Friday November 18, 2011

Frisco Memorial Stadium Frisco, Texas

Regional Semi-Finals

The Celina Bobcats and Lovejoy Leopards teed it up Friday night in a highly anticipated rematch from the 2010 state playoffs.  For the Bobcats, it was a “revenge” game.  For the Leopards, it was a game to prove how far their program has come in their brief five year history.  The first half saw Lovejoy jump out to an early 1^st quarter lead only to see the Bobcats claw their way back to a 10-10 tie at intermission.

Lovejoy took the opening kickoff and began their first drive from their own 22 yard line.  In what was to be a recurring theme throughout the evening, the Leopards had a great deal of difficulty with their snaps from center out of the shotgun formation.  Leopard QB Zach Saffle seemed to never know where to expect the ball but somehow he or one of his teammates managed to maintain possession for the Leopards.  This would be the case on the first play from scrimmage as Saffle chased down the errant snap and suffered a 5 yard loss.  On the next play Saffle found Zander Hamilton open and hit him with a perfect pass for a 21 yard gain and a first down.  The Bobcats Big Orange defense stiffened and forced a 3^rd and 11 for the Leopards.  Saffle calmly hit Cullon Green for a 19 yard completion for a first down at the Celina 44 yard line.  From there Saffle and Green moved the football to the Celina 3 yard line where Saffle took it into the end zone for a 7-0 lead after the PAT by Eddie Puskarich.

Celina began their first drive of the night from their own 20 yard line and promptly netted 5 yards on a pair of Nathan Elliott runs before being forced to punt.  With a drive that consumed only 31 seconds, the Leopards suddenly had the lead and good field position on the Celina 49 yard line.  After the initial scoring drive by the Leopards Celina Head Coach Butch Ford and his defensive staff made some minor adjustments that kept the Leopard offensive attack stymied the rest of the way.  The defense forced a quick three and out and got the ball back to the offense on their own 24 yard line.  Unfortunately, the Bobcat offense still had not made their necessary adjustments.  On first down Elliott attempted a short pass to one of this backs and the ball was deflected and intercepted by the Leopards, giving Lovejoy possession at the Celina 18 yard line.

Lovejoy was unable to move the ball and was forced to try a 37 yard field goal by Puskarich which was good and Lovejoy held a 10-0 advantage going into the second quarter.  The Bobcat offense took possession on their own 20 yard line and again was unable to move the ball.  Celina punter Zack Bilderback was forced to punt after another three and out.  Through three possessions Celina had run a total of seven offensive plays and had negative yards to that point.  However, the Bobcat defense had gotten their game together and would force another Leopard punt after a short 3 play series.

Nathan Elliott and his offensive teammates were about to change the complexion of the game.  Elliott engineered a nine play scoring drive mixing in some nice runs by Nathan Elliott and Eliot Bush with a timely 3^rd down conversion on a pass from Elliott to Bush.  Elliott called his own number from the Leopard 30 yard line and took the ball into the end zone untouched to get Celina on the scoreboard.  Jesus Vargas added the PAT and Celina had cut the Lovejoy lead to 10-7.

The Leopards put together a time consuming 14 play drive that began on their own 12 yard line but ended with a 4^th down punt from the Celina 45 yard line.  They converted several key plays including a 4^th and 1 from their own 42 yard line.  After the punt the Bobcats took over at their own 22 yard line and promptly went three and out.  After another Bilderback punt and time running scarce in the 2^nd quarter the Leopards went to the air and Bilderback intercepted Saffle’s pass to thwart their drive. Celina began to march down the field with time running out in the half.  Elliott had guided the Bobcats from the Lovejoy 48 yard line to the Lovejoy 15 yard line but two incompletions caused the Bobcats to attempt a 32 yard field goal by Vargas.  The field goal try was good and the first half ended with the score knotted up at 10-10.

The Bobcats received the opening kickoff and began their opening drive of the second half from their own 30 yard line.  Two Elliot runs and one run by Bush failed to net a first down and Bilderback came on to punt for the fourth time of the evening.    The Bobcat defense got the ball right back after another Leopard punt and this time Celina would do something with it.  After picking up one first down and being penalized back to their own 37 yard line, Nathan Elliott called his own number and took the ball 63 yards down the sideline for his second TD of the evening, giving Celina a 17-10 lead after the Vargas PAT.  At this point the Celina defense had wrestled any momentum the Leopards had and the Bobcat offense, led by Nathan Elliott, had begun to find some weaknesses in the Leopard defense.

The Leopards punted the ball back to Celina after still another three and out.  The Celina offense took over on the Lovejoy 46 yard line.  Looking to capitalize on the good field position, Celina was unable to pick up a first down.  Bilderback came on to punt, but this time the Bobcats caught the Leopards cat napping.  Bilderback spotted an uncovered receiver out of punt formation and lofted a 31 yard pass to Blake Pasqua for a first down that seemed to suck the life out of the Leopards.  On the very next play Elliott went 13 yards for the Bobcat touchdown and a 24-10 advantage.

Neither team was able to pick up a first down on their next possession as they entered the fourth quarter.  On the next Leopard possession Saffle and Hamilton hooked up on three completions, the final one good for 7 yards and a Leopard TD.  With 10:57 left in the game the score read Celina 24, Lovejoy 17.

One of the more exciting plays of the game came on the Bobcats next possession.  Celina got the ball on their own 20 and Lee Nelson lost 3 yards to the Celina 17 yard line.  Then they were penalized 5 yards for illegal procedure, putting the ball on their own 12 yard line.  Elliott’s pass on 2^nd and 18 fell incomplete and the Bobcats were suddenly facing 3^rd and long and looking at still another punt.  Coach Bill Elliott called the right play at the right time.  With a very aggressive pass rush expected from the Leopards, Coach Elliott called for a short shovel pass to Jesus Vargas.  Vargas broke several would be tackles on his way to a scintillating 88 yard scoring jaunt that would put the Bobcats up 30-17.  Vargas PAT was good and Celina led 31-17.

