The Springlake-Earth Wolverines’ varsity football team went into Cowboy Corral on Thursday night and knocked off the #8 Happy Cowboys, 68-36.
With the win, the Wolverines improve to 2-1 overall on the season.
The Wolverines won the coin flip and deferred to the second half. The onside kick by Keshan Holmes was recovered by Ts Bow, giving Happy the ball at their own 35-yard line. They wasted no time getting on the score board, as Camden Sperry connected with Quay Hodges for a 45-yard touchdown pass. The kick by Jimmy Reyes was no good, leaving the score, 6-0.
Springlake-Earth’s offense took over after the kick-off at their own 17- yard line. After a pair of incomplete passes by Braxton Ethridge, he connected with senior tight end, Davey Crandall down the near sideline for a 62-yard pass, before he was brought down at the Happy one-yard line, setting up first and goal for the Wolverines. Holmes would punch it in on the next play and his kick on the two-point conversion was good, putting the Wolverines in front, 8-6.
Happy took over at their own 30- yard line, after the kick-off out of bounds from Holmes. Cutter Hodges carried the ball on three consecutive plays for the Cowboys, but they were left with a fourth and four from their own 20-yard line. They lined up to go for it, as Camden dropped back and heaved a pass towards the far side of the endzone that was caught, but the receiver landed out of bounds, as the Cowboys turned the ball over on downs with 7:10 to play in the opening quarter.
The Wolverines took over at their own 20-yard line, as Ethridge’s passes on first and second down fell incomplete. On third and long, he connected with Tim Tanaro, who took the ball across midfield to the Happy 39-yard line to give them a fresh set of downs. Ethridge connected with Evan DeLeon, on first down, but they took a three-yard loss on the play. Ethridge kept it himself on second down for a couple of yards, and on the next play, Holmes broke loose for a 34-yard touchdown run up the middle to make the score, 16-6, after his kick sailed through the uprights with 5:04 remaining in the first quarter.
Happy would answer with a sevenplay 59-yard drive, that was capped off with a six-yard touchdown pass from Sperry to Quay Hodges. The kick after by Reyes was good, cutting the Wolverine lead to, 16-14, with 1:58 to play in the quarter.
Happy recovered a pooch kick, as Bryce Johnson fell on the ball for the Cowboys to give them an extra possession at their own 31-yard line. The Wolverines would not be denied, though, as Cain Tovar recovered a fumble at the Springlake-Earth 18-yard line for a turnover with 1:42 to play in the quarter.
The Wolverines took over deep in their own territory as Holmes was stopped for a three-yard loss on first down. Ethridge picked up five yards up the middle on second down and then connected with Fuentes on the next play to give them a new set of downs at their own 36-yard line. Holmes took the ball across midfield to the Happy 38-yard line, as the first quarter came to a close.
In the second quarter, Holmes picked up two yards on a seconddown run, and Ethridge took off on a run around the left side on third down, getting out of bounds at the Happy 17-yard line for a fresh set of downs. On first down, DeLeon hit a wide open Ethridge in the endzone for a 17-yard touchdown. The kick by Holmes was blocked, leaving the score, 22-14, with 9:07 to play in the first half.
The Wolverine defense would force a punt with 7:57 to play in the half, giving their offense the ball at their own 27-yard line. Holmes carried the ball on first and
Holmes carried the ball on first and second down and Ethridge carried it on third down, moving the ball across midfield to the Happy 36-yard line for a new set of downs. Trace Goodman took a run around the left side down to the 16-yard line for a fresh set of downs. The Wolverines would be faced with a fourth and four from the five-yard line, but Tanaro took a run up the middle into the endzone for the touchdown, making the score, 30-14, after the kick by Holmes with 4:49 to play in the half.
Springlake-Earth kicked the ball deep on the kick-off, but got a great bounce, as Fuentes recovered the ball to give them first and 15 at the Happy 22-yard line. The Wolverines would not capitalize, though, as DeLeon’s pass on fourth and two fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 2:51 to play in the half.
Happy got the ball back and put together a six-play drive, but it stalled out when Cutter Hodges was stopped short of the sticks by Fuentes on fourth and two for a turnover on downs with just over one minute remaining in the half.
The Wolverines did not let this opportunity go to waste, as they needed just three plays to find the endzone. On third and 26 from their own 35-yard line, Ethridge took off on a run down the near sideline, sprinting 45-yards for the touchdown. The kick by Holmes was good, making the score, 38-14, heading into the locker room at halftime.
In the second half, the Wolverines went three-and-out on their opening possession and Happy answered, as Sperry hit Bow with a 44-yard touchdown pass. The kick by Reyes was blocked, making the score, 38-20, with 6:55 to play in the third quarter.
Springlake-Earth took over after the kick-off at their own 17-yard line as Tovar carried the ball on first and second down. On third and long, Ethridge carried the ball to the right side and was brought down close to the firstdown marker. Head Coach Israel DeLeon asked for a measurement, which left the Wolverines with a fourth and inches from their own 32-yard line.
They elected to go for it as DeLeon handed the ball off to Holmes on the dive, who plowed his way forward to pick up the first down. Ethridge picked up 10 yards on a carry to the left side, taking the ball across midfield and he connected with Jerry Gallegos on the next play, who took it down to the Happy 30-yard line for a first down. On first down, Ethridge took off to the left side of the field and cut it back to the right taking it all the way into the endzone for the score. The kick by Holmes was good, making the score, 46-20, with 3:39 remaining in the quarter
Ḣappy would turn the ball over on downs on their next possession, and the Wolverines would answer to start the fourth quarter, as DeLeon hit Derrick Rosalez for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The kick by Holmes was good, making the score, 54-20, with 9:53 remaining in the game.
Holmes booted the kick-off out of the endzone for a touchback, and Cutter Hodges carried the ball on the first play of the drive, taking it up to their 35-yard line for a first down. Sperry’s pass intended for Kyton Johnson was broke up by Ethridge on first down, but the Wolverines were flagged for 15 yards, giving Happy a first down at the Wolverine’s 25-yard line. On first down, Sperry, connected with Kyton Johnson for a 25-yard touchdown pass. The kick was good, trimming the lead to, 54-28, with 8:55 remaining in the game.
The Wolverines answered with a seven play, 37-yard drive, that was capped off with a six-yard touchdown run, by Fuentes, making the score, 60-28, after the failed one-point conversion by Holmes, with 7:06 left to play.
Sperry would connect with Sawyer Steward for a six-yard touchdown pass with 3:21 to play, making the score, 60-36, after the kick. Springlake-Earth would put the nail in the coffin on their next drive, as Ethridge punched in a one-yard score, followed by the kick from Holmes to make the score, 68-36, with under one minute to play.
The Wolverines would go on to take the contest, 68-36, improving to 2-1 overall on the year.
The Wolverines are scheduled to host O’Donnell on Friday.
Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.