Tate Mitchell,” said senior linebacker Levi Long, “he’s a sophomore. He’s done re-

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ally good. He’s a great athlete. He puts in a lot of effort every practice—scout team, first team, he’s done really well. I’m proud of him.” Of course, with the absence of the two predicted starters, Mitchell and Evans, the Wildcats have been able to showcase their depth earlier than anticipated. “Backing those guys up,” said Isom, “Garrison McCook is coming along, and Ethan [Brewster], on the other side, is coming along. I thought they made big steps [in two-a-days] on knowing what to do on every play. Once you get that figured out, then you can cut loose and go harder. We’re looking for big things from those inside guys too, and we get them back.” Brewster was a deadly defensive force for the JV team in 2016, and has showcased superb athleticism in practice, with multiple one-handed catches in traffic. McCook threw the block to spring King free on the Panhandle screen, and to Isom,

that speaks a lot. “It’s always about blocking,” said Isom. “I always stress blocking. It’s such an unselfish thing. It’s something that doesn’t require loads of talent to do. It’s a heart thing—a gut thing. I’m always harping on those guys about blocking. If you’re not willing to do that, you’re playing time is probably limited.” And still, two more receivers have thrown their hat in the ring and will provide even deeper reservoirs for the Wildcat coaching staff to pull from. “Bill and Jack [Koetting] on the outside,” said Isom, “we feel like can provide some really good reps for us. They’re willing to do whatever you ask them. They’re very coachable and physical, too. We’re pretty solid all the way across. This is as deep as we’ve been in a while, seems like.”

THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2017

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THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2017

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Air Canadian might be a misnomer. In fact, Alexis Flores has apparently made it his mission to make it so. The 165-pound running back has patiently waited for his chance to be the guy. Patience is relative. While Flores was “waiting” for his opportunity, he still racked up 537 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 85 carries in 2016. So his sudden emergence as a skillful backfield athlete has come, to no surprise to any of his coaches or peers. “He’s done about how I thought he would do,” said Head Coach Chris Koetting. “Alexis had a really good year, last year. I knew he was a good running back.” “Alexis Flores is going to be a very good running back,” said Running Backs Coach Tim Fletcher. “He’s patient, and sees blocks in front of him. That’s an asset.” Where did he learn that patience? From none other than the Iron Horse and current Oklahoma State safety, Chance Cook. “I would watch [Chance Cook],” said Flores. “He went all-out on every single rep. His run game is completely different. He’s patient with his linemen. That’s something I have taken from him.” Having a 200-plus-pound O-line to run behind helps, too. “Coach Merket always told me to run behind my O-line,” said Flores. “Let them get their blocks settled and just key off them. That’s what I’m trying to do. It’s working out. You don’t take as many blows, but you still have to have the speed and coordination to follow your blocks.” It’s working. Flores has scored in each of the Wildcats’ scrimmages, both for 15 yards, and relatively untouched. That’s because after waiting for his Wall to build, Flores makes defenders miss—a lot. “There’s not that much pressure,” said Flores, “I have a good offensive line I can count on. I’ll trust them.” It helps too that Flores has some backup. Like an encore to Flores’ swan song, thunder to Alexis’ lightning. Caleb Martinez. “Both of them are going to get quality time, between Caleb and Alexis,” said Fletcher. “They both bring different things for us. You get a different pace with Caleb— a run-over-you type of guy. Alexis, you get that patient, shifty runner that waits on blocks. That combination, and the quality of both, is going to be good for us.” “Two completely different running styles,” said quarterback Casen Cavalier. “Ground-and-pound from Caleb and Alexis can outrun you to the edge and beat you where he needs to. It’s great. Both of them too are excellent blockers. It’s great to have the back who can leak out the side when you need him to and get the ball out at the last second.” Oh yeah, Martinez put together a 41-yard reception off a screen, along with a 5-yard rushing touchdown versus Borger, so maybe they’re not too intent on dismantling the pass attack yet. Even better, the senior Flores acknowledges the advantages benefitting an entire stable of running backs. “I’m splitting [reps] half and half with Caleb,” said Flores. “He’s doing a great job right now. Between me and him, we have different things we can show. I think we’ll be good.” It’s more of a certainty than a prediction. “Caleb was going to be a bit of a surprise [to fans],” said Koetting, “but he’s built real low to the ground, he is strong, tough, and he sees the field good. They’re doing a great job.” Worse news for opponents, trying to escape the storm, is that the Canadian coaching staff has found a third running back to blow away defenses. “Christian [Garcia] had never played running back til this year” said Koetting. “We needed another one. We threw him in at running back and he’s a natural at it, too. We’re pleased with our running-back situation.” For linebacker and ex-running back Wyatt Bishop, there was no surprise with Garcia, though it took a little bit of convincing to get the third head of the hydra on board. “I think a big contributor to this team will be Christian Garcia,” said Bishop. “At the beginning of the season, Christian didn’t know if he was going to play or not. Towards the end of the summer, we all talked him into it. He’s been working his butt off. He’s a big guy everyone needs to look at. He’s slippery and got a little weight on him. He’ll be good.” All kidding aside, the Wildcats have never been strangers to the ground game, pounding the turf last season 39 percent of the time for 44 percent of their total yards. “Run and gun,” said Cavalier. “Do what we can to get yards. That’s it.” The fact that the grounds keepers are now made up of three capable backs should be cause for plenty of excitement in Hemphill County, and the barricading of windows everywhere else.