The next Leopard possession was short lived as Zack Bilderback picked off his second Saffle pass of the evening, giving the offense the ball back at the Leopard 47 yard line.  After a 10 yard penalty Nathan Elliott and Eliot Bush put together a couple of runs that gave Celina a first down at the Leopard 42 yard line.  Facing a 3^rd and 11 from their own 43 yard line Nathan Elliott escaped the Leopard rush and found Jesus Vargas in the left flat.  Vargas took the pass and as he advanced down field he received some much needed help from Celina’s Jake Raulerson.  Raulerson, hustling on the play, spotted the Leopards Hiram Muhammad in pursuit of Vargas and “blew him up”.  The Leopard defender lost his helmet, footing, and likely some pride as the Raulerson block was seen and heard by all of those in attendance.  Vargas was able to get the first down all the way down to the Leopard 27 yard line.  After a very quiet 2-3 minutes of concern and medical attention over the injured Leopard defender, Muhammad was able to walk to the sideline under his own power.  He would later return to the ball game.  Elliott, Vargas, and Bush took it the rest of the way with the scoring drive capped off by a 2 yard plunge by Nathan Elliott.  This made the score Celina 37, Lovejoy 17.  The PAT by Vargas was no good.  Lovejoy’s final possession ended with a fumble and the Bobcat offense was able to run out the clock, preserving the win with a 37-17 revenge victory over the Lovejoy Leopards.

Nathan Elliott was the leading ground gainer in the contest, picking up 178 yards on 21 carries with 4 rushing touchdowns.  Elliott also passed for 127 yards on 5 completions, with the biggest completion coming on the short pass that Vargas took 88 yards for the score.  Senior Running Back Jamarick Simmons was unable to play for most of the game and Elliott’s rushing effort helped make up for his loss.

Aside from Elliott’s sensational game, the Bobcats received outstanding play from Sr. Safety Zack Bilderback as he picked off two passes, punted five times for a 37 yard average, and completed one huge 4^th down pass out of deep punt formation that covered 31 yards and picked up a big 1^st down for Celina.  Jesus Vargas had a nice game as well on defense, as did Josh Raulerson, Connor Bey, Reese Morton, and John Ford.  Micah Nelson and Preston Watson turned in good defensive performances as well.  The defensive unit held the Leopards to only 213 total yards, including only 61 yards on the ground.

The offensive line worked well on this night, creating huge holes for Elliott and the backfield.   It was a good night for the Bobcats overall, as they advance to the third round of the state playoffs.  They will take on Henderson this Friday night at Mesquite Memorial Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m.  Henderson is the defending Class 3A state champion and they represent District 16 AAA in Division One.  District 16 AAA also has Carthage and Gilmer still alive in the state playoffs in Division Two.  Celina and Henderson have never met on the football field.  This should be an outstanding ball game as both teams seek to advance to the semi-final round.  Henderson will be the best team that Celina has faced this year.  The Bobcats and their coaches will need to be at their best if they are to defeat this talented championship team.  They will need your support, so be sure to make the short drive to Mesquite and cheer the Bobcats on to victory.  If you are unable to make it to the game, you may listen to it on the radio at 97.5 FM, or on the web at www.975klak.com.  See you at the game.

Pat Hunn

Friday November 11, 2011

Denton ISD Bronco Field Denton, Texas

BI-DISTRICT

Two old time rivals teed it up for an elimination game in the first round of the 2011 UIL State Playoffs.  The atmosphere and the conditions were perfect for an exciting game of 3A playoff football.  Two contrasting styles, two key players injured and out of action.  Who would overcome the adversity, and who would begin their basketball season?

The Bobcats normally rely on a strong running game and the Indians depend on the strong right arm of Sr. Quarterback Dane Evans.  However, the Bobcats would be without the services of injured leading ground gainer Jamarick Simmons, and the Indians would be without their leading rusher Brock Squier.  Some may have felt the advantage lied with the Indians…but that was not to be the case.

The Indians received the opening kickoff and picked up a single first down before Evans lost the handle and the Bobcats took over on their own 17 yard line.  Mixing in a rushing attack of DeShawn Davis, Eliot Bush, and Lee Nelson the Bobcats picked up one first down before punting the ball back to the Indians.  The Bobcat defense forced a three and out which gave Celina the ball back on the Sanger 46 yard line.  From there Nathan Elliott engineered an 11 play drive that culminated with an 8 yard scoring strike to Lee Nelson in the front right corner of the end zone.  Jesus Vargas came on to kick the PAT and Celina led 7-0 at the end of the 1^st quarter.

Both teams generated a little offense in the following possessions of the first half, but neither team was able to sustain a scoring drive.  Jesus Vargas attempted a 48 yard field goal that was short, but turnovers and punts by each team left the score 7-0 at the end of the half.  What had become a game of miscues, missed opportunities, and solid defense in the first half would become a wild affair in the second half.

The Bobcat defense would begin the fireworks on the first Sanger possession of the 3^rd quarter.  Having held Dane Evans and the Indian aerial attack in check all evening, the Big Orange defense made still another stop, forcing a 4^th down punt by Evans.  The snap sailed through the hands of Evans and as he retained possession an attempted to get his punt away the kick only went 1 yard where Lee Nelson scooped the ball up and returned it only 6 yards into the end zone.  The Bobcats lead was now 13-0 after Vargas PAT was no good.

On the next Indian possession Evans began to find some mild success.  On 4^th and 6 from his own 49 yard line Evans was intercepted by Celina’s Josh Raulerson.  The return put the ball on the Celina 31 yard line where the offense took over.  After an exchange of punts the Bobcat offense had better field position on the Indian 42 yard line.  On the first play from scrimmage the Bobcat’s freshman QB Nathan Elliott called his own number and ran untouched into the end zone for a Bobcat TD that stretched the lead to 21-0 after a successful two point conversion.  The 3^rd quarter ended 21-0 and the much anticipated offensive explosion was about to begin.

On Sanger’s first possession of the 4^th quarter Evans and the Indians put together an 8 play scoring drive that was finished off with an 11 yard scoring pass from Evans to Jon Garza.  That made the score 21-7 in favor of Celina.  The Bobcats Nathan Elliott would answer that Indian score with a 50 yard scoring jaunt that expanded the Bobcats lead to 28-7 after the Vargas PAT.  On the Indians next possession Evans was intercepted again, giving Celina possession on the Indian 28 yard line.  After a couple of nice runs, Elliott called on Zack Bilderback for the final 10 yards on an end around and he went into the end zone for a 35-7 Bobcat lead.  The Indians could not answer on their next possession and the Bobcat defense forced a punt.  Celina would turn the ball over on their next possession, giving the Indians just a shred of life.  Dane Evans directed an 8 play scoring drive that was finished off with an 8 yard scoring pass to Blake Manning.  After the successful PAT the Bobcats still held a 35-14 lead.

