Penalties & fumbles stop Cats …
It was a subdued Kennedale Wildcat team (1-1) that walked out of Charles Head Stadium in Alvarado (2-1) Friday night. The Wildcats had just lost ingloriously to the Indians 21-14. {{more:Read more …}}
A warning flag had been waved the week before when the Cats eked out a win over Terrell 21-20. Friday night it was a big red flag that told the Cats that this winning thing was going to be a lot harder than they had thought it would be.
For a Friday night game in Texas, it was a good one. Lots of big plays. No one truly dominated the other. And, it was capped by a last minute drive of desperation with the possibility of redemption. It was not be, at least for the Wildcats. For Kennedale is was a game of missed opportunites.
Kennedale did have good things happen. First the team never gave up. Despite the mistakes made, they were in the game until the very end. The Cats defense did have early game breakdowns but established control in the second half and went on to shut down the Alvarado offense. With the exception of one huge 75 yard pass play, the Indians mustered only 12 yards in the last half.
Alvarado was determined not to lose this game. The Indians had the field advantage. They had a revenge motive because Kennedale had embarrassed a good Indian team last year on their home field in a resounding defeat 56-21. Plus, the Indians were pumped for this game and it showed in the first quarter with two unanswered touchdowns.
Game Story …
Q1 Alvarado 14-0
Poss #1: Kennedale elected to receive the ball (K33) but went 3 and out after netting just 1 yard. The Cats punted into the wind for 25 yards to the A41 (K-3&out). Alvarado put together a 9 play drive, highlighted by a QB Brad Ramsey 34 yard pass play to Trevor Stovall, and scored one play later at 6:12 and it was Alvarado 7-0 with the kick by Stovall.(A – TD)
Poss #2: The Cats started on K30 after the kickoff but it was another 3 and out highlighted by a 9 yard run by Jakari Stafford (Jr) who was filling in for an injured D.J. Kirven (So). A 5 yard penalty hurt the drive and was capped by a punt that travelled only 10 yards to the K46 (K – 3&out). Alvarado with excellent field position capitalized with an Alonzo Shaw run for 40 yards to the K3 on a 2nd down and 7 from the KD 43. The Cats held the Indians for two plays but a defensive penalty pushed the ball up to the Kennedale half yard line and Shaw tiptoed over for the second Indian TD of the quarter. Stovall?s kick was good and the score was Alvarado 14-0 with 2:11 on the clock. (A – TD)
Poss #3: Kennedale starting on their 29, began one of their longest drive of the night that carried over into Q2. Up to the start of this drive, Kennedale had netted 7 total yards.
Q2 Alvarado 14-3
Poss #3 cont: Kennedale?s drive that started in the first quarter went for 12 plays and 62 yards. It was highlighted by an Aaron Rinehart (Sr) 31 yard pass to Jaden Knowles (Jr), a pass for 7 to Stafford and a 9 yard run by David Roper (Jr). After a 10 yard penalty stalled the drive the Cats were forced to kick for 3 with a 3rd and 15 at the A16. Junior kicker Kevin Tiero’s 26 yard kick failed at 7:32 in half (K – missed FG). Alvarado countered with a 9 play drive starting on the A20 that featured QB Brayden Ramsey breaking loose for runs of 26, 12 and 12 yards. The Indians did get their first penalty for 10 yards in the drive. The Cats? defense stopped Alvarado cold on a 4th and 2 at the K21. (A – 4th down turnover)
Poss #4: With 2:34 on the clock, Kennedale put together another drive, this one for 6 plays and 72 yards. Stafford?s run of 60 yards on 2nd down and 8 at the KD 22 was the headliner. The drive was assisted by an Indian 10 yard penalty. Kennedale?s attack stalled after a recovered fumble by Stafford loses 3 yards and an incomplete pass gave the Cats a 4th and goal at the A8. Tiero was successful on a 25 yarder and the Cats had 3 points with 44 seconds left in half (K – FG).