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Small schools aren’t known for bringing around the heftiest guys to the gridiron. That’s bad news for the 10 teams that have signed up to take on the Wildcats. Somebody, anybody is going to have to line up against two of the greatest behemoths in the Panhandle, Tyler Richardson and Jackson Anderson. A combined 12-foot-5 and 500 pounds, the linemen are a quarter ton of power and ferocity that gives quarterbacks, and linebackers alike, nightmares. You read that right. Two-way athletes on the line. “They’re going to do some great things,” said Head Coach Chris Koetting. “They’re two big ‘ol guys that have to be blocked, and they can move some people on offense. Glad they’re on our team.” “Champions have a switch,” said Richardson. “Once it’s on, everybody’s your enemy. Once it’s off, everybody’s your friend. Once you line up, it’s on. I go down, you go down. That’s the way it’s going to be.” That frame of mind has been contagious. Despite the offensive line being one of the newest looks for the Wildcats this season, there hasn’t been a weak point in The Wall, yet. While Richardson, for the third year in a row, fills up the left guard position, Anderson has moved into the right tackle

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slot. “What we’ve come to expect from Tyler,” said Merket, “as much as anything, is maximum effort, all the time. In a drill, team-setting, game, play after play after play, that’s what he’s given us. Anything less than that, and we’d think something is wrong. That’s the effort he plays at. If he gets his hands on you, it’s usually over. We like to run behind him.” Between the two are big hitters Harrison Culwell (RG), Derrick Holdstock (C), and Noah Carter (LT). Holdstock is the only lineman that doesn’t tip the 200-pound scale. If these names sound foreign, they shouldn’t. Culwell was the designated center in the Wildcats’ notorious jumbo package the last two seasons, Holdstock has been in reserve for two-year starter Logan Godino, and Carter was the reserve for the mountainous Marshal Cates. “The experience is not lacking, at all,” said Merket. “As long as they play physical—they’re a big, talented group— there’s no reason why this can’t be one of the better lines we’ve seen here. Their overall athleticism is as good as we’ve had. It’s just an exciting time for me. The physicalness they display every day is very encouraging.” That’s thanks in large part to the veteran Richardson, who has taken on the responsibility of leading the hog mollies. “He’s taken on a great leadership role,” said OffensiveLine Coach Hayden Merket, “He knows what we’re doing

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and leads the other guys. He doesn’t let the rest of them get down. He expects their best as well. He’s a complete football player.” “My sophomore year, I really looked up to Chance [Cook], Tanner [Schafer], and Sawyer [Cook],” said Richardson. “These guys are energetic all the time, they really get after it. If I mess up, they’re really going to rip me for it. One day it happened, and it was time to step up. First game came, I stepped up, and there wasn’t a false step that season.” “This year,” said Richardson, “I asked, ‘What are you going to do now? Are you going to be like Chance and all them? Are you going to step up and lead the whole team? They’re hoping you will help.’ It’s amazing. I’m proud of these guys for letting me help, especially on the line.” Anderson’s journey on offense has been a bit different. After starting last year as the Y-slot receiver in the jumbo package, Anderson made the transition to tackle and has already shown a great deal of success. “He was a good blocker for us,” said Merket. “Now, he’s really learned how to play offensive line. Just now, some of the little things are starting to click for him. I expect in another two weeks, for him to really come on and be a dominant player.” “It’s new,” said Anderson. “Tyler helps quite a bit. He’s been starting since his sophomore year. We just listen to him or Merket if we have any questions. It’s my first year playing

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offense since freshman year, so it’s interesting.” What interests Anderson, terrifies opponents. Through two scrimmages, The Wall has allowed only one sack and served up platter after platter of their favorite food—pancakes. “We do a blitz pickup drill every day,” said Merket. “It’s started to gel where we’re picking it up faster. We’re putting our bodies in the right spot. These guys are going to be able to run block. There’s no doubt in my mind. If we can just have pass protection, you’re going to see a very prolific offense again.” That should be enough discouragement for any opponent, but as if that wasn’t bad enough, Richardson and Anderson head up an all-returning defensive line. Richardson will plug the middle and be flanked by Anderson and Childress-heroic Brenden Wyatt. Between the three, the Blackade defense generated 17 sacks, 63 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. “Big group,” said Defensive-Line Coach Brady, “Bigger than we’ve had in the past. Physical. For their size, move really well. Can play spread teams as well as power football. Pretty versatile guys. First year in a while that we’ve had a core group of guys with a lot of experience all the way across. A lot of reps. A lot of football.” “Brenden Wyatt is a really good athlete,” said Brady. “Better athlete than what he looks. He is a speed end. He can

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play sideline to sideline with a very high motor. Never takes a play off.” “Colton Risley, who’s backing him up, is the same way,” said Brady. “He’s a guy that ran on the JV on all three relays. He’s a guy that’s got speed. Those two guys have got some talent. They don’t look like Cory [Chidester] and Cooper [Trollinger], but their motor’s the same. I don’t see a lot of drop off between them and those guys we’ve had in the past.” And that’s translating to pocket pressure. In just two scrimmages, the Blackade has sacked their opponent a whopping 11 times, including several uncontested blowups. Noah Carter was one, last Thursday, versus Panhandle. Yeah, he plays both ways too. “Noah Carter’s back. He has got some reps and seen a lot of football,” said Brady. “Very happy. I’m hoping it’s going to be a strength for us. We should be good up front.” That physicality has already begun to permeate the rest of the team. “Coach Cav said, ‘We want to be the most physical team that any team on our schedule has played,’” said Richardson. “That’s what got the offensive line like, ‘It’s gotta start in the trenches.’ It’s started in the trenches. I’m starting to see it out on defense with our secondary guys. I’ve never seen a safety hit before, and Matthew came down and made a tackle today. Oh man!” The feeling is mutual among other players.

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“Our defensive line,” said Long, “last year was a great year for them. They’re all pretty big, they’re all pretty darn strong. It’s great for us linebackers because we know the guys in front of us are going to whip their butts. It makes our jobs easier to whip the next guys’ butts. It’s really fun considering our defensive line is pretty stacked.” While Richardson has been a staple and enforcer for the Wildcats for several years, Anderson felt like he had to step up his game and prove his capabilities. “It started last year during summer workouts,” said Anderson. “I saw that I was number two [on the depth chart]. I didn’t take it very well. I just started going hard at practice and doing my best. From there to here, it’s been a journey.” Though both have proven their worth in the trenches, for their senior campaign, the Sons of Anarchy are hoping to turn up the chaos in the pocket. “A lot more of what you saw last year,” said Richardson. “My goal is either to get to the ball or make the tackle so you don’t have to. Make that quarterback feel pressure all the time. Double team, triple team, it doesn’t matter. Move the nose guard. You gotta be a stone in the wall. You can’t be moved.” And somehow, opponents are going to have to find a way to stop that from happening... Or hope for divine intervention.