After an unsuccessful on-side kick attempt Celina took advantage of the short field by handing the ball off to DeShawn Davis who took the ball 35 yards into the end zone.  Fabian Aguirre tacked on the PAT and Celina led 42-14.  Sanger would get on the board once more, compliments of a 9 play scoring drive that ended with a Dane Evans 1 yard run that left the final score Celina 42, Sanger 21.

The Bobcat defense had a particularly strong showing, holding All State QB Evans to only 15 completions in 40 attempts (37.5%) for only 155 yards.  Sanger had been averaging over 400 yards of offense through their first 10 games.  Without leading rusher Brock Squier, Evans was forced to carry the rushing load as well and he managed a very hard fought 112 yards on 20 carries.  Sanger was limited to 312 yards of offense and 15 first downs, with almost all of that coming late in the 4^th quarter.  The Bobcat defense forced a whopping 8 punts by the Indians which was indicative of their dominance.  The kept the battle for field position in the Bobcats favor all night long.

Freshman QB Nathan Elliott celebrated his 15^th Birthday with his first playoff win.  Elliott completed 6 of 12 passes for only 50 yards and one TD, but he was the Bobcats leading ground gainer with 141 yards on 11 carries and two rushing TD’s.  DeShawn Davis chipped in with 111 yards on 11 carries and one TD.  The real star of the game was the Orange defense.  Josh Raulerson was particularly effective, as was Zack Bilderback.  Connor Bey and John Ford played perhaps their best games of the season on the defensive side of the ball.  Jesus Vargas, Damian Umana, Jake Raulerson, and Reese Morton also performed well.

The stakes get higher and the opposition gets tougher as the playoffs continue.  Celina will take on the Lovejoy Leopards at Frisco Memorial Stadium this Friday night for the right to move on.  Yes, that is the same Lovejoy Leopards that prematurely ended the Bobcats season last year.   The Leopards come into the game with an 8-3 record, having lost their first two games to Argyle and Paris, then falling to Prosper in the 6^th week of the season.  Since that time they have strung together five consecutive wins.  Lovejoy is led by RB Nick LaSane who has amassed 1460 yards and scored 22 rushing TD’s.  Zach Saffle has added 847 yards and another 12 TD’s for the Leopards.

Celina will no doubt have a little “pay back” on their minds as they take on the Leopards.  Celina hopes to have Jamarick Simmons back for this game and they will definitely need his skills and talents.  Being at full strength would be something the Bobcats have not really enjoyed this season.  The injury bug has been a problem for the Bobcats and their coaches this season.  Key contributors such as Jordan Roos, Jamarick Simmons, and Jesus Vargas have all lost playing time this season.  Other than the season ending loss of Roos, the Bobcats may be as healthy as they have been all season.  They will need to control the ball against a strong Leopard defense.  There are no more “easy” games once you reach this level of the playoffs.  Every team is solid or they wouldn’t have made it out of the first round.  This game should be a good one.  The Bobcats and their coaches need your support.  It’s only a short drive to Frisco so come out to support your Bobcats.  If you can’t make it to the game be sure to tune into the radio broadcast that will air on 97.5 KLAK.  See you at the game.

Pat Hunn

Friday November 4, 2011

Bobcat Field, Celina, Texas

SENIOR NIGHT

The Seniors on the 8-0 Celina Bobcats led their teammates onto the field against the 8-1 Commerce Tigers in hopes of finishing their high school career at Bobcat Field on a winning note, as they’ve done so many times before.  Their opponent, the Commerce Tigers, had their mind set on spoiling the festivities and snatching a share of the District 10 AAA title away from the Bobcats.  Well….score one for the Bobcat Seniors!

It wasn’t necessarily a thing of beauty, but the Bobcats completed another perfect regular season with a dominating 43-9 victory over the Tigers.  All Varsity football players were introduced before the game, along with Seniors from the various support organizations.  Senior Night has been a really special, emotional, tradition for a long time in Celina.  Many of these kids have dreamt since they were small children of competing for the Bobcats and on this night they come to the realization that their time as Bobcats is nearing the end.

The Bobcats received the opening kickoff and began their first drive on the Celina 35 yard line.  Senior Jamarick Simmons handled the ball on 4 of the first 5 snaps and picked up two first downs along the way.  On 2^nd down and 6 at the Commerce 36 yard line Freshman QB Nathan Elliott spotted a wide open Lee Nelson and tossed him the ball.  Nelson couldn’t hang on to Elliott’s pass and deflected it into the hands of Tiger superstar Buck Wilson who returned the interception to the Commerce 47 yard line.  The Bobcat defense forced a three and out and Wilson punted the ball back to the Celina offense.

Starting at their own 28 yard line Elliott engineered the first scoring drive of the night.  On 1^st down Simmons took the pigskin 27 yards and was brought down on the Commerce 45 yard line.  Unfortunately the tackle put Simmons out for the rest of the game with what appeared to be an injured ankle.  With Simmons out of action the Bobcats called on Eliot Bush to pick up the slack.  Eliot delivered with his best rushing output of the season.  DeShawn Davis also chipped in with some nice runs and Nathan Elliott completed some timely passes.  The drive ended with Elliott hitting Lee Nelson with a 5 yard toss that put the Bobcats ahead 6-0.  The PAT was no good.

The Bobcat defense forced another three and out, containing the dangerous Buck Wilson.  The Celina offense got back on the field and picked up another couple of first downs on runs by Bush and Davis.  Then, in what looked like a replay of the first interception, Elliott passed to Micah Nelson and the ball was deflected into the arms of another Tiger defensive back to end the drive.

The Tigers finally got a little something going on offense.  Most of the damage was done on a Sam Wells pass to a well-covered T.J. Pannell that went for 33 yards to the Celina 6 yard line.  After a keeper by Wells and the end of the 1^st quarter, Wells was able to get the ball to the Celina 1 yard line.  The Bobcat defense stiffened and held the Tigers out of the end zone on two snaps from the one yard line, taking the ball over on downs with the ball just outside the Bobcat end zone.  After an incomplete pass by Elliott, Celina called on Davis to get out of the shadow of their goal line.  The Tigers defensive front got a nice surge and stopped Davis in the end zone for a Tiger safety.  This made the score Celina 6, Commerce 2.

