The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team saw their season come a close on Friday in the Class 3A Bidistrict round ofthe football play-offs.
The Wildcats end the season with a mark of 3-6 overall, 2-2 in district play.
The Wildcats won the toss and elected to go on defense first, giving the Mustangs the ball to begin the game.
Denver City quarterback Mario Sanchez, was able to pick up a pair of first downs to begin the drive for the Mustangs, but the Littlefield defense stiffened and on fourth and eight from the Wildcat’s 46-yard line, Sanchez slung a swing pass out to Michael Fairell, who was tackledby senior linebacker, Chris Brown, short of the sticks for a turnover on downs with 9:57 to play in the opening quarter.
Littlefield took over at their own 45-yard line and on their first play from scrimmage, junior tailback, Ty’Jae Chambers, broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown run to put the Wildcats on the board. A low snap on the PAT was picked up by junior holder, Jaron Cabello, who was stopped short of the goal line, leaving the score, 6-0, with 9:46 to play in the first quarter.
A fired up Littlefield defense came back out on to the field for Denver City’s next offensive possession and didn’t give an inch. Sanchez hit Uriel Rodriguez on a swingpass to the right, but he was stopped for no gain. Sanchez kept it himself on second down a fora few yards, before he was wrapped up by senior defensive end, Gus McNabb, but on the next play, Sanchez was wrapped up for a loss by McNabb, bringing up fourth and eight from their own 27-yard line. Rodriguez punted the ball away with 8:29 remaining in the quarter, giving Littlefieldpossession, at their own 24- line.
Both offenses stalled and were forced to punt and Denver City got the ball back with 3:52 to play in the at their own line.
Rodriguez picked up four yards on a carry up the middle on first down and Sanchez kept it himself on the nextplay, taking it across midfield for a first down at the Littlefield 41-yard line. Sanchez picked up a yard on first down and Rodriguez picked up six more on second down, before being wrappedupby sophomore linebacker, Javen Jimenez.
Sanchez kept it again on third down and was tripped up by senior defensive tackle, Tyree Jones, but not before he was able to move the chains again for the Mustangs. Sanchez’s pass was broken up by McNabb on first down and he was stopped after a gain of one on the next play by junior defensive end, Ethan Garcia, bringing up third and long.
Sanchez overthrew Enrique Banuelas on the far sideline, but on fourth and nine he handed off to Rodriguez, who took off left, then threw it back to Sanchez on the right side, who took it to the endzone for a touchdown, but the play was called back for a holding penalty. On fourth and two, Sanchez’s pass to Aiden Wells was broken up in the endzone by senior, Caden Longoria, however the Wildcats were flagged for being offsides, giving the Mustangs a first down, as the first quarter came to a close.
Rodriguez picked up five yards on first down to open the second quarter, before being brought down by senior cornerback, Xavier Esquibel. On the nextplay, Sanchez kept it, taking it around the left side for a touchdown with 11:32 remaining in the first half. The PAT was good, putting the Mustangs in front, 7-6.
Littlefield took over after a short kick-off at their own 31-yard line. On first down, senior quarterback, Blake Green, caught the defense offsides, and on a fire play, took the quarterback sneak 69-yards for the touchdown. The penalty was declined. Green connected with Brown for the two-point conversion to make the score, 14-7, with 11:15 to play in the half.
The Mustangs responded with a 15-play drive, that was capped offwith a nine-yard touchdown run by Sanchez with 5:47 remaining inthe first half. The PAT was no good, leaving the score, 14-13, with Littlefield out in foot.
Longoria caught a short kick off at their own 32 yardline, where the Wildcats took over on offense.
Three consecutive carries by Chambers had the Wildcats set up with a second and nine at their own 48-yard line. Esquibel was stopped for no gain on second down, but on the nextplay, Green dropped back and connected with Brown on the far side, but he was stopped just shy of the sticks setting up fourth and inches as the Wildcats took a time out to talk it over with 3:04 remaining in the half.
They elected to go for it on fourth down, as Chambers barreled ahead for the first down. After the play, the Mustangs were flagged for unnecessary roughness, taking it down to the 17-yard line. Green picked up four yards on a keep up the middle on first down and Chambers picked up another three yards on a carry around the left side, as Denver City called for a time out with 2:11 remaining in the half.
Out ofthe break Chambers took it down to the six-yard line to set up first and goal for the Wildcats. Chambers capped offthe drive with a three-yard touchdown run up the middle with just under one minute to play in the half. The PATby Brown was no good, leaving the score, 20-13.
A short kick-off by Brown was fielded by Rodriguez, who found a seam taking it all the way down to the Wildcats’ 18-yard line, before being pushed out of bounds by Brown.
Sanchez kept it himself on a run up the middle, taking it down to the sixyard line to set up first and goal for the Mustangs. On the next play, Rodriguez punched it in for the six yard score to tie the game, 20-20, going into the locker room at halftime.
Littlefield got the ball to begin the second halfand was able to drive into Denver City territory, but on fourth and one, Chambers was stopped short of the sticks for a turnover on downs with 7:04 to play in the third quarter.
Denver City responded with an eight-play, 60-yard drive that was capped off with a run by Sanchez for the touchdown. The PAT was good, putting the Mustangs out in front, 27-20, with 5:19 to play in the quarter.
The Mustangs were set to punt it away to begin the fourth quarter, but a bad snap sailed past Rodriguez and rolled out of the back of the endzone for a safety, trimming the lead to, 27-22, as the Wildcats were set to get the ballback.
They fielded the pick offjust inside of their own territory, but would end up turning the ball over on downs, as Green’s fourth down pass hit the turf, intended for Cabello.
Denver City would score 14 unanswered points to close out the game, as the Wildcats fell to the Mustangs, 41-22.