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Last season, the Wildcats were helpless against a Canadian team looking to get back on the right track after a season-opening loss. Canadian ran right over any purple jersey on track for 218 yards rushing and a 44-7 blowout. Still, the Wildcats righted the ship, went 4-1 in district 1-3A DI and advanced to the area final. This season, River Road might not be as easy an out with returning Head Coach Ty Welps. Hunter Mitchell will take over the Road’s spread offense and will hope to produce more than the 87 yards passing mustered versus Canadian last season. The Canadian defensive line will test themselves against a front weighing in at 280 pounds. River Road is winless versus Canadian since 2004 (0-9). Is this the season the Wildcats scratch the goose egg?

Another 4A rivalry that heated up last season, the Rangers led by first-year Head Coach Steven Coursey not only upset the Wildcats, 24-14, but did so in Canadian’s own house—a feat not achieved since 2006. It was also the Rangers first win over their US 83 rival since 2011. The Rangers were perfect in district 1-4A DII, but stumbled in the playoffs, as they were upset in the first round. Wet weather only helped the Ranger defense versus Canadian, as they held the Cats to a paltry 253 yards and racked up 378 yards themselves. But that team is all but gone. Perryton graduated 24 players and will look to signal caller, Nathan Hugg and running back, Will Cator for yard production. Canadian looks to return the favor from last year when they travel to Ranger Stadium. The rivalry remains lopsided, with the Wildcats boasting a 9-4 record over Big Red since 2004.

The Elks are still good. Really good. But you wouldn’t know it by the 42-14 shellacking delivered to them last season by the then 1-2 Wildcats. The tough-nosed Elks grinded to a halt versus a flashy gold-clad Wildcat team, rushing for a pitiful 45 yards. That night, Air Canadian took off for 412 of their own yards for the fifth Wildcat victory over their despised rival in less than three years. Don’t be fooled though. Stratford enters the 2017 season at No. 9 in the state and returns veteran playmakers quarterback, Kade McBryde and running back, Shay Hess. Besides their loss in the area final last year, only Canadian topped the Elks. This time though, the Cats will have to travel to E.L. Sam Bass Stadium. Can home field make the difference for the Big Blue Meanies?

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Last year, the Lions just weren’t very good. That didn’t stop them from hanging the state-semifinalist Wildcats on the ropes though. At halftime, the Lions boasted a 17-16 lead over Canadian, still high on their Stratford upset, or sluggish from the open week prior. Then, the wheels came off. Canadian scored an unanswered 21 points and escaped with a decisive 37-17 victory. The Lions’ air attack was useless, providing only 66 yards on three completions, while the Black Hawks stole away two interceptions. Meanwhile, Canadian ran up 541 offensive yards. That might not change in 2017. The Lions will lean on 800-yard back, Brandon McCallon. Canadian will also have to avoid Chad Thomas, in the secondary, if they want the same production as last season.

Canadian won’t have to wait to be tested in district. For the second year in a row, 1-3A will most probably be decided in week one when Canadian confronts Childress in the Clash of Cats. Last year, inexplicably, the Wildcats came out on top in the regular-season game of the year—an 18-17 slugfest that took a 90-yard defensive touchdown by varsity newcomer, Brenden Wyatt, and a powerful 37-yard field goal by Corbin Douthitt for the win. Inexplicable because the Cats were outgained offensively 346-196. Undoubtedly, this game put the Wildcats on their path to the semifinals. Could roles reverse this season? Head Coach Jason Sims moves stud wideout, Luke Latimer to quarterback. The Wildcats also have to travel to Fair Park Stadium featuring brand new turf. Canadian is undefeated versus Childress since 2004. Does the record stand, or does Big Blue climb atop the district? Oct. 13 is the date to circle this season.

The Hornets had one of their worse seasons in recent memory in 2016. Canadian didn’t help either, rolling up a 68-6 trainwreck, thanks to a gruesome 394 yards rushing helmed by Alexis “Lightning” Flores. The Hornets run game? A measly 74. Don’t expect much to change in 2017. Without a strong ground game, the Hornets will rely on young sophomore quarterback, Hunter Nicholas to gather yards. The proposal sounds downright delicious to senior heavyweight linemen, Tyler Richardson and Jackson Anderson. That’s if junior scavengers, Noah Carter and Brenden Wyatt don’t get to him first. The Hornets will also have to suffer a raucous Wildcat home crowd. The Hornets have never come close to toppling Canadian since 2004, losing an average 60-10, and allowing 68 points the last two contests. This won’t be the year that turns around.

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PIGSKIN PREVIEW The Lynx have a new captain donning the headset on the sidelines. Aaron Witten, Spearman alumnus, takes over a team that has averaged nine wins a season the past five years, and finished in the area final last year, but was skunked by the Wildcats 52-0 in 2016. He has his work cut out for him. The Lynx will be firing a battering ram of running backs at the opposition. The problem? Canadian has feasted on run-based offenses since the arrival of Defensive Coordinator Andy Cavalier. The Lynx squeezed out 157 yards rushing last year, but were pummeled by the Wildcats’ 291, along with 569 total yards of offense. A turnaround in 2017 is unlikely, as history is decisively on the Wildcats’ side, lining up seven victories and zero losses since 2004, each worse than the last. Canadian has to make the trip to Lynx Stadium though. A crowd clad in purple might be the difference.