After the free kick the Celina defense was able to force another turnover.  After a short completion the Bobcat defense forced a fumble and it was returned to the Commerce 16 yard line.  On the first down play DeShawn Davis took the handoff and scampered 16 yards for the TD.  The PAT by Vargas was good and Celina led 13-2.  The Bobcat defense forced another short possession by the Tigers, giving the ball back to the offense on their own 6 yard line.  Using Bush, Davis, and Elliott, the Bobcats got back on the scoreboard with a 41 yard scoring pass from Elliott to Davis.  The try for 2 failed and Celina led 19-2.

On the Tigers next possession the Bobcats forced still another turnover, this time on an interception that gave the offense the ball back on the Tiger 15 yard line.  The offense was unable to get into the end zone after a penalty and two incompletions.  Jesus Vargas came on to split the uprights for a 33 yard field goal which gave Celina a 22-2 lead.  The Tigers went four and out on their next possession and Celina took over at the Commerce 37 yard line.  On 3^rd and 1 from the Tiger 16 yard line, Elliott found Zack Bilderback for a 16 yard scoring pass and Celina would take a 29-2 lead into the locker room after the Vargas PAT.

The 3^rd quarter was rather uneventful but each team put up a touchdown.  Nathan Elliott was picked off for the third time in the ballgame.  The interception was returned all the way to the Celina 1 yard line where the Tigers Gabe Conner punched it in.  The PAT by Rendon was good and the score was Celina 29, Commerce 9.  Next, the Bobcats got a defensive score.  Facing a 1^st down and 15 from their own 14 yard line, Commerce tried to hand-off to Buck Wilson deep in the backfield.  Celina’s Reece Morton got into the backfield and took the hand- off the other way into the Tiger end zone for a 10 yard score.  Celina led 36-9 after the Vargas extra point.

Celina would get into the end zone once more in the 4^th quarter on a DeShawn Davis 10 yard run, leaving the final score Celina 43, Commerce 9.  As I said earlier, this game was far from a thing of beauty and in order for the Bobcats to make a long playoff run they will have plenty to clean up.  While Elliott was charged with three interceptions, two of them occurred after bouncing off receivers hands.  Elliott finished the night completing 50% of his passes on 9 of 18 for 104 yards.  The Bobcat ground game was solid despite the early loss of Jamarick Simmons.  Eliot Bush led the rushing attack with 14 carries for a career high 134 yards.  Davis picked up 50 yards on 15 carries and Simmons added 44 yards rushing on 5 carries on the first drive before exiting due to injury.  In all the Bobcats tallied 311 yards on the ground.

The Bobcat defense stymied the high octane Tigers all night, limiting them to only 3 first downs and 97 yards total offense.  No Tiger runner picked up more than 25 yards and they only completed 3 of 14 passes for 42 yards, with 35 of those yards coming on a completion to T.J. Pannel.  All in all it was an excellent night for the Bobcat defense.  Jesus Vargas, Josh and Jake Raulerson, and Conner Bey were particularly good on defense, as was the secondary with Zack Bilderback, Lee Nelson, Micah Nelson, and Ben Thiel.

The road gets much tougher from here on out.  Celina will play the Sanger Indians led by Division One QB Dane Evans.  Evans has almost 3000 yards passing on the season.  They are coming off a loss last week at the hands of District 9 AAA champion Argyle; however their biggest loss came with the injury to running back Brock Squier.  Evans will still have some weapons at his disposal, primarily leading receivers Dakota Cotton and Jon Garza.  These two have combined for 17 of Evan’s 33 TD passes on the year.

The game will be played Friday night November 11 in Denton at Denton H.S. stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.  This is first of a possible 6 playoff games for the Bobcats.  If they get by the Indians they will likely face Lovejoy which eliminated the Bobcats last year.  The third round will likely pit the Bobcats against perennial powerhouse Henderson.  Of course you have to win the first one to get to the next one.  Anything can happen, but one thing for sure if the Bobcats will need all of their weapons firing to bring home their 9^th State Championship.  The fans are an extremely important asset to the Bobcat arsenal so come to Denton this Friday night to support your Bobcats.  If you are unable to attend the game but want to follow the Bobcats on radio the game will be live on 93.1 with Pat Hunn and Jeff Gravley calling the action.  See you at the game.

Pat Hunn

It was a gorgeous night for football in Celina with game time temperatures in the upper 70’s. The Anna Coyotes made the 15 mile trip west on 455 to take on the state ranked Celina Bobcats. Celina would be competing in their 2nd District 10 AAA contest, having come off a big win over the Van Alstyne Panthers last Friday. Anna came to town with a solid game plan and upset on their minds. While the final score of 35-0 would seem to indicate the game was a blowout, those present would likely tell a different story.

Anna threatened to score a couple of times, even reaching a 1st down and goal to goal, but each time they threatened either they would self-destruct or the Bobcat defense would step up and protect the shutout. The 1st quarter was played largely in the center of the field, with both teams being forced to punt after unsuccessful series. Celina failed to pick up a 1st down until their 3rd possessions which still did not produce any points.

In the second quarter Celina finally put together enough positive plays to scratch out a touchdown. Jamarick Simmons took the handoff from Nathan Elliott from one yard out for the Bobcat touchdown. Jesus Vargas tacked on the PAT and Celina led 7-0. The Bobcats would add another score later in the quarter, this one coming on a 29 yard scoring pass from Elliott to Lee Nelson. Vargas again added the PAT and Celina took a 14-0 lead into the halftime locker room. The Bobcats seemed to be flat all night. Several Bobcat starters were sidelined with injuries. Division One prospect Jordan Roos did not suit up as he is nursing a knee injury. Jesus Vargas, a standout on both sides of the ball, was limited to placekicking only. Josh Raulerson, a solid linebacker for the ‘Cats defense was suited up but did not play.

The second half saw the Bobcats add a couple of more scores to salt the game away despite the less than spectacular performance. Jamarick Simmons added a 7 yard scoring run early in the quarter, and Ben Thiel caught an Elliott pass from 13 yards out for the second TD of the 3rd quarter. Vargas was good on both extra points and Celina led 28-0 entering the 4th quarter. Neither team was able to put points on the board until the final 2 minutes of the ball game when Elliott found Ben Thiel for a 24 yard scoring play. The Elliott to Thiel play was a thing of beauty with Elliott arching the ball perfectly into the waiting hands of a striding Thiel for the final score of the night. The PAT by Vargas was good and Celina would take home a 35-0 victory.

