The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team took care of business in their district-opener on Friday at home, as they took down the Slaton Tigers, 55-36.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 5-2 overall, 1-0 in district play.
The Wildcats totaled 643 yards of offense, including 300 passing yards and 343 rushing yards.
Littlefield got the ball to begin the contest at their own 32-yard line. Back-to-back runs to start the drive had them facing a third and five, as quarterback, Chip Green, kept himself, but picked up just two yards, bringing up fourth and five from their own 40-yard line.
The Wildcats elected to go for it on fourth down, as Green barreled ahead for the first down, taking the ball to their own 46-yard line. Senior running back, Major McNeese, picked up two yards on a first down run, and on the next play, Green dropped back and him senior receiver, Gabriel Villanueva for a 52-yard touchdown pass with 9:52 to play in the opening quarter. The PAT from senior kicker, Adam MacDonald, was good, making the score, 7-0.
Slaton’s offense took over at their own 38-yard line, and wasted no time finding the endzone, as Jacob Lopez hit Zamion Davila on a screen to the left for a 62-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion pass found Kyndell Mullins in the corner of the end zone, putting the Tigers in front, 8-7.
Senior, Ian Mendez, returned the Tigers next kick-off for a touchdown, but it was negated by a holding penalty, bringing it all the way back to their own 32-yard line.
Green kept it on first down, before hitting senior receiver, Eizeah Coleman, on a pass to his left to move the chains for the Wildcats, taking the ball up to their own 41yard line. McNeese and Green carried the ball on back-to-back plays to move the chains again for Littlefield, and on the next play, Green connected with Coleman, taking the ball down to the Tiger’s 36-yard line.
McNeese and Green carried the ball on back-to-back plays, again, and the Tigers were flagged for a facemask, taking the ball down to the six-yard line to set up first and goal for the Wildcats. Three plays later, McNeese punched it in for a one-yard touchdown run with 7:04 to play in the first quarter. The twopoint conversion pass to Coleman was good, putting Littlefield in front, 15-8.
MacDonald booted the kick-off into the endzone for a touchback and the Tigers took a time out with 7:04 to play in the quarter, before taking the field for their next drive. On first down, Z’Qedrian Whaley caught a pass over the middle of the defense, taking it to the house for a 75-yard touchdown with 6:53 to play in the quarter. The twopoint conversion pass to Daniel Payne was good, putting the Tigers back in front, 16-15.
Littlefield got the ball back, but after taking it all the way down to the Slaton six-yard line, the drive stalled out and on fourth and two, Green was sacked by Jayven Lovato for a turnover on downs with four minutes to play in the first quarter.
The Wildcat defense would tighten up, and after giving up one first down to the Tigers, they forced a three-and-out, as Slaton lined up to punt on fourth down. A bad snap rolled into the endzone and Darion Palacio was just able to get the ball away, as it was downed at the Tiger’s 39-yard line.
Green hit Coleman on a slant on first down for seven yards, and Mendez picked up two yards on second down, making it third and one. Green kept it himself on third down to move the chains for the Wildcats and Mendez carried it on the next play, taking it down to the 12-yard line. Green would carry it into the endzone on second down for the 12-yard touchdown run, as time expired in the quarter. Villanueva carried it around the right side on the sweep on the twopoint conversion try, but he was stopped short of the goaline, making the score, 21-16, as the first quarter came to a close.
MacDonald booted the kick-off to begin the second quarter and it was fielded by Whaley, who had the ball punched out by senior, Bradyn Redman, and it was recovered by junior, Jacob Silvas, giving Littlefield the ball at the Slaton 49-yard line.
Littlefield was unable to capitalize on the good field position, as they went three- and- out. Mendez punted the ball away with 11:19 to play in the first half.
Slaton took over after the punt at their own 20-yard line, and was able to drive down to the Littlefield 17-yard line, before stalling out. They lined up to go for it on fourth and six, but Jacob Lopez was stopped short of the sticks by Redman for a turnover on downs with 6:35 to play in the half.
After a punt by both teams, Littlefield had the ball at their own 22-yard line, but two plays into the drive, Green was picked off by Lopez at the Littleifield 17-yard line with 36 seconds to play in the half.