The Bobcats were the second team, in as many weeks, to be shutout by the Wildcats, 49-0. Not the best starting point as Canadian expects, potentially, an even more vaunted defense in 2017. At the same time, seventh-year Head Coach Steve Gunter has the Bobcats on an upward trend earning the team’s first playoff birth in 40 years. The Bobcats return near1,000-yard rusher, Jose Salas, who hopes to pick up more yards than the 7 garnered against last year’s Blackade. Defensive back Jonathan Quiroz also returns after touting seven interceptions last season. We will get to see how quickly rookie quarterback, Casen Cavalier has grown when the two face off. It’s a long road trip, but that’s nothing new to the deeply experienced Wildcats, who thrive on long bus rides late in the season. Expect them to take the opportunity to make another statement.

The Hornets still have a lot to learn under second-year Head Coach Duane Toliver. Last year, Canadian wrecked senior night for the Hornets, and Tulia hopes to return the favor in 2017. The Hornet offense was stale on both the ground and in the air, picking up 61 and 73 yards, respectively, versus the Wildcats. They return both quarterback, Shawn Kelley and running back Kye Basaldua though. Basaldua’s claim to fame includes 78 carries in 2016 without a single fumble—a big challenge for the Blackade hoping for 40 season turnovers right before they head into the playoffs (hopefully). As soon as the young Hornets put it all together, they’ll be dangerous, but probably not enough to take down four-time state champion, and reigning Region 1 champion, Canadian.

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The Canadian cross-country teams are ready to make their own run at state. Plenty of talent returns to the regional-qualifying clubs, but an influx of new runners eager to contribute on varsity promises the chance to push the teams back to round rock. Last year, Canadian’s season fell just short of the promised land. The Wildcats were just 76 points shy of qualifying for the second year in a row, losing out to Tuscola Jim Ned’s 196. The Lady Cats were 290 points away from qualifying themselves, but that was without big-time distance runner Kali Wagner. The then-sophomore suffered a leg injury that ended her hopes of serious individual state contention, but now she’s back and ready to pound the pavement for another shot at Round Rock. “Last year, I hurt my knee,” said Wagner. “Just building my quad back up. I’m not as strong as I was last year, so my goal is to get as strong, and even stronger. I’m ready to run!” She’s already had her chance to show her stuff, too. On Saturday, the Lady Cats traveled to Canyon to run in the Canyon Relays. “This is a different format for a cross-country meet,” said Head Coach Kevin Richardson. “It is a relay where all teammates run a mile and a half and then handoff to their teammate. I like this early-season meet to see where we are conditioning wise.” The Lady Cats didn’t disappoint as Salym Cook, Emma Key, Kali Wagner, and McKenna Cavalier finished 10th out of 20 competing teams with a time of 43:25. “We ran some good times individually,” said Richardson. “We wanted all of our runners to be around or under 11:00, and we all reached that goal.” “Emma Key and Salym Cook,” said Wagner, “they’re right up with me. Emma Key has been out front. [She’ll] be a really good asset to our team.” Along with those frontrunners, Abby Black, Maddie Spence, Parker Lee, and Emily Alexander join the team. “There’s several new [girls] trying this,” said Wagner. “We’re a pretty big group this year.” “They’re doing really well,” said Wagner. “Abbi Black has been keeping up. Emily Alexander will stay up with us. They’re doing great. A lot of the freshmen are all doing great.” “We have some depth as a team, which is very encouraging,” said Richardson. “We just need to keep training and peak at the right time and believe in our training. We know what we have to do to win district and to advance to regionals. We have the talent to do well as a team.” The Wildcat cross-country team will look to win in a similar fashion. “We have freshmen that are hopefully going to offer a lot of potential for us,” said junior Jace Belk. “The people we have from last year have quite a bit of experience. We’ll run good this year and have a better chance at going through regionals.” Canadian will have to find a way to do that despite losing three key contributors from 2016—Trae Dwyer-Krehbiel to graduation, and Jeremiah Martinez and Trey McPherson to transfer. That hasn’t slowed down the potential for the Black-and-Gold this fall. Along with leader Belk are returners Landon Galla, Sawyer Landry, and Meyer Ray Ancira. Freshmen Rylun Clark and Ivan Robledo also hope to have an immediate impact. “The first two weeks,” said Belk, “[Coach McCook] doesn’t push us too hard. He lets us work into it a little bit, but he doesn’t let us do less than what’s expected of us. We never have a problem motivating each other, or pushing ourselves. We’re always going hard in practice.” The Wildcats will begin their season on Saturday, when they travel to the Borger Invitational. The Lady Cats return to action, along with the boys, Sept. 9 at the Perryton Invitational. The following Saturday, Sept. 16, you can catch the Cats in their hometown run here in Canadian. District is scheduled for Oct. 9, in Spearman, Lubbock regionals, Oct. 23, and state, Nov. 4. “We can make it,” said Wagner. “I don’t want to say I know we can make it, but I feel like we have a really good chance to make it all the way to state. We just need to work hard and focus all our attention into making it there. We can do it, we just have to peak at the right time.”

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THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2017