As coaches are prone to say “a win is a win”, especially a district win. However, I think if you asked them to grade this victory on beauty points they might not score it very high. Clearly Celina was the better team coming into the game. Celina came into the contest undefeated 6-0 and Anna came into the contest 2-5. There wasn’t much doubt about the eventual outcome; the only doubt was the margin of victory. To the credit of the Anna players and coaches, they put together a solid game plan and hit on several very nice plays. They took advantage of the defenses aggression by hitting on some screens and draw plays, and they were occasionally able to expose a porous secondary. Defensively the Coyotes kept Elliott in check for the most part, and they did a nice job keeping Simmons from busting loose for a big game.

Jamarick Simmons had a decent night after it was all said and done. He finished with 164 yards on 18 carries (9.2 avg.) and he scored two rushing touchdowns. Lee Nelson added 33 yards on four carries. Nick Grant and Deshawn Davis looked like they might be vying for some meaningful playing time with half a dozen nice runs. Nathan Elliott was not great on this night, but he did 10 off 22 pass attempts for 137 yards and 3 TD’s. Ben Thiel was on the receiving end of two Elliott TD passes. Lee Nelson had four catches and a score, and Mike Richardson added two catches. Elliott’s receivers had a little problem hanging onto the ball early in the game which kept the Bobcats from sustaining scoring drives. Several receivers dropped passes that would have moved the chains or even scored.

Defensively the Bobcat’s held the Coyotes to only 145 total yards and only 6 first downs. 87 yards were gained through the air and only 58 were gained via the ground game. You would have to say that a shutout and holding the opponent to less than 200 yards total offense would be a good night for the defense, and it was. It just didn’t have that dominating feel that the Celina defense usually gives. Damian Umana had a big game for the defense, as did Justin Leshowitz. Playing for the injured Josh Raulerson, Leshowitz was all over the field. He certainly looked like his play would merit more playing time somewhere on the defense once Raulerson returns to action. Zach Bilderback had his usual solid game in the secondary. He did well in run support and he also picked off one Cory Meadors pass.

With 164 rushing yards against Anna, Jamarick Simmons has now gained 1266 yards this season on only 131 carries (9.66 avg.). He has crossed the goal line for 14 rushing TD’s, and added 2 more TD’s on pass receptions. Freshman Nathan Elliott is zeroing in on the 1000 yard mark for passing yardage and is completing right at 50% of his throws. He has connected with five different receivers for 15 TD’s against only 5 interceptions. Ben Thiel is the favorite target of Elliott with 15 receptions for 281 yards and 5 TD’s. Zack Bilderback has been the most efficient and effective receiver with 4 total catches for four TD’s, covering 135 yards (33.8 avg.).

Celina has an Open Week this week which comes at a very opportune time. Although the Bobcats have played one fewer game than most of their district counterparts, they have been hit with a lot of nagging injuries. Sr. Jordan Roos may be out for the year with a knee injury, but several other Bobcats are nursing various assorted less severe injuries. Jesus Vargas should be back in duty at full speed the next time Celina plays and Josh Raulerson is expected to be back for the next game as well.

After the Open Week Celina will pay a visit to Bonham on October 28 and return home for their final regular season game against Commerce on November 4. The Commerce game will be Senior Night in Celina, where the Senior football players as well as the senior band members, drill team members, and cheerleaders will be honored. This is always a special night for these young people as they perform on Bobcat Field for the final time. Commerce will present a formidable opponent for the Bobcats. Commerce is a perfect 7-0 going into their game this week versus Van Alstyne. The Tigers are led by QB Sam Wells who is completing two-thirds of his passes for 1674 yards and a whopping 18 TD passes.

If all goes well the last two games Celina should enter into the State Playoffs with an eye on another state title. They will need to focus on one game at a time and take care of their business if they are to make a deep run. There will be no easy games along the way in Class AAA. They will need your support both at home and on the road. With the Open Week this week I encourage you to catch a top flight high school game in the area, or perhaps do a little advance scouting on a possible Bobcat playoff opponent. See you at the game….on October 28th.

Pat Hunn

Friday, October 7, 2011

Van Alstyne, Texas

SIMMONS SHINES IN BOBCAT DISTRICT OPENER

The Celina Bobcats opened District 10 AAA play with a 54-34 win over the Van Alstyne Panthers at the Panthers new stadium. In a game that could be subtitled Simmons vs. Barnes, Simmons came out the victor. Celina Sr. RB Jamarick Simmons had a game for the ages, and certainly his finest high school performance. To be honest, I had thought this type of game from Simmons would be fairly common place by now, based on his production in Jr. High. Tagged the “next great” running back from Celina, Simmons has performed admirably over the past 4 seasons after making the varsity roster in a backup role as a freshman. He has really broken out his senior season with five of 6 games rushing for over 100 yards. His biggest game to this point was the 277 yard performance vs. Prestonwood Christian in Week two. He topped that one by a mile on Friday night vs. Van Alstyne, rushing for 339 yards on only 15 carries (22.6 avg.) and scoring five TD’s on the ground, and adding another TD on a screen pass from Nathan Elliott that he took 58 yards for the score. The huge night put Simmons at 1102 yards rushing on the season in only 6 games, an average of 184 ypg. In addition, his six touchdowns against the Panthers will place him among the areas scoring leaders.

As should be the case, Simmons got the Bobcats out to an early lead with a 40 yard run in the 1^st quarter. The try for 2 points on the conversion failed and Celina led 6-0. The Panthers answered with a 37 yard scoring run by Jordan Barnes. Barnes would match Simmons almost step for step on this night, finishing with 318 yards on 41 carries (7.76 avg.). The PAT by Collin Fagan was good and VA took the lead 7-6. Simmons would answer with another of his many long scoring runs, this one covering 64 yards. These two plays alone put Simmons over the 100 yard mark for the game! The Bobcats went for two and Nathan Elliott’s pass was incomplete, leaving Celina with a 12-7 lead heading into the 2^nd quarter.

The second quarter was all Celina and all Simmons. The Bobcat senior would score first on a 57 run from scrimmage advancing the lead to 19-7 after the Jesus Vargas PAT. Simmons next score came on a screen pass where he did most of the heavy lifting, taking the toss from Nathan Elliott and bursting 58 yards for another Bobcat touchdown. Celina took a 26-7 lead into the halftime intermission.

