The Littlefield Wildcats ’ varsity football team dropped their Homecoming match-up to Levelland last Friday, 64-36.
With the win, the Wildcats fall to 4-1 overall on the year.
Levelland received the ball to begin the game and wasted no time finding the endzone, as Bentley Sepulbeda returned the opening kick-ofi' 60 yards for a touchdown. The PAT from Matthew Guillen was good, making the score, 7-0.
Littlefield got the ball back at their own 35-yard line, after a short return from Eddie Gomez, as Sammy Saenz connected with Jayden Barrio for a four-yard pass on first down. On the next play, Jonas Camacho, took a carry up the middle, taking it across midfield to the Levelland 45-yard line for a fresh set of downs.
After back-to-back runs from Saenz and Camacho, the drive would stall out, but on fourth and five, the Wildcats elected to go for it, as Saenz hit Jacob Fuentes on a pass over the middle, taking the ball down the Lobo’s 30-yard line to move the chains. After being sacked on first down, the Wildcats drew an encroachment penalty on the Lobos to make it second and eight.
Saenz found Gabe Mata for a six-yard completion on second down and on the next play, Saenz called his own number. Hie Lobos were called for a personal foul, making it first and goal from the nine-yard line. The drive stalled out again on the five-yard line, but on fourth down, the Wildcats elected to go for it again, as Saenz rolled out to keep the play alive, finding Barrio in the endzone for the score. The PAT from Barrio was good, tying the game, 7-7, with 7:58 to play in the opening quarter.
Barrio booted an onside kick on the next kick-off that ricocheted off of the Lobos and was recovered by Cayson VillaiTeal at the Levelland 47--yard line.
Littlefield was unabletocapitalize on the turnover, as they wentthree-and-out, punting the ball away from their own 45yard line.
Levelland took over at the Littlefield 42-yard after a return on the punt from Bryson Golightly. They needed just three plays to find the endzone, capping offthe drive with a sixyard touchdown pass, as Ethan Salazar connected with Kysen Niblett for the score with 5:54 to play in the quarter. The PAT from Guillen was good, making the score, 14-7.
The onside kick attempt from Guillen did not make the line to gain, giving Littlefield a short field at the Lobo’s 46-yard line. After an incomplete pass on first down, Saenz went right back to Mata on a slant route to move the chains, taking the ball down to the 31-yard line. After a series of runs by the Wildcats, they were faced with fourth and five, as Saenz dropped back and hit Mata on the left side, taking the ball down to the 19-yard line to move the sticks for Littlefield.
Four plays later, Camacho would punch in the four-yard score with 3:21 remaining inthe first quarter. Barrio’s PAT sailed through the uprights, tying the game once more, 14--14.
Levelland took over at their own 34-yard line, after the onside kick was covered by Arron Salas. Three plays into the drive, Salazar dropped back and found Kaden Brodgen down the left side, who cut it back across the field for the 67-yard touchdown with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter. The PAT was good, pushing the lead to, 2114.
The score would stand until the nine minute mark in the second frame, when Jake Potter got loose around the right side for a 41-yard touchdown run. The PAT from Guillen was good, pushing the Lobo lead to, 28-14.
The Wildcats got the ball back at their own 23-yard line and were able to run nearly six minutes off of the clock, but the drive stalled at the Levelland 13-yard line. They settled for a field goal, as Barrio booted itthroughthe uprights form 30-yard outs to cut the leadto,28-17.
The Lobos would take over at their own 34-yard line and on first down, Salazar dropped back and hit Brogden for a 66yard touchdown pass with 3:06 remaining in the half. The PAT was good, pushing the lead to, 35-17.
The Wildcats started their next drive at their own 17-yard line with back-to-back runs from Camacho. On third and short, Saenz called his own number taking it himself up the middle across midfield to the Lobo’s 31-yard line to move the chains. Saenz hit Barrio on first down to move the sticks again for the Wildcats, but on the next play, his pass was batted down by Abram Arteaga.
Two plays later, Saenz fielded a snap over his head and broke a tackle taking it down the left side for a 13-yard touchdown run with 1:32 remaining in the half. The PAT from Barrio was good, making the score, 35-24, gjng into the locker room at halftime.
The Wildcats got a big return from Brandon Espinoza to open the second half, giving them the ball at their own 48yard line to begin the third quarter. On third and 10, Saenz found Barrio on the right side to move the chains, and Daniel Rojas followed it up with a run up the middle for five yards. Saenz hit AJ Cantu with a pass to the right to move the chains and back-to-back runs by Rojas set the Wildcats up with third and short from the Levelland 19-yard line.
On third down, Saenz dropped back and found Fuentes in the back of the endzone for the 19-yard touchdown with 8:57 to play in the third. The two-point conversion pass from Saenz fell incomplete, leaving the score, 35-30.
Potter would score on a nineyard touchdown run for the Lobos with 5:10 left to play in the third quarter and the PAT was good from Guillen, making the score, 41-30, going into the final quarter of play.
Levelland opened the fourth quarter with a three-yard touchdown run from Potter, pushing the lead to, 49-30, after the PAT with 10:18 remaining.
The Wildcats would respond on their next drive, as a series of runs from Saenz, Rojas and Camacho had them set up with second and six. Saenz would hit Barrio for a first down at their 43-yard line, and on the next play, Saenz kept it himself, breaking loose for a big play down to the Lobo’s 20-yard line.
Three plays later, Saenz would call his own number taking it up the middle for the nineyard score with 7:49 to play in the contest. The two-point conversion pass was complete to Cantu, but he was stopped short of the goaline, leaving the score, 49-36.
The Lobos would answer with back-to-back scores to close out the game, taking the contest, 64-36.
The Wildcats totaled 425 yards of offense, including 260 rushing yards and 165 passing yards.
Offensively, Saenz finished the game 19-33 passing for 165 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, while also adding 27 carries for 158 yards and two scores on the ground.
Camacho tallied 16 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown, while Rojas notched 12 carries for 42 yards.
In the receiving game, Barrio led the way with seven catches for 59 yards and a touchdown, while AJ Cantu caught two passes for 35 yards andFuentes hauled in four catches for 30 yards and a touchdown. Mata caught three passes for 27 yards.
Defensively, Saenz led the team in tackles with six, including three solo and one for loss. Rojas also tallied six tackles, including five solo, while Cantu tallied five tackles, four solo, and Camacho and Brandon Espinoza each chipped in four tackles. Villarreal also had a fumble recovery.