Wildcats pick up win at Stanton, 39-7

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team got back in the win column on Friday night, as they took down the Stanton Buffaloes, 39-7, in District 3-3A action.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 5-2 overall, 1-1 in district play.

The Wildcats totaled 373 yards of total offense, including 223 passing yards and 150 rushing yards.

The Wildcats were on defense to begin the contest, as Stanton’s offense took over after the kickoff at their own 40-yard line. The Buffaloes put together a solid opening drive, taking the ball all the way down to the Littlefield 17yard line, but on third and nine, quarterback, Jake Benedict, was stripped and the ball was recovered by Diego Ramirez with 8:06 remaining in the first quarter.

The Wildcats took over at their own 21- yard line, as senior tailback, Mason Jones, took a carry to the right side, moving the ball up to their own 27-yard line. Sophomore quarterback, Chip Green, kept it himself on second down, taking it up to the 35-yard line to move the chains for the Wildcats.

A swing pass to Mason Jones went for a loss of three on first down, but on the next play, the Wildcats drew the Buffaloes offsides for a free play, but Green dropped back and found sophomore receiver, Ian Mendez, racing down the far sideline for a 68-yard touchdown pass. The PAT by Angel Salazar was good, making the score, 7-0, with 7:06 remaining in the contest.

The Buffaloes took over for their next drive at their own 30yard line, but after moving the ball across midfield, their drive was derailed when they fumbled again, this time it was recovered by Mendez for a turnover with 4:26 to play in the opening quarter.

Littlefield took over at the Stanton 49-yard line and two plays later, Green tossed the ball out to Mason Jones on a screen pass, as he turned it up field for a 47-yard touchdown pass. The PAT by Salazar was no good, making the score, 13-0, with 3:57 to play in the quarter.

The score would stand going into quarter number two and after a punt by Stanton to open the second frame, the Wildcats took over at their own 30-yard line for their next offensive possession.

Mason Jones picked up five yards up the middle on the firstdown run, but a pass intended for senior receiver, Javen Jimenez, was tipped at the line by Kameron Isemann, bringing up third and five. Mason Jones took a run to the right for eight yards on third down to move the chains for Littlefield, but a quarterback keeper by Green was stuffed for a two-yard loss by the Stanton defense.

Green connected with Mendez for a few yards on second down and kept it himself on third down, moving the chains again for the Wildcats, taking the ball down to the Stanton 35-yard line. Two plays later, Green hit Jimenez on a screen pass, as he turned it up field and sprinted to the end zone for the 34-yard touchdown. The PAT by Salazar was no good, leaving the score, 19-7, with 8:21 to play in the first half.

Stanton would respond, taking the ball 69-yards, capping off the 12-play drive with a three-yard touchdown run by Benedict, trimming the lead to, 19-7, after the PAT by Riley Mabry, with 4:01 remaining in the half.

After the Littlefield defense forced a turnover on downs with 38 seconds remaining in the half, the Wildcats took a knee to take the lead into halftime.

The Wildcats got the ball to open the second half, as Mason Jones picked up three yards on the first-down run. Green kept it himself on second down for a big gain, taking the ball across midfield to the Stanton 47-yard line for a first down. Green completed a pass to Mendez for three yards on first down, but his next pass fell incomplete looking for Jimenez, bringing up third down.

Mason ran the ball on back-toback downs to move the chains for Littlefield, and on the next play, Green took it himself on a run up the middle for a 33-yard touchdown. The PAT by Salazar was good, making the score, 26-7, with 10:33 left to play in the third quarter.

Aiden Hinojosa recovered a fumble by Green to begin the fourth quarter for the Buffaloes, but three plays later, Benedict was picked off by sophomore free safety, Major McNeese, who took it 22-yard to the house for the Wildcat touchdown. The PAT by Salazar was blocked, making the score, 32-7, with 10:45 left to play in the game.

The Wildcat defense forced a turnover on downs with 4:28 remaining in the game, and on the next play Green punched it in for the three-yard touchdown run to extend their lead to, 39-7, after the PAT by Salazar, as the Wildcats took down the Buffaloes for their first district victory.

Green finished the game 19-26 passing for 223 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 23 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns.

Mason Jones added 13 carries for 41 yards on the ground and tallied eight catches for 64 yards and one touchdown through the air. Mendez chipped in 81 yards and one touchdown, while Jimenez finished with three catches for 50 yards and a score.

Defensively, Adrian Garcia finished with 10 tackles, including one for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble, while Jimenez tallied 10 total tackles, including two for loss. Angel Salazar finished with eight tackles, including one for loss and Micah Keeney tallied eight tackles, two for loss.

McNeese contributed eight tackles, two for loss and a picksix, while Diego Ramirez finished with seven tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery. Mendez also had a fumble recovery to go along with three tackles, and Marcquis Rosemond had a forced fumble and three tackles to his name.

The Wildcats will be at home on Friday to take on the Abernathy Antelopes.

Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.