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The linebacking core might be the most deceptive bunch on the field for Canadian. The crew that averaged an intimidating 216 pounds last season weighs in at a staggering 155 pounds this year. Along with the 61 missing pounds, the Wildcats lost their tackle-for-loss leader in Holton Hufstedler. What to do? The answer was clear. Move 160-pound tackle, Levi Long, into the mike position, and let the bull terrier Wyatt Bishop do his thing in the middle. That’s right. Canadian boasted a buck-fifty defensive tackle last season to great success. Long collected 15 tackles for loss and a sack, despite missing nearly all of predistrict. For him, the move to linebacker has been a fluid conversion. “I already know the defense pretty well just from playing on the line,” said Long. “Moving to linebacker wasn’t too hard. The only difference is, the guy I’m going against is 5 yards ahead of me instead of right there. I also have experience with my handwork.” He certainly fits the speed and style a lot more in that seat. “Linebacker has been pretty darn fun,” said Long. “Sometimes, I go down as a D-lineman, so I’m kind of like a hybrid. It’s fun both ways.” Meanwhile, Bishop had a more harrowing journey to the top of the pack. “Going into my sophomore year,” said Bishop, “I played on the JV Gold team. That’s the worst of the two. Then, in my junior year, Holton Hufstedler got hurt in the first scrimmage versus Borger. That gave me a chance to prove what I had on the field. Once I got that chance, I became the player I am today.” In fact, it was in the season opener versus Bushland that people began to take notice of the Bull Terrier. After starter Julian Vigil went down with an injury, Bishop was thrust into the spotlight of a hotly-contested game. Time and time again, the Falcons tried to bully their way towards Bishop, and time and time again, Bishop shut them down, biting hard and refusing to let go until the ball carrier toppled. Bishop was relentless, to the tune of a team-high 18 tackles, three of them for loss. Then, he kept doing it, collecting a team second-best 176 tackles, 27 for a loss, and a third-best seven sacks. “Wyatt had a jillion tackles last year,” said Head Coach Chris Koetting. “Levi, he’s in a new position, but he can run and is doing a really good job. They don’t scare you when you just look at them, but they are players. They run to the ball and tackle—they are relentless. Great kids too.” Koetting is right. The pair aren’t the two most imposing players on the Wildcat roster, but play the enforcer role on the field. The formula is simple. “Defense wins games,” said Bishop. “Coach Cav is one of the best coaches I’ve ever known. He makes us run to the ball every time. We’re physical, and if you’re not, you get benched. That’s how it is. The competition is to be the first one to the ball. If every guy is trying, we’ll be good at defense.” “Coach Cav has a great mind,” said Long. “This year, we’re trying to be the most aggressive and intense team on the field versus every opponent we play. We want the other team to know we’re going to be the most aggressive and intense the whole game. All four quarters, all out.” And the two smallest starters, might be the most proficient at this philosophy. “They certainly have some disadvantage, physically,” said Defensive Coordinator Cavalier. “It’s really something that’s internal. As a coach, you try to stoke that desire, encourage and inspire, but in the end, it’s gotta be something that drives a person to try to win the play. Some people have a knack for playing football. Wyatt Bishop is one of those that, a majority of snaps, he’s going to end up wherever the football is, somehow. Sometimes, I don’t even know how. But he does.”

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“He’s fun to coach because it’s very important to him,” Cavalier said. “He’s fearless. His effort is extremely high. He studies. He’s always asking questions and trying to put himself in a position to know where to go and what to do. When you’re coaching players like that, it makes coaching very fun and a lot easier.” “It’s physical,” said Bishop. “I wasn’t blessed with the size, and I wasn’t blessed with the weight to overcome that. When you’re a small guy, you have to be the most physical one on the field. If you’re not, you won’t ever play. I learned that my junior year.” The goal for all that aggression? Forty turnovers. It’s been repeated in camp throughout two-a-days. Forty is the magic number for returning to that magical promised land in Arlington. “In 2014,” said Long, “our first state championship run, we had 42 turnovers. Our second state champion run we had 39 turnovers. Last year, we had 32 and made it to the semifinal. Forty’s the special number. If we get to 40, we’ll be in the state championship round. Every game, every practice, that’s our goal. Just keep ripping that ball out and be relentless every play.” And the Wildcats work on it. Every day is spent with drills emphasizing removing the ball from the clutches of the opponent, and taking it for yourself. “It’s something Coach Cav wanted to stress this year,” said Defensive Line Coach Morgan Brady. “It’s something you’ve got to practice. You can’t preach turnovers without practicing turnovers. We do circuits every week. We stress about it in team, ripping the ball out. If you watch practices, we not only focus on drills about getting the ball out, but in team sessions, you’ll see kids ripping and trying to get the football out.” “It’s gotta be a mindset,” Brady said. “It’s gotta be something you preach, but it’s also gotta be something you practice every single week. You can’t expect a kid to do something he’s not practicing. You gotta give him reps, make him feel comfortable, and teach him how to do it. We incorporate it into everything that we do.” Chances are, it’s going to payoff. Assisting Long and Bishop in their quest for 40 is a slew of talent, clamoring for the chance to be named starter on Friday night, including Tate Mitchell, Trent Evans, Luis Vera, Caleb Martinez, Christian Garcia, and Bill Koetting. “They’re very unproven,” said Coach Cavalier, “so we were very anxious to see what they would be able to do out there. When Tate got hurt early in the [Borger] scrimmage, that forced Bill [Koetting] into playing a lot. He played as much in that scrimmage as anybody on the field, and did an excellent job. That was great for us to see Bill in that situation. Bill weighs about 100 pounds, and he was going up against some solid guys and holding his own. Never got knocked off the ball, and played really physical.” Along with Koetting, Vera, Martinez, and Garcia have all shown they’re capable of clogging running lanes, dropping back into coverage, and laying the lumber on scrambling quarterbacks. “When you have guys that are smart, and can adjust, figure things out, and play extremely hard,” said Cavalier, “it usually leads to success.” As for personal goals, Wyatt and Long like to keep it pretty simple. “I want solo tackles,” said Long, “but then assisted tackles. I want to be on every single tackle I can. Just help out my team, push that ball back, every single yard counts. Get on that pile and start driving. Solo tackles, assisted tackles, and maybe an interception every now and then would be nice, too.” Here’s to two interceptions a game with a trip to AT&T Stadium.

