The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team punched their ticket to the Class 3A Division II Regional Play-off game with a dominant, 59-0, shutout over Crane in Lamesa on Friday night.
“I’m just really proud of our kids and coaches, what an effort tonight,” Head Coach Bo Bryant said. “We played hard all night; everybody that got into the game gave great effort on every single play. We have a great group of coaches, who love these kids and put in hours and hours with them. I just couldn’t be more proud of our whole group.”
He added, “Coming in, I wanted to be able to stop the run, they had that back and I thought he ran hard tonight and any time he got going downhill he was tough to stop. I felt like if we could stack the box and get him stopped we would give ourselves a chance. Our front seven or eight guys came out and played lights out and executed the game plan perfectly. We felt like if we could make them have to throw the football we would have the upper hand.”
With the win the Wildcats improve to, 8-4 overall on the season.
Crane won the coin toss and elected to receive to begin the game, but the opening kick-off was fumbled by Crane and recovered by Bradyn Redman with 11:52 to play in the opening quarter. However, the returner was ruled down, giving Crane the ball at their own 36-yard line.
The Golden Cranes were flagged for a false start on first down, but after being moved back to their own 31-yard line, back-to-back runs by Gracin Huertas had them facing a third and eight from their own 38-yard line. On third down, Tyson Brents connected with Lucas Bernard for a first down, moving the ball up to their own 49-yard line. On first down, Angel Reyes carried the ball around the left side to move the chains again for Crane, before being brought down by Redman.
With the ball at the Wildcat 35yard line, Huertas picked up picked up four yards on a run up the middle on first down, but Reyes was stuffed up the middle on second down by senior linebacker, Caden Reyes, and Brents was sacked on third down by senior tackle, Marcquis Rosemond, bringing up fourth and 13 from the Littlefield 38-yard line. Crane lined up to go for it on fourth down, but Brents’ pass to Reyes on the right side, was stopped short of the sticks by Redman for a turnover on downs with 7:47 to play in the first quarter.
Littlefield took over at their own 36-yard line, as senior running back, Ian Mendez, carried the ball to his left for a positive gain. Backto- back runs by senior quarterback, Chip Green, gave the Wildcats a fresh set of downs at midfield, and a run by Mendez on first down, made it second and one inside of Crane territory at the 43yard line. Two plays later, Mendez broke loose up the middle, taking it 43-yard to the house for the touchdown with 6:31 left to play in the first quarter. The PAT from MacDonald was good, putting them in front, 7-0.
Crane took over after the kick out of bounds at their own 30-yard line, but Brents was sacked by junior linebacker, Ben Castillo on first down for a four-yard loss, and a swing pass to Jacob Bejarano on the left side, gained just two yards. Brents was sacked by Castillo on third down for a loss of nine, backing them up to fourth and 23. Brents punted the ball away with 4:22 to play in the quarter, and after a short return from Green, the Wildcats took over at the Crane 40-yard line.
Green’s pass for junior receiver, Zane Champion, on first down fell incomplete, but he went right back to him on second down, picking up seven yards to make it third and three. Mendez took the ball up the middle for a first down, taking the ball down to the 22-yard line. On first down, Green connected with Champion for a 22yard touchdown pass with 3:30 to play in the quarter. The PAT was good making the score, 14-0.
Crane muffed the kick-off, but it was picked up by Guillermo Partida for a short gain, giving the Golden Cranes the ball at their own 35-yard line. They used a combination of runs to take the ball down to the Wildcat’s 16-yard line. On fourth and two, the Golden Cranes lined up to go for it, as Brents moved it across the line on a quarterback sneak, as the first quarter came to a close.
With a fresh set of downs, the Golden Cranes took the ball down to the seven-yard line, before being faced with a fourth and three. They were flagged for delay of game, backing them up to fourth and eight and on fourth down, Brents was stopped short on a run to the right by Reyes for a turnover on downs with 9:32 to play in the half.