Slaton took over at the Wildcat’s 17-yard line and Lopez kept it himself, taking it around the right side for a touchdown with 29 seconds to play in the half. The two-point conversion pass was incomplete, leaving the Tigers in front, 22-21, going into the locker room at halftime.
Both teams came up empty on their first possessions of the second half, but after Slaton got the ball back at their own 34-yard line, two plays later, Lopez kept it himself, taking it around the right side for a 60-yard touchdown run with 6:49 remaining in the third quarter. The PAT by Jeremy Floyd was good, pushing their lead to, 29-21.
Littlefield would take over at their own 27-yard line after the kick-off, as Green dropped back on first down and connected with junior receiver, Zane Champion, who took it 73-yards down the home sideline for the touchdown with 6:31 remaining in the quarter. The PAT from MacDonald was good, cutting the Tiger lead to, 2927.
Slaton got the ball at their 25yard line, after a touchback by MacDonald, and they needed just four plays to find the endzone again, as Lopez took a run up the middle, cutting out to his right for a 52-yard touchdown run with 4:52 to play in the third quarter. The PAT from Floyd was good, pushing their lead back out to, 36-27.
Littlefield would get a huge shot of momentum on the next kick-off, as McNeese fielded the kick-off and took it 79-yards to the house for the touchdown. The PAT from MacDonald was good, making it a two-point game, 36-34, with 4:41 left in the third quarter.
Littlefield’s defense would force a three-and-out on Slaton’s next possession, as the Tigers punted the ball away with just under four minutes to play in the quarter.
The Wildcat offense took over at their own 38-yard line, and after a holding penalty on first down, backed them up to their own 28yard line, Green connected with Coleman for eight yards and then picked up seven yards on the ground, but a holding penalty, made it third and 16 from their own 31-yard line.
Green hit Villanueva on a slant to move the chains and McNeese picked up four yards on a first down run, making it second and six inside Tiger territory. Green hit Redman on a pass down the visitor’s sideline to set up first and goal, and on the next play, Mendez carried it in for the eight-yard touchdown run with 1:34 to play in the third quarter. Mendez took the pitch on the two-point conversion around the left side to stretch their lead to, 42-36.
Slaton’s next drive extended into the fourth quarter, but on fourth and one, Zamion Davila was stopped short of the line to gain for a turnover on downs with 11:53 left to play in the game.
Littlefield took over at their own 48-yard line, as Green carried it on back-to-back plays to move the chains, taking it down to the Slaton 42-yard line. Mendez would get the call on back-to-back plays, moving the chains again for the Wildcats, taking it down to the 37yard line.
Green picked up nine-yards on first down, but a throw to Coleman on the next play was stopped for a four-yard loss, making it, third and five. On third down, Green dropped back and heaved a pass down the far sideline that was tipped by the Slaton defender, and caught by Villanueva, who took it in for six with 9:41 to play in the game. The two-point conversion pass to Jose Payan fell incomplete, leaving the score, 48-36.
Littlefield’s defense would force another three-and-out on Slaton’s next possession, forcing them to punt the ball away with 8:22 to play.
Littlefield took over at their own 44-yard line, using a series of runs by Green, Mendez and McNeese to take the ball down the field, capping off the drive with a 26-yard toucdown run from McNeese. The PAT was good, making the score, 55-36 with 4:44 to play in the game.
McNeese would pick Lopez off on the Tigers next drive to ice the game for the Wildcats.
Offensively, Green finished the game, 15-22 passing for 300 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while adding 25 carries for 146 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
McNeese led the rushing attack with 14 carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns, while Mendez tallied 14 carries for 61 yards and one touchdown.
Villauneva led the receiving game with four catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns, while Redman tallied three catches for 75 yards and Champion added one catch for 73 yards and a touchdown. Coleman hauled in six catches for 36 yards and Mendez finished with one catch for 10 yards.
Defensively, McNeese and Reyes led the team with 13 tackles apiece, while McNeese added an interception. Castillo contributed 11 tackles, two for loss, and Uriel Ibarra finished with six tackles. Redman tallied eight tackles and a forced fumble, while Silvas added a fumble recovery.
The Wildcats will be at Muleshoe for a big district 2-3A match-up on Friday.
Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.