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THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2017

The quarterback lineage for Wildcat football has been an impressive one. The next in line to take the helm of the Panhandle spread flagship is no different. Though only a junior, Casen Cavalier has earned the respect of his peers and coaches as a leader who can be counted on when the team needs him the most. It’s in his blood. Casen is the son of celebrated coordinator, Andy Cavalier—a quarterback himself for the Pampa Harvesters in 1991. His brother, Tony, was also a signal caller. So No. 16 has the pedigree. Perhaps an even more refined one, if his dad is to be believed. “First of all,” said Coach Cavalier, “Tony was way better than me and so is Casen. I’m glad about that!” It might be because of his father’s teachings, though, that the Wildcats have a talented six-shooter in the saddle. Playing for your dad isn’t always the easiest task asked of a quarterback. “My dad coached me in high school,” said Coach Cavalier, “and here I am coaching Casen. You figure out pretty quick—and I was able to council him about this before he was in this position—when you’re the coach and a parent, it’s difficult to praise your child in front of those others and not feel guilty. I’m always wrestling with that. It’s a lot easier for me to be hard on him and criticize him in front of his peers, than it is to praise him. I’ll tell him ‘good job’ when we’re at home, but out here, it’s going to be coaching the mistakes.” “You gotta be tough,” said Cavalier. “They’re going to coach you hard. When the going’s good, it’s all good for you, but when it’s bad, everyone blames you. You gotta be tough and fight through that mentally and physically. It’s more of a mental game than anything.”

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But when it comes to reading defenses, no quarterback in the region can be better prepared than Cavalier. “Being a quarterback,” said Coach Cavalier, “You just coach them on, play the next play. The presnap things to be looking for, coverages to understand, things like that. Just do your best every play and be ready for the next one—good, bad, you’re the quarterback, and you have to be the face that everyone can look to and know we’re okay.” “It definitely helps to have [Coach Cavalier] say, ‘This is what they’re going to do. I know this is what they’re going to do. I’ve studied what it is they’re going to do,’” said Cavalier. “It helps me to go out there with confidence every week and know what’s going on.” Cavalier is built different than Wildcat fans are used to seeing under center. While Ben Arbuckle, Tanner Schafer, and Corbin Douthitt boasted 6-foot-plus heights and lean frames, Cavalier is thick muscle compressed into a 5-foot-11 frame. While leading the JV Black team to undefeated seasons in 2014-15, Cavalier was an enforcer at safety as well. A physical beast, No. 16 averaged over 5.8 yards per carry in 2016. But don’t expect Air Canadian’s game plan to change any time soon. “It’s like it has been every year,” said Cavalier, “We have a pretty good offensive line. A lot of time to throw. In the Borger scrimmage, I didn’t get touched once. I had all the time in the world to throw. It’s great. We’re going to be able to rely on throwing the ball, quite a bit.” So far, Cavalier’s lived up to his word. He’s thrown three bombs to Matthew Lynch (70 yds, 64 yds, 29 yds) and utilized screens to Kelton King (55 yds) and Caleb Martinez (41 yds) for beefy gains. The bright spots have been dimmed only by a single inter-

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ception and sack. “As a coach,” said Coach Cavalier,” I feel like Casen is a good kid and a good leader to point towards and have in your program. He’s always going to work really hard, he’s always going to make good decisions, and be a kid you can point others to.” “I also feel like as a coach, we have to get better at the quarterback position,” said Coach Cavalier, with a chuckle. “He’s very unproven. As we progress through the season, much as Corbin did, and Tanner, and all the quarterbacks that came before him, get better and be at your best when the season is on the line.” Cavalier has taken pointers from those greats, even working out with Schafer this offseason. “Patience,” said Cavalier, of what he’s learned from past quarterbacks. “You can’t force anything that’s not there. On JV, you can wait for people to get open, but once you get on varsity, you gotta see it happening. Watching Tanner, he never threw a bad ball. Never. I got to work with him a little this summer. That really helped, and hopefully I can get it done this year.” Head Coach Chris Koetting isn’t too worried. “He’s going to be just fine,” said Koetting. “He’s going to do a good job. Overall, I’ve been very pleased with him, and he’s just going to keep getting better. I worried about how he’d handle the pressure of being the quarterback and everything. Shoot, he’s done great.” This Friday, Cavalier will officially be the guy leading the offense onto the field, and that pressure becomes real. “I’ll be a little nervous and anxious,” admitted Cavalier, “but I know I have guys out there that will block their butts off for me. I’m pretty excited.”

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Left to right: Hayden Merket, Andy Cavalier, Chase Palmore, Chris Koetting, Jeff Isom, Tim Fletcher, Morgan Brady

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THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2017

Canadian had one more shot to get everything straightened out before it begins to count. Last Thursday, the Wildcats hosted the Panhandle Panthers in the final scrimmage of the season. After an ugly showcase in 2016, the Black-and-Gold wasted no time getting after their purple foe, crushing the Panthers 44-6. Starting on defense, the first and secondstring Wildcats gave up a combined two first downs, thanks to tackles for loss by Luis Vera (2), Cutter Kelton, and Kyler Collins. The first team had a field day in the pocket, with Tyler Richardson and Noah Carter laying some monstrous hits on the Panhandle quarterback. Colton Risley gave a big hit of his own on the Panther playcaller, forcing a fumble, while Baylor Campbell snagged an interception caused by mounting pressure via the Blackade defensive line. “I was really pleased with tonight, and how we did,” said Head Coach Chris Koetting. “Our defense was extremely physical and getting after it.” Then, the offense got to work. After struggling to score at will versus Borger, Air Canadian went red hot versus the Panthers during the set 15 plays. Alexis Flores opened the drive with a 23yard off-tackle run. Sub in Caleb Martinez, who was good for a 24-yard screen pass the very next play. Open up the field a little more, as Casen Cavalier connected with Matthew Lynch on a 17-yard dig. Six yards, and one rollout later, Cavalier found backup, Garrison McCook for 6. In 15 plays, Panhandle managed to move the ball