Halftime Stats: Alvarado had 177 in total offense, 35 through the air (2/2) and averaged 6.8 yards per carry with 2 penalties and no turnovers. Kennedale had 147 yards in total offense, 38 yards passing (2/3) and averaged 5.7 per carry with 4 penalties and no turnovers
Q3 Alvarado 21-14
Poss #5: Alvarado received the ball at the A25 but the Cats? defense slaps the Indians for no gain in three attempts (A – 3&out). Alvarado?s punt into the wind covered just 24 yards and Kennedale with good field position started at the A49. Junior Jaden Knowles popped one for 40 yards on 1st down and 10 at AV 49. Picking up only 6 more yard, the Cats on a 4th down and G at AV3, settled for a Kevin Tiero 20-yard field goal. Score Alvarado 14 -6 at 8:49 in the 3rd (K – FG).
Poss #6: Alvarado wasted no time, starting at the A15 after a 15 yard penalty on the kick-off, the Indians scored in 3 plays with the assistance of a huge 75 yard pass play from Ramsey to Stovall. Alvarado padded the lead after a Stovall kick, 21-6 at 6:47 in the 3rd (A – TD). Kennedale mirrored Alvarado on their next series by scoring in three plays after starting at the K39. The touchdown came on a 49 yard pass from QB Evan Jowers (So) to Stafford. Jowers then completed a two point conversion with a pass to sophomore Jaden Smith (K – TD). Alvarado?s lead was cut back to 7 with 5:00 left in the 3rd.
Poss #7: Kennedale forced another 3 and out on the Indians after no gain at the A15. Alvarado punted for 31 yards to the A46 but a Kennedale penalty put it back to the K49. Facing a 1st and 15, the Cats only managed 9 yards and were forced to punt. On a 4th and five at the A40, Kennedale set up for a punt with Tiero back deep. But, what ever was planned was blown when the center flew high and Tiero had no option but to scramble. He was caught in the backfield for a 15 yard loss. Alvarado took over at the K45 (K – 4&out).(3&out). Once again Kennedale defense stepped up and threw Alvarado for a loss of five yards in three plays. Alvarado punted from their 48 for 43 yards to the K9 at the beginning of the 4th quarter (A – 3&out).
Q4 Alvarado 21-14
Poss #8: The Cats rambled back up field with runs of 7 yards from Roper, 16 yards from Devin Mason (Jr), 4 yards from Knowles and 2 yards from Stafford. But a Stafford fumble at the K38 on a 3rd and 4 Stafford gave the ball back to the Indians (K – fumble). Cats playing excellent defense in the second half, once again forced Alvarado to punt after a loss of yards and a fumble recovered by Alvarado (A – 3&out). Alvarado punted for 17 yards to the K20 but a nice runback for the Wildcats was marred by a 10 yard penalty and Kennedale had a 1st and 20 at the K19.
Poss #9: QB Rinehart made up the difference on the penalty with a 26 yard completion to Tyler Alphin (Sr) to the K45. Kennedale fumbled on the next play but recovered for a loss of 3 yards. Stafford picked up 15 and Kennedale moved into Alvarado territory at the A43. After an incomplete pass, Knowles picked up 6 to the A37. But a Kennedale fumble ended the promising drive with Alvarado at their 45 and 6:40 left on the clock (K – fumble). With Alvarado trying to run time off of the clock, the Cats defense did their thing and stopped Alvarado for the third straight time in 3 plays forcing the Indians to punt on a 4th and 2 on the K49 but nice punt travelled to the K11 (A – 3&out).
Poss #10: Kennedale started their final drive once again with a penalty and begun 94 yards away. The Wildcats started a slow but steady drive down the field with Stafford picking up 9, Jowers 2, Mason 5, Stafford 2 but the Kennedale got a 5 yard penalty and instead of a 4th and 2 at the K34 they were facing a 4th and 8 at the K29. A Jowers? pass into a crowd was tipped and intercepted and Alvarado ran out the clock (K – interception).Kennedale will play 5A Wichita Falls Rider HS (1-2) at home this Friday, 7:30 p.m.
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