While Simmons was making the most of his carries, scoring just about every other time he touched the ball, the Panthers Jordan Barnes was slashing through the Bobcat defense for big chunks of yardage. Other than the 37 yard TD early in the game Barnes had been held out of the end zone until halftime. He would change that early in the 3^rd quarter, scoring on a short 2 yard run that narrowed the Bobcat lead to 26-14 and made the Bobcat faithful just a little nervous. Missed tackles, penalties, and second chances were keeping the Panthers in the ball game. Simmons was doing his best to blow them out, answering Barnes’ score with a 71 yard scoring run of his own, pushing the Bobcat lead back out to 33-14 after the Vargas PAT.

Panther QB Drew Dennis got into the action on their next drive, scoring on a 23 yard quarterback keeper. Instead of a blowout, the game just kept getting tighter. Fagan’s kick was good and Celina had a 33-21 lead as they entered the 4^th quarter. The 4^th quarter became a scoring frenzy and made no lead seem safe. That man Simmons tacked on the first fourth quarter score with a rather tame 14 yard run making the score 40-21 after the PAT by Vargas. Then Celina’s offense got careless and fumbled the ball in their own end zone. The Panthers Manuel Monge pounced on the loose ball for another Van Alstyne score. The PAT was good by Fagan and suddenly the Bobcat lead of 40-28 was back to a two possession game.

While Simmons scoring frenzy was complete for the night, the Bobcat offense had just a little more in store for the Panthers. First Ben Thiel caught a 7 yard pass from Elliott for a score, advancing the lead to 47-28. Vargas’ PAT was again good. Elliot Bush was next up, and he delivered a knockout with a 73 yard scoring run that would serve to ice the game away for the Bobcats at 54-28. Van Alstyne would add one more meaningless score late in the game on a Jordan Barnes 17 yard run, making the final score 54-34 after their try for two failed.

The Celina offense was impressive, especially Jamarick Simmons. Simmons would finish with 339 yards on the ground plus another 75 yards on two catches. All total the Bobcats gained 549 yards on just 35 plays from scrimmage (15.7 avg.). The Panthers high scoring offense was very good as well, racking up 491 total yards, with 468 yards coming on the ground against the Big Orange defense. It took the Panthers 86 offensive plays to reach that total, and most of the damage came from Jordan Barnes. Van Alstyne QB Drew Dennis reached the century mark as well, rushing for 150 yards on 34 carries. Dennis also attempted 11 passes, completing only one for 23 yards. In an interesting statistic, of 86 offensive plays for the Panthers, Dennis and Barnes combined for all 491 yards. Not a single Panther not named Barnes or Dennis carried or threw the ball during the course of the entire game.

Despite Simmons huge night for Celina, three other players rushed for a combined 98 yards. The Celina defense will need to do a better job tackling ball carriers and getting off the field after 3^rd downs. The Panthers kept a lot of drives alive after converting 3^rd and long situations into new sets of downs. Penalties continue to be a problem, as Celina was flagged seven times for 75 yards compared to Van Alstyne with only four penalties for 34 yards.

Celina returns home this week as they take on the Anna Coyotes for their second district contest before the Bye Week on October 21. After winning their first two games in impressive fashion the Coyotes have struggled since, losing their last four contests by the combined score of 162 to 86. This will be the first 10 AAA game for Anna so they will be looking to make some noise in the district race. District 10 AAA is a five team district with three teams qualifying for the playoffs, so if they could upset the Bobcats that would increase their odds of entering the 2011 state playoffs. Celina will be heavily favored as they bring their undefeated 6-0 record into the game. After two weeks on the road they will welcome the chance to play in front of the Bobcat faithful once again. This will be the next to last home game for the 2011 Bobcats, so please come out to Bobcat Field to cheer the Bobcats on to victory. See you at the game.

Pat Hunn

Friday September 30, 2011

Lake Worth, Texas

‘CATS LEAP THE FROGS

The Celina Bobcats traveled across the metroplex to take on the Lake Worth Bullfrogs on Friday night in the last Pre-District game of the 2011 season.  It’s hard to believe, but the 2011 regular season is down to only 4 games left.  Of course the Bobcats and their fans plan to extend the season by as many as 6 additional games if they can sweep through the District Schedule and make some noise in the playoffs.  Based on the Pre-District results, they are definitely poised to make a run at a 9^th State Title.  Celina currently is ranked the #1 Class 3A team in the area and boasts a #6 ranking in the state polls.

The Bobcats got off to a fast start on Friday night, with Freshman QB Nathan Elliott at the controls.  Celina racked up 531 yards of offense against the ‘Frogs, but the defense struggled a little in the second half, almost letting the Bullfrogs back in the game.

Celina got on the scoreboard first after a lengthy drive on their opening possession.  Nathan Elliott found receiver Ben Thiel and the pair hooked up for a 36 yard scoring play.  Jesus Vargas, returning after a week off due to injury, kicked the extra point and Celina took an early 7-0 lead.  That was all the scoring in the first quarter.  The Bobcats would seemingly take control in the 2^nd quarter, with Elliott punching the ball in from the 1 yard line, followed by an outstanding 37 yard scamper by Jamarick Simmons.  Simmons is quietly having a very good year.  He has been the one constant in the Bobcat rushing attack.  Simmons is closing in on 800 yards rushing on the season, picking up 131 yards on this night.

The Bobcat backfield began the season with a QB rotation between Brooks Stephenson and Nathan Elliott before the Freshman Elliott was declared the starter.  Jesus Vargas, Zack Bilderback, Elliot Bush, and Lee Nelson have all seen time in the backfield, but Simmons has been the most productive thus far.  Simmons has amassed over 200 yards once, and has been over 100 yards several times.   Every time he touches the ball he is a threat to take it to the house, averaging close to 8 yards per carry.

The Bobcats carried a 21-0 lead into the halftime locker room.  When play resumed in the 3^rd quarter it looked like it would just be more of the same.  Celina added to their lead, this time on a 47 yard pass from Elliott to Mike Richardson.  The extra point was no good and Celina led 27-0 and it looked like the rout was on.  Not too fast!  The Bullfrogs rallied later in the period and put together two scoring plays.  Lake Worth QB Danny Nipp got into the end zone first on a 3 yard run, and Nipp found Maverick Chitty with a 12 yard scoring toss.  The ‘Frogs tried for two after their first TD and were unsuccessful.  After they found the end zone for the second time they tried for two and again failed to add to their score.  At the end of the 3^rd quarter the Bobcat lead had been cut to 27-12.