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10 yards, once. In four, Canadian hit pay dirt. Turn it around, and in another four plays, Cavalier locked onto Lynch via another dig. This one—thanks to big blocks by McCook and Bill Koetting, and a little juke by Lynch on the final defender—went for 64 yards and 6 more points. Another touchdown was set up after 38 more yards rushing by Alexis Flores and a 31-yard contested bomb on a go to—you guessed it—Matthew Lynch. Flores finished the drive with a 17-yard dive, untouched. The second-string defense was just as deadly. Set up with a 35-yard reception by Ethan Brewster, backup triggerman, Grant McCook kept the handoff on the option, fooled all but three defenders, juked them hard, and scored from 22-yards out. Christian Garcia took a pitch 17 yards upfield before Jack Koetting reeled in the 27yard fade down the sideline, to effectively make it 30-0 headed into the live quarter. “Overall, we played way better,” said Kelton King. “We played way more physical than [versus Borger]. We executed better. Didn’t have little penalties during drives that shut us down. I feel like that was the key today.” But things began to fall apart in the live 12 minutes. Though the defense forced a three-andout on three consecutive drives—including a freakish 10-yard sack by Jackson Anderson, and a big-hit tandem by linebackers, Ethan Brewster, Levi Long, and Luis Vera for a 5-yard loss–the Wildcat offense was equally struck null and void. “The bottom line was they couldn’t run their normal defense,” said Koetting, “so

they just started lining everybody up and bringing them. That was not something that we had really worked on. I feel certain that if we had some time to work on that look, we’d have been better prepared and executed a little better. They put some pressure on, but they had to because they weren’t having any luck with anything else.” Then disaster struck as a 9-yard sack gave way to an unfortunate fumble that bounced its way into the hands of a linebacker, who ran freely in for a defensive touchdown. The Panhandle sideline whooped and hollered, but enough was enough. On the ensuing offensive play, Cavalier got the ball to King on a screen that turned into 55 yards. “A little jail screen,” said King. “We didn’t know if we would even run it, just because of the way they play—press and outside. I think Coach Koetting called it just to see what would happen. I felt the kid on me, and I felt Garrison [McCook] make a good block. I caught it, made a cut, bounced to the outside, and went on from there.” From there, Martinez pounded the turf the final 15 yards and bulldozed the lone defender in his way at the goal line. Garrison McCook lined up the extra point, and where the Panhandle kicker pinged the upright, McCook split the posts perfectly. “As far as kickers,” said Special Teams Coach Brady, earlier in the week, “we’re still trying to figure out some guys. We’ve started early in identifying that guy. We’ve got a few guys that we feel good about. We’ll keep letting them compete and, as we get into Bushland week, we’ll make that decision.” Another defensive stop, and Cavalier

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and Lynch connected two more times for a combined 56 yards—the second, a 29-yard touchdown just past the outstretched fingers of the diving Panther secondary. McCook tacked on another extra point, and the Wildcats were assured of their victory. It was a big moment for the fresh-faced team, even if it came in a scrimmage they were previously dominating. “Through the 15 plays, we were feeling pretty good, moving the ball pretty good, really good on defense,” said Lynch. “We knew we had to keep the energy up. We went into the full quarter, and it just felt like they were outplaying us on offense. The fix to that was to get the energy back. Defense did a great job. We held them every time. Once Kelton got that long, big play, everything started coming together. We had it going.” It also answered the question of who was going to step up to provide some much needed receiving insurance when the time calls. “We needed some big plays right there,” said Koetting, “and both of them got ‘em. A screen to Kelton, and he took it way down there, then Matthew late on that post route—unbelievable catch and a good throw by Casen. He reached out and grabbed that thing. It’s great to see those guys stepping up.” “We all feel like we did really good,” said King. “We came out with a lot more energy than we did at Borger. We’re at home, first time our fans have gotten to watch us play. We didn’t want to let them down. They came out to support us.”

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Fans couldn’t ask for a better game to open the season. On Friday, the No. 5 Canadian Wildcats will defend their home turf, and look for redemption, versus their 4A rival, Bushland. Last season, the Cats and Birds got after it, in a haymaker main event of opening weekend that finished with a 38-35 Falcon win. The teams traded mighty blows that brought the game down to the wire, though you wouldn’t have known it by the first quarter. Bushland set the tone with an 82-yard touchdown, but was answered by two unanswered field goals and touchdowns. “That was a crazy game last year,” said Wildcat Head Coach Chris Koetting. “About that first quarter, I thought we might blow them away. I look up in the second quarter and think we may get blown out. Had a delay, came back, and had a chance to go win it. It’ll probably be another wild game again.” Bushland scored their own 24 unanswered points over the next two quarters. By the time the Canadian offense sputtered to life, it was too late, and the Falcons had halted a Panhandle record-tying, 31-game win streak. And a Wildcat never forgets. “It was tough to swallow that, last year,” said defensive end Jackson Anderson. “It was disappointing. I felt like I let some of those older guys down.” “Last year,” said linebacker Levi Long, “Bushland left a nasty scar on every single person on this team.” “We didn’t get the job done last year,” said Matthew Lynch. “A lot of guys still remember the feeling of walking off that field and sitting in that locker room. We did good,

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it just wasn’t enough. We know what it takes to get that job done. We really want to come out here and beat ‘em. Plain and simple.” The grudge is unanimous. Every Canadian player wants a piece of Bushland. Passing around a football at practice with the numbers “38-35” written boldly on it has only stoked the fire. Canadian will have their work cut out for them. The Falcons return dual-threat senior quarterback, Colton Moore, who passed for 322 yards against last year’s defense. “Colton is highly touted with his running and throwing ability,” said Bushland Head Coach Jimmy Thomas, “but he has the mental part of it down, as well. He reads defenses well. We’re giving him a lot more things to control. I’m really excited to see what he can do.” Last season, it was five touchdowns for over 25 yards, three for more than 65. He’ll have a beefy target return in Gage Climer who has added muscle to boost his potency. “He’s a fast-track guy, always has been,” said Thomas. “Now, what you get is that on a 185-pound frame. He’s coming in bigger and stronger this year. You can definitely see a difference in him high-pointing some balls. Added strength for him is huge.” Both teams will feature senior offensive lines with only a single returning starter. For Canadian, it’s Tyler Richardson. For Bushland, James Dockins, both left guards. “I have a whole new offensive line,” said Thomas. “That’s going to be a key piece of the puzzle for us. We have a senior offensive line, just not a whole lot of experience.” What that means for fans is the chance to witness another 900-plus yard game.