Littlefield took over at their own seven-yard line, as back-to-back runs from Green and senior running back, Major McNeese, gave the Wildcats a first down at their 26-yard line. Green and McNeese kept it on the ground moving the chains again for the Wildcats, taking it up to their 37-yard line. After a throwaway by Green on first down, Green hit Champion on the right side for six yards, making it third and four.
Green hit Champion again on third down, as he took it up to midfield, moving the chains again for Littlefield. A combination of runs from Green and McNeese took the ball down to the 25-yard line and on first and 10, Mendez took it up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown run with 6:06 to play in the half. The PAT was good from MacDonald, making the score, 21-0.
Crane took over after the kickoff at their own 24-yard line, but on second and nine, Brents was picked off by sophomore nose guard, JJ Gonzales, who returned it to the Crane two-yard line to set up first and goal from the offense.
McNeese would punch it in on the next play for the two-yard score to stretch the lead to, 28-0, with 4:59 to play in the half.
Crane’s offense took over at their own 30-yard line, but the Littlefield defense wouldn’t budge, as the Golden Cranes were forced to punt it away on fourth and 17 with 3:19 remaining in the half.
Green fielded the punt and took off to his right, cutting it back across the middle for a 77-yard punt return touchdown with three minutes to play in the half. The PAT was good from MacDonald making the score, 35-0.
Littlefield’s defense would force a turnover on downs to close out the first half, leading the Golden Cranes, 35-0.
Littlefield took over at their own 41-yard line, after a short kick return by Nate Castaneda. Mendez carried the ball on first down, taking it across midfield to the Crane 30-yard line for a fresh set of downs. On the next play, Green hit senior receiver, Gabriel Villanueva on a slant for a 30-yard touchdown. MacDonald connected on the PAT to make the score, 42-0, with 11:01 to play in the third quarter.
Crane was able to take the ball into Wildcat territory on their next drive, but on second and 11, Brents was picked off by sophomore, Jayden Barrio with 5:29 to play in the quarter.
Littlefield took over at their own four-yard line, as Mendez carried the ball up to the 13-yard line to make it second and one. McNeese carried the ball on second down, but the ball was fumbled and picked up by Rosemond, who carried it forward for a first down, up to the 20-yard line. Green hit Champion for nine yards on first down and Green called his own number on second down, taking the ball near midfield to move the chains again for the Wildcats.
On second and eight, Green hit Redman for a big gain down the Wildcat sideline, taking the ball down to the 19-yard line to give them a fresh set of downs. On the next play, Green dropped back and hit Champion for a 19-yard touchdown pass. MacDonald drilled the Pat to push their lead to, 49-0, with 3:41 to play in the third.
Crane was forced to punt the ball away from their own 26-yard line on their next possession with just under two minutes to play in the third. Littlefield’s next drive would extend into the fourth quarter, as Blayton Solis opened the final frame with a run for five yards on first down. He picked up another yard on second down, but Castaneda was stuffed on third down, bringing up fourth and five. The Wildcats lined up for a field goal, and MacDonald booted the 23-yard attempt through the uprights with 9:31 to play in the game, and the Wildcats leading, 52-0.
With 1:45 left to play, Huertas carried the ball to the left, but he was wrapped up by James Lockridge and he had the ball stripped out by junior linebacker, Jacob Silvas, and the ball was picked up by senior defensive back, Brandon Marines, and returned for a touchdown. The PAT was nailed by MacDonals to make the score, 59-0, as Littlefield went on to claim the 3A Area Championship.
The Wildcats totaled 411 yards of total offense, including 220 rushing yards and 181 passing yards, while holding Crane to just 92 yards of total offense.
Offensively, Green finished the game 12-14 passing for 181 yards and three touchdowns, while adding nine carries for 55 yards on the ground.
Mendez led the rushing attack with eight carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns, while McNeese added six carries for 31 yards and one touchdown.
In the receiving game, Champion tallied nine catches for 85 yards and two scores, while Villanueva tallied two catches for 67 yards and one touchdown and Redman caught one pass for 29 yards.
Defensively, the Wildcats recorded two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, including a scoop and score by Marines.
The Wildcats will clash with the Wall Hawks on Friday at the Mustang Bowl in Sweetwater.
Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m.