Celina would take control of the contest in the 4^th quarter.  Zack Bilderback was on the receiving end of an Elliott pass that traveled 33 yards for the score.  Jesus Vargas kicked the PAT and Celina led 34-12.  The final score of the evening came on a short 2 yard run by Elliot Bush.  Vargas’ PAT was no good, leaving the final score Celina 40, Lake Worth 12.

Zack Bilderback has become just about unstoppable on the deep ball for the Bobcats.  Bilderback doesn’t get many opportunities with the ball on offense due to his spectacular play on defense.  But when he does….look out.  Bilderback has been on the receiving end of many of Elliott’s TD passes this season.  Most of them come with the Bobcats facing a “must score” situation, and more often than not he delivers in a big way.  Bilderback is a slightly built but very tall receiver, with soft hands and great athletic ability.  Bilderback, along with Ben Thiel and Mike Richardson have really helped Elliott as he begins to gain confidence under center.

Against Lake Worth Elliott completed 16 of 24 passing attempts for 279 yards and 3 TD passes.  In addition, he chipped in one rushing touchdown during the game.  Bilderback caught the one TD pass for 33 yards, Thiel added 4 catches for 89 yards and one TD, and Richardson led all Bobcat receivers with 6 catches for 94 yards and one score.

Jamarick Simmons led the Bobcat rushing attack with 131 yards on only 16 carries.  Lee Nelson added 78 yards on 7 carries, and Nathan Elliott totaled 35 yards on 11 carries with one TD.  The Bobcat offense was very balanced with 279 yards through the air and 252 on the ground, for a total of 531 yards of offense.

The Bobcat defense did a good job containing the talented Bullfrogs for most of the night, but they almost let them back into the game with a 3^rd quarter lapse.  The ‘Frogs would 410 yards on their way to 12 points.  Most of those yards came on the ground, with Lake Worth piling up 332 yards on the ground on only 36 attempts.  Danny Nipp proved hard to contain as he had a spectacular night with 258 yards on 27 attempts.  Nipp ran for one score and threw for another.

Celina hits the road again this week for their first District 10 3A contest against the Van Alstyne Panthers.  The Panthers are a high scoring team that seems to have righted their ship after losing the first two games of the season.  They lost their first game to Princeton 28-21, and then were blown off the field by Melissa by the score of 63-25.  Since then they have put together a 4 game winning streak in impressive fashion.  They put up 70 points against Community in a blowout win, followed by another dominating performance against Frisco Lone Star.  They got by Farmersville in a 62-55 barn burner, and defeated Brownsboro by one TD last week.  They are now 4-2 on the season.  The Panthers have a strong rushing attack, led by Jordan Barnes.  Barnes has totaled 1215 yards in 6 games; scoring 15 TD’s and is averaging over 10 yards per carry.  The Panther QB is Drew Dennis and he is completing 66% of his passes so far this season.  They are averaging 40 points per game, and they should represent a stiff challenge for the Bobcat defense.

The Bobcats will follow the trip to Van Alstyne with a home game against Anna and then they will be open on October 21.  The final two games will be at Bonham on the 28^th and at home for Senior Night against Commerce in the regular season finale.  If the ‘Cats can overcome the injury bug and continue to take care of business on the field they have a chance to make this a special season.  They need your support to help them along the way.  See you at the game.

Pat Hunn

Friday, September 23, 2001

Bobcat Field, Celina, Texas

HOMECOMING PART II PROVIDES BOBCATS WITH COSTLY VICTORY OVER PARIS

With the Celina vs. Melissa contest canceled due to inclement weather on September 16^th, all Homecoming activities were rescheduled for this week.  Certainly the Paris Wildcats came into the game wanting to spoil the belated events of the evening.  While the Bobcats came out with a hard fought 41-22 victory….the win came at a big cost to the Bobcats.  Sr. lineman Jordan Roos was lost for an undetermined amount of time with what appears to be a knee injury, and Sr. All Purpose back/kicker Jesus Vargas was also injured and will likely miss some time on the field.  Roos anchored one of the strengths of the 2011 Bobcats, the interior line, and Vargas is a stalwart running back, defensive back, and handles the place-kicking.  Their talent and leadership will be missed and we wish them both a speedy recovery.

Celina took the opening kickoff and moved the football consistently down the field, mixing in some nice runs by Jamarick Simmons and Eliot Bush with an occasional pass from Freshman QB Nathan Elliott.  All went well until Elliott hit Bush with a pass in the left flat near the Wildcats 10 yard line. Bush made the reception but as he was fighting for more yardage he lost the handle on the football and the Wildcats recovered, costing the Bobcats a chance at an early lead.  The Wildcats weren’t able to do a lot with the ball as the Bobcat defense forced the punt.  In fact neither team was able to consistently move the ball during the remainder of the first period.

When the quarter changed, so did the Bobcats.  Elliott led the Bobcats into the Red Zone and found Mike Richardson in the right corner of the end zone with a 6 yard scoring pass to give Celina the early lead.  Vargas came on to kick the PAT and Celina led 7-0.  This would be the first of four scoring passes Elliott would throw on the night.

The Bobcat defense got the ball back to the offense and they quickly found the end zone.  Ben Thiel made an excellent catch on a 30 yard scoring strike from Elliott and Celina led 14-0 after the Vargas PAT.  On the ensuing kickoff the Wildcats kick returner mishandled the ball and was barely able to escape out of the end zone, putting the ball on the 2 yard line.  After a false start by the Wildcats put the ball on the 1 yard line the Bobcat defense smelled blood.  On the next play the defense stopped the Wildcat ball carrier a yard deep into the end zone for the safety.  The 2 pointer advanced the score to Celina 16, Paris 0.

Celina would get on the scoreboard once more before the half.  Jesus Vargas connected on a 40 yard field goal before the half came to a close.  Celina led 19-0 at the half.  During the Homecoming festivities Celina High School Senior Amanda Gerths was crowned the 2011 Homecoming Queen.  Congratulations Amanda!

The third quarter began much like the second quarter ended, with Celina’s Elliot finding still another Bobcat receiver with a TD strike.  This time Elliot hit Zack Bilderback with a 9 yard back shoulder pass into the right corner of the end zone.  The Bobcats went for two out of the swinging gate formation and Brooks Stephenson hit Ben Thiel with a short pass that gave Celina a 27-0 lead.