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That’s where the defense comes in, and Bushland feels confident about what they bring to the table. “Most football games come down to explosive plays and turnovers,” said Thomas. “We’ve been preaching to our kids that we have to get better defensively, and that’s what we’ve been pleased about with our two scrimmages. Our kids are flying to the football, and that’s going to be a key to our defense.” Linebacker Trent Welch will step up for the Falcons, this season, after being sidelined in the first quarter of last year’s contest with an ACL injury. The Blackade will depend heavily on an experienced defensive line to take advantage of a raw front to create pressure on Moore. They might have to do it without stud Brenden Wyatt who has been sidelined the last week for precautionary reasons. The real question is whether secondary stars Matthew Lynch and Kelton King can maintain coverage on Climer and three new receivers. For King, it feels personal. “I’m not afraid of any of us getting beat,” said King. “One of our big deals is when they catch the ball, break down, and tackle. That way, those little plays don’t turn into big plays. It happened to me last year. They scored a 75-yard touchdown on a 5-yard hitch route just because I didn’t break down, and I ran up there all crazy. We can maintain them, and keep them in front of us, but in the secondary, that’s our deal, not overreacting.” “We can’t come out slow,” said Lynch. “I know we’ll have high intensity. It’s going to be awesome in this atmosphere. We just have to keep our nerves calm, come out,

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and play our game. It’s nothing special. Just come out, make big plays, and not let them have big plays. Recover when they do.” Regardless of the outcome, fans are promised an explosive game to open the 2017 season, something a lot of communities will be missing out on Friday. “I feel about 10 years older every year,” said Thomas. “It’s a friendly rivalry. The fun thing is, you get to play football. Don’t take anything for granted. There’s about a third of the kids in the state of Texas that aren’t going to have their opening night because of the flood. You never know when this game will be taken from you. What we get to do is a blessing on Friday. We just have to go and take care of business.” “They’re going to be good,” said Koetting, “as good as anybody we play in the first 10 games. The lights and scoreboard come on and somebody’s gonna win, somebody’s gonna lose. We’re glad to be at our house first game. I’m just ready for it to be here.” “There’s not a secret,” said Thomas. “They’re going to come out throwing punches and we’re going to have to respond. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. We’re going to have to get after them early and make sure we have a good start.” Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm at Wildcat Stadium. Keep track of live updates via The Record’s social media profiles @CrecordSports. You can listen to the game live via the Canadian Sports Net app, and Fox Sports Southwest will give live looks at the game during broadcasts of Shallowater versus Idalou, and Lake Travis versus Converse.

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There are 30 players making up Canadian’s junior varsity football team this year, and they’re good. Real good. Unfairly good. After running undefeated as seventhgraders and eighth-graders—wait, scratch that. Nix undefeated, more like completely uncontested—there’s a good chance their reign continues as they enter their freshman season, along with a sophomore class that was also undefeated in 2016. That’s not to say there won’t be some learning experiences along the way. “Those freshman,” said Head Coach Tim Fletcher, “they’ve had it pretty good. They’re going to have some growing pains. It’s high school football. It’s a lot different— expectations, effort, you’re coached a little bit harder on everything, and there’s more on your plate... The sophomores, they’re going to lead us through this year and put on their shoulders to get the job done.” The Panhandle scrimmage still indicated

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that any team unfortunate enough to face the Cats this season, is in for one of the most embarrassing nights of their life. The Panthers were victims to a 36-0 demoralization by the Cats. If they weren’t being decleated by roaming gangs of defenders, the purple jerseys were breaking ankles, attempting to tackle some of the most agile 15-year-olds anybody’s ever seen. “Rhett Pennington is going to be really good,” said Fletcher. “He’s going to be our lead guy focusing on defense. Offensively, we put him out at receiver. He’s kind of like a Holton [Hufstelder] in the making. Hopefully, that’ll pan out.” Speaking of Hufstedlers, after exiting last season with an injury, Hayze made his triumphant return to Wildcat Stadium, running through white jerseys on offense and defense like they were wet tissue paper. The JV even features a defensive lineman already making a bid for the varsity squad without a single game in 2017. “Saul Escamilla on the JV,” said Defen-

sive Line Coach Morgan Brady, “a sophomore I’ve been really impressed with so far. That could be a guy in the future that might move up on varsity.” “Josh Culwell at quarterback,” said Fletcher, “he’s had a lot of success. He’ll lead us.” Marksmanship and legs, Culwell has tormented defenses for two years with his versatility, and multiple touchdown passes in Thursday’s scrimmage promised he wouldn’t be letting up anytime soon. He’ll have his choice of targets, as well. “A lot of good receivers across the board,” praised Fletcher. “Twister Kelton, Reagan Cochran, Stephen Pulliam and Gary Anderson are receivers we’re going to look to quite a bit.” Kelton was flat disastrous for opponents last year. If he wasn’t pulling down multiple interceptions in a game, he was connecting with Culwell in the end zone at will. If you’re a fan of hard-nosed, Wildcat foot-

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ball—the kind that’s been played for over a decade—you’ll want to be out at Wildcat Stadium on Thursday nights this season. Homebody fans will have to wait for their first official look at the class of 2020-21, though. The Cats don’t make their first home stand until Sept. 14 when they host the Perryton Rangers at 5 pm. Before that, they will open their season with road trips to Bushland (Aug. 31) and River Road (Sept. 7). “I’ve told these guys,” said Fletcher, “with our tradition, everybody wants to beat Canadian at every level. The target’s on their back Thursday night, just like Friday. We’ve got to come ready to play and get after it.” This group of kids doesn’t know any other way to play football. Enjoy this team for the next four years. They’re undoubtedly something special. The CMS Cats will begin their season on Sept. 14 when they travel to Perryton, and are slated to play their first home game Sept. 28, at 5 pm, versus Pampa.

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THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2017

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