The game is called football for a reason. The sometimes overlooked kicking game was the difference Friday night. The Splendora Wildcats rallied in the second half to overtake the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears 38-34 at Battlin Bear Stadium.
Splendora (6-1, 2-0) ran back a kickoff for a touchdown, recovered a pooch kick that led to a touchdown, and were successful on all five point-after kicks plus a field goal. Little Cypress-Mauriceville (2-5, 1-1) had the ball and the lead late in the game, but could not get a first down when it absolutely needed one.
The Bears took a 34-31 lead with 8:46 left in the game. Quarterback Adam Pope completed his third touchdown pass of the contest to James Williams from 18 yards out. Kooper Abernathy added to the point-after kick to give LC-M the three-point advantage.
The Wildcats began a methodical march at their 24 keeping the ball on the ground except for one incompletion. Dylan Matthews and Cole Goodrum both carried three times moving the ball to the LC-M 34. Two more runs appeared to be just shy of a first down, but the Bears were called for a major penalty that gave Splendora a first down at the 16.
The defense roared and Little Cypress-Mauriceville pushed the Wildcats back. Kyle Weber the huge Splendora fullback was tackled for a four-yard loss on third down by a host of Bears. Splendora brought on kicker Damian Casas to tie the game. Casas had hit earlier from 36 yards, but from 32 he pulled his kick and the ball went wide left.
Little Cypress-Mauriceville took over with just 2:41 to play and Splendora with only two timeouts to stop the clock. Having scored on five of their last six possessions it came down to a first down would probably mean a victory for the Bears.
Credit the Splendora defense which had been shredded since the first quarter for making the stops in the clutch. The Wildcats held a Bear runner to one yard, they sacked Pope for a six-yard loss, and stopped a completion for no gain. LC-M had to punt with still ninety seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Following an incompletion Splendora quarterback Cody Thorndyke completed three passes to move the Wildcats from their 30 to the Bears’ 41. Thorndyke then threw over the middle to his favorite target Tyler Gamble who made the catch at the 25 taking the ball away from a Bear defender who was trying to knock the ball down and danced untouched to the end zone for the decisive score. Casas kick made it 38-34 with only 36 left in the game.
Not giving up LC-M did manage a first down to the Splendora 40. Pope tried a Hail-Mary on the last play. Splendora had the defenders there to knock the ball down at about the 10 to end the game.
The game started like Splendora was going to have an easy time of it against the Bears. Their first possession after a LC-M punt the Wildcats ran the ball using Jessie Paris to pickup two first downs. Thorndyke also completed two passes to Weber for two more first downs.
With a first-and-ten at the Bears’ 11, Weber got the call twice for bull rushes. He got four yards on the first one, but fumbled on the second carry and James Williams recovered at the two for LC-M.
A penalty netted the Bears their initial first down of the game, but they were forced to punt again giving Splendora great field position at the LC-M 38. On fourth-and-eight Thorndyke scrambled away from a good Bears pass rush to get a first down at the 27.
A run picked up another first down to the 16 of Little Cypress-Mauriceville. Thorndyke hit Gamble on a slant from there for the first score of the game with 1:47 left in the first quarter.
Pope began to find his timing and completed a couple of passes to get a first down and move the ball to midfield. The drive stalled and the Bears punted for the third time. Matthews made an excellent return of 30 yards giving Splendora the ball at its 45.
Thorndyke connected with Gamble for 15 yards and a first to the LC-M 37. Paris gained 15 yards on the next play for another first down to the 22 of the Bears. A short run and two incomplete passes, the second caused by a terrific knock down by Brendon Pollack, setup a fourth-and-seven at the 19. Casas kicked a 36-yard field goal to put Splendora up 10-0 with 10:28 to play in the second quarter.
Like someone turned on a light switch the offense for LC-M began to shine. Pope completed a 20-yard pass to Seth Carpenter to near midfield.
Penalties which were to plaque the Wildcats all night helped the Bears on this drive. An offsides penalty got LC-M a first down. Then a defensive holding penalty gave the Bears another ten yards moving the ball to the Splendora 40.
Pope dialed up Carpenter for a 12-yard completion and the third first down of the drive. Spreading the ball around Pope threw to Darien Williams for a first down to the 17 of Splendora.
It looked like the Bears might waste the trip to the red zone as they faced a fourth-and-seven from the fourteen. Pope saw James Williams over the middle and hit him with a perfect pass before Williams turned and fought his way into the end zone for the score. The kick cut the Wildcats’ lead to three with 6:13 left in the first half.