The Bobcat defense forced another Wildcat punt on their next possession, but the Bobcat punt returner failed to secure the ball, giving the Wildcats excellent field position.  Finally the talented Wildcats were able to penetrate the Celina end zone with a 1 yard plunge by QB Corban Taylor.  Paris went for two and Taylor hit Perkins for the conversion, narrowing the margin to Celina 27, Paris 8.

The Wildcats, with a little momentum on their side, were able to narrow the margin a little further with an 8 yard scoring pass from Taylor to Reed and a two point conversion which put the score at 27-16 still in favor of Celina.  The combination of Celina mistakes and a rejuvenated Wildcat team had suddenly made this game a little more interesting and tighter than the Bobcats and their coaches would have liked.  Celina answered the bell in the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns sandwiched around another Wildcat score.  The first Celina TD came on a 4 yard pass from Elliot to Simmons which put the score at Celina 34; Paris 16 after Fabian Aguirre came on for the PAT.  Tevairus Williams then caught a 19 yard scoring pass from Taylor to narrow the Bobcat margin to 12 at 34-22.

The final score of the evening came on an Elliot Bush 8 yard run.  Aguirre was again good with the PAT, making the final score 41-22.  In many ways the game was closer than the score indicated, but in other ways the game should not have been so close.  I overheard one coach say they can’t remember a more tense 19 point victory.  I believe this feeling was largely the realization that Paris has about as good of athletes as you will find in Class 3A.  They have excellent size and speed, and are well coached.  The Bobcats seemingly had the game under control at half time, yet the Wildcats took advantage of some Bobcat mistakes that allowed them to make a game of it.

Freshman QB Nathan Elliott may have come into his own during this game.  Elliott completed 11 of 22 passes for only 137 yards, but he made the most of those passes with 4 scoring plays.  While each of them were relatively short safe passes except for the 30 yarder to Bush, the balls were delivered to the right place at the right time to give his teammates a chance to score.  Some of the 11 incompletions were the result of uncharacteristic drops by the Bobcat receivers.  Jamarick Simmons and Elliott Bush both had good nights in the ground game.  Simmons finished with 133 tough yards on 22 carries.  Bush tallied 93 yards on 13 carries and a rushing TD.  Vargas, playing only the first half added 57 yards on a single carry.

Ben Thiel was the leading receiver for Celina with three receptions for 67 yards and one TD.  Bilderback, Simmons, and Richardson chipped in with one scoring reception each.  The Orange defense was stiff all night, only giving up scores that were set up by offensive miscues.  The Bobcats “D” held the talented Wildcats to only 155 total yards, 113 through the air and only 42 on the ground.  They held Paris to only 7 first downs on the night, and picked off one Corban Taylor pass and recovered one of two fumbles by the Wildcats.  Both teams were heavily penalized.  Paris had 9 accepted penalties resulting in 81 yards of losses, and Celina had 11 penalties that resulted in 95 negative yards.  Celina has been penalized quite a lot thus far in the season and they will need to clean that up if they are to reach their goal of a 9^th State Championship.

Celina hits the road this week for a game against Lake Worth.  At the halfway point of the regular season Lake Worth’s record stands at 1 win against 4 losses.  To put it mildly, they are struggling.   The defense is giving up 34 points per game while the offense is managing only 20 points per contest.  They are coming off a sound defeat at the hands of Gainesville by the score of 42-14.  They have a balanced offense led by QB Drake Pamilton.

The game against Lake Worth will be the final non-district game of the 2011 season.  Celina will open District 10AAA action on October 7 with a visit to Van Alstyne.  After a slow start to the season, the high scoring Panthers are now 3-2 and coming off of impressive wins vs. Farmersville and Frisco Lone Star.  After Van Alstyne, Celina will take on the Anna Coyotes (2-3) at Bobcat Field, followed by a late Open Week.  The final two games of the regular season will see the Bobcats travel to Bonham (3-2) to take on the Warriors, and then they wrap up the season with the home finale against Commerce (5-0).  The way things presently stand, the finale against Commerce could determine the District 10AAA championship.

See you at the game.

Pat Hunn

Friday September 9, 2011

Pilot Point, Texas

In one of the most storied rivalries in Texas High School Football, the Celina Bobcats traveled 12 miles west on FM 455 to take on the Bearcats of Pilot Point.  With a rich tradition and some epic battles along the way, this is one of those games that you can throw out the win-loss records, because more than likely it’s going to be a barn burner.  But this one…not so much.

As is tradition for games played at Pilot Point, the Bobcats were escorted onto the field by members of the Celina QB Club.  I’m not sure who gets more excited, the players or the club members.  Whatever the case, the Bobcats were able to control their emotions and put together a solid opening drive.  The drive began on their own 43 yard line.  Mixing in an occasional pass with a steady dose of Jamarick Simmons, Elliot Bush, and Jesus Vargas, the Bobcats took an early 7-0 lead on a 14 yard run by Vargas.  Vargas fumbled the ball but recovered it himself for the score.  Vargas also tacked on the extra point for the 7-0 lead midway through the 1^st quarter.

After the kickoff, Pilot Point took over at their 20 yard line.  Pilot Point QB Aaron Buckingham had some success on the ground but the passing game was a little suspect.  The Bearcats moved the ball from their own 20 to near midfield before being forced to punt.  Buckingham got off a short punt of 8 yards that gave the Bobcats excellent field position at their own 43 yard line.  Nathan Elliott hit a couple of passes to Mike Richardson and Elliot Bush, followed by consecutive runs by Bush and Simmons.  Simmons got the call for the final 3 yards into the end zone and the Bobcats led 14-0 with 3:20 left in the opening period.  Vargas added the PAT.

The Bearcats began their second drive of the evening on their own 15 yard line.  They were able to move into field goal position on the strength of Buckingham’s legs, but the big play came on a 42 yard completion to Ricky Campbell that put the ball into the Celina end of the field.  Buckingham was able to lead the Bearcats to the Bobcat 26 yard line where the drive stalled.  Reuben Martinez came on to try a 43 yard field goal which was good, cutting the Bobcat lead to 14-3 with just over a minute left in the quarter.

Celina took the kickoff to their own 24 yard line where their third series would begin.  After picking up a first down the Bobcats were hit with a 15 yard penalty that put the ball back where they started.  Three plays later they were forced to punt, with the Bearcats setting up shop near midfield.  The Bearcats again called on Buckingham’s legs for several consecutive plays before Buckingham went to the air and missed his target and the Bