The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team punched their ticket to the post season with a road victory over the Roosevelt Eagles on Friday night, 33-28.
With the win, the Wildcats finish the regular season 5-5 overall, 2-2 in district play.
The Wildcats totaled 440 yards of offense, including 233 rushing yards and 207 passing yards.
The Wildcats received to open the game, starting their first drive at their own 25-yard line after a short return on the kick-off by Zane Champion.
Senior quarterback, Chip Green, called his own number on first down, picking up five yards on their first play from scrimmage and on the next play, he connected with senior receiver, Eizeah Coleman, on a pass to the right, as Coleman took it past the sticks for a fresh set of downs. Senior, Ian Mendez carried the ball up the middle into Roosevelt territory at the 44-yard line to move the chains again for the Wildcats and three consecutive runs by Green set them up with first and 10 from the Eagle’s 12yard line.
On the next play, Mendez would barrel through two defenders on his way to a 12-yard touchdown run with 10:10 to play in the opening quarter. The PAT from senior kicker, Adam MacDonald was good, making the score, 7-0.
MacDonald would pin the Eagles inside their own five-yard line on the kick- off, but on Roosevelt’s first play from scrimmage, quarterback, Cristian Castillo kept it on the quarterback keeper breaking loose around the left side for 46 yards and an Eagle’s first down at their own 49yard line.
The Eagles used a series of runs to grind away at the clock and on third and goal from the Wildcat’s five-yard line, Castillo kept it himself for the touchdown with 1:47 to play in the quarter. The twopoint conversion run by Rick Perez was stopped by the Wildcats, keeping them in front, 7-6.
Champion carried the ball up to their 28-yard line on the kick return, as Littlefield took over on offense.
Green’s pass on first down fell incomplete after being pressured by Castillo, but he hit Bradyn Redman on back-to-back throws to make it fourth and one from their own 37-yard line. Littlefield elected to go for it on fourth down, as Green broke free for a big run, taking it down to the Roosevelt 21yard line.
Mendez picked up four yards on first down and two plays later, Green hit Gabriel Villanueva on a pass to the right, as he took the ball down to the three-yard line to set up first and goal. Green would punch it in for the three-yard score as time expired in the quarter. MacDonald nailed the PAT to extend their lead to, 14-6.
Roosevelt took over at their own 22-yard line after the kick-off. Cameron Vasquez carried the ball on first and second down, bringing up third and seven and Gavino Webster took the option pitch on third down around the right side for six yards, bringing up fourth and one. Castillo ran the quarterback sneak to convert on fourth down and he carried it again on first down, taking the ball into Littlefield territory at the 42-yard line to move the chains.
The Eagles continued their ground and pound rushing attack, and on third and one from the sixyard line, Castillo tossed the ball to Webster, who carried it around the right side for the six-yard touchdown with just under five minutes to play in the first half. Castillo kept it on the option taking it around the left side for the two-point conversion to tie the game, 14-14.
Littlefield took over at their own 31-yard line after a kick return from Mendez, but the offense would stall. Faced with a fourth and three, the Wildcats elected to go for it on fourth down, but the pass to Villanueva fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 4:07 remaining in the half. The Eagles took over at the Littlefield 39-yard line and wasted no time responding, as Perez carried the ball on back-to-back plays to begin the drive, bringing up third and three. Castillo would drop back to throw on third down, as he found Cooper Bland for the 31-yard touchdown pass with 2:44 to play in the half. Castillo tossed the ball to Webster on the reverse, as he threw it to Jaden Zuniga for the two- point conversion to stretch their lead to, 22-14.
Littlefield took over at their own 23-yard line after a short return from Villanueva. Green hit Redman with a pass to the right for two yards on first down and on the next play he slung it out to Coleman on the left side, who picked up three yards, bringing up third and five.
On third down, Green floated the ball to Mendez on the screen, as he cut it up field for a big gain, taking it up to their 41-yard line to move the chains for the Wildcats. Green kept it on first down, picking up six yards and Mendez took it across midfield on the next play, taking it down to the Eagle’s 41yard line, as Roosevelt took a time out to talk things over with 1:31 to play in the half.
Out of the break, Green connected with Villanueva on a pass to the left to move the chains again, but on the next play, Mendez was stuffed for a one-yard loss, making it second and 11 from the Roosevelt 33-yard line. A pass to Villanueva was deflected on sec-ond down, and on the following play, Green hit Villanueva on a pass to the left, making it fourth and five, as Roosevelt took a time out with 53 seconds remaining in the half.
Out of the break, Littlefield elected to go for it as Green converted the fourth down again, taking it down to the 21-yard line to set up first and 10. Two plays later, Green hit Villanueva on a slant over the middle to set up first and goal and on the next play, Mendez would carry it up the middle for two yards. Green punched it in on the next play for the four-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the half. The two-point conversion pass to Coleman was no good, leaving the score, 22-20, going into the locker room at halftime.
The Eagles got the ball to begin the second half, but the Wildcat defense forced a three-and-out as Roosevelt punted the ball away from their own 48-yard line with 10:44 to play in the third quarter.
Littlefield was able to drive up near midfield on their next possession, but a false start and sack by the Eagles brought up fourth and 30, forcing them to punt the ball away with 8:12 to play in the quarter, however, Mendez’s punt was blocked by the Eagles, as Webster scooped it up and returned it for a touchdown with 8:01 remaining in the quarter. The two-point conversion run by Webster was stuffed by Ben Castillo, leaving the score, 28-20, as the Eagles took the lead.
A series of turnovers by both teams took the game into the fourth quarter.
Littlefield set up shot at their own 23- yard line, as Green dropped back on first down and hit Villanueva on a deep post over the middle, taking the ball down to the Roosevelt 36-yard line to move the chains. Back-to-back runs by Green and Mendez moved the chains again for the Wildcats and after another run by Green went for no gain, Green connected with Redman on a pass over the middle, making it first and goal from the eight-yard line. Two plays later Mendez rumbled into the endzone for a four-yard touchdown run with 6:28 left to play in the game. The two-point conversion pass to Coleman was no good, trimming the lead to, 28-26.
The Eagles got the ball after the kick-off at their own 29-yard line, but they were unable to get anything going and on fourth and four the Eagles elected to go for it, but the pass from Castillo fell incomplete looking for Webster for a turnover on downs with 4:27 to play in the game.
On the very next play, Green tossed the screen pass out to Mendez on the left side, who got the edge, racing down the sideline for the 35-yard touchdown with 4:19 to play in the game. The PAT from MacDonald was good, making the score, 33-28.
Littlefields defense forced a punt on Roosevelt’s next possession and the offense was able to take a couple of knees to ice the game, as Littlefield took the contest, 33-28.
Offensively, Green finished the game 19-28 passing for 207 yards and one touchdown, while adding 23 carries for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
Mendez added to the rushing attack with 17 carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns.
In the receiving game, Villanueva caught five balls for 86 yards, while Mendez tallied three catches for 47 yards and one touchdown, and Redman chipped in three catches for 38 yards. Coleman notched five catches for 29 yards and Champion had one catch for seven yards.
Defensively, Castillo led the team with 25 tackles and a forced fumble, while Reyes tallies 12 tackles and Villanueva chipped in 11 tackles. Redman and Jakob Kirkland each contributed 10 tackles, while Redman added a forced fumble and Kirkland finished with a sack and a fumble recovery as well. Champion and Mendez each finished with eight tackles on the night.
The Wildcats await their Class 3A Bi-district match-up, which is TBD.