A major penalty on the kickoff cost Splendora a touchdown as Matthews returned the kick all the way only to have the ball brought back to the Wildcats’ 25. Splendora again moved the ball well picking up three first downs to the LC-M 31.
Two incomplete passes brought it to third down. Thorndyke looked right and threw long to a wide open Gamble who made that catch at the goal line and stepped in for what would have been a touchdown. The Wildcats were guilty of a face masking penalty wiping out the second touchdown for Splendora. Another penalty against Splendora forced a punt from its own 49. In the game Splendora was flagged 15 times for 160 yards.
Taking over at their own 18 with only 90 seconds left in the half, the Bears were jelling like a well-oiled machine. James Williams picked up 17 yards on a reverse. He and Pope then connected for a short pass.
Sharing his passes Pope threw four straight passes to three different receivers that picked up three first downs before the last went for 14 yards and a touchdown to Pollock. Abernathy added the point-after to give LC-M a 14-10 advantage with twelve seconds before halftime.
It almost got even better as Splendora fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Nick Granger recovered at the Wildcats’ 31 for LC-M. The Bears did get a first down completion to the 21, but a final pass fell incomplete to close out the half with the Bears a somewhat surprising four points ahead despite being outgained by the Wildcats 216 to 179 total yards.
The lead for Little Cypress-Mauriceville lasted only 11 seconds into the third quarter. Matthews returned the kick to start the second half down the right sideline 71 yards going almost untouched in the process. Casas’ conversion returned the Wildcats to the lead 17-14.
Reverting back to the struggles of the first quarter the Bears coughed up the ball on their second play of the half on a fumble. Splendora with a great opportunity to make it a two score game failed. Paris gained two first downs, one on a shuttle pass and the other on a conventional running play to the Bears’ five.
After an incomplete pass Paris carried the ball in for what would have been a touchdown, but for the third time the referees negated the score flagging the Wildcats for holding. Two incomplete passes by Thorndyke turned the ball over on downs to Little Cypress-Mauriceville.
Then it was back to the fling and ding that was so successful at the conclusion of the first half. Pope connected with Pollock for a short completion, and he broke a tackle springing him on a 41-yard gain. Pope threw a flat pass to Darien Williams who also eluded a tackle and carried the ball to a first-and-goal at the seven. Kristian Ickes took it in the next play to give the Bears the lead 21-17 with 6:28 to play in the third.
Maybe getting a little desperate with the Bears’ offense clicking on all cylinders again, Splendora gambled and paid for it. With a fourth-and-three at their own 37 the Wildcats had punter and backup quarterback Jagger Kennedy fake a punt and look to pass. When he could not find an opener receiver Kennedy tried to run and was tackled for a one-yard loss.
It would take the Bears six plays to capitalize. Pope threw for first downs to Carpenter and then Darien Williams to the seven. Just like he did on the previous score Ickes made some nice moves and toted the ball in for the touchdown. The kick was missed, but LC-M had taken the two score advantage 27-17 with 1:37 left in the third.
The Wildcats responded quickly picking up a first down on the ground from three carries by their bull Weber. Then it was back to the combination that stymied the Bears all night Thorndyke again to a wide open Gamble down the right sideline for a 56-yard touchdown. The score was 27-24 just 12 seconds into the fourth quarter.
On the kickoff Casas did a superb job with a rather long, high pooch kick that landed between two Bears. Several players on both teams slapped at the loose ball before Andrew Hernandez secured it for Splendora at the LC-M 30.
Only three plays were needed for the Wildcats to score on a one-yard run by Paris. He was the leading rusher in the game with 103 yards on 19 carries. Casas’ kick gave Splendora 14 points in 52 seconds and the lead again 31-27 with 10:56 to play in the game.
It was time for Little Cypress-Mauriceville to answer which it did with Pope’s third touchdown pass of the game to regain the lead before the disappointing closing score by Splendora to seal the game. Pope had a fantastic game tainted only by the final score. He completed 26 of 35 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns.
Five different receivers caught aerials from Pope. Four of them had at least four receptions. Pollack caught eight for 89 yards. Carpenter had seven catches for 98 yards. The Williamses, James and Darien, had six and four receptions respectively for 43 yards and 54 yards.
Little Cypress-Mauriceville did serve notice in the tough loss it will be a team to be reckoned with in the final three games of district. Next Friday the Bears travel to Livingston to play the winless Lions. The Splendora Wildcats will play the Huffman Falcons next week.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
SPL 7 3 7 21- 38
LCM 0 14 13 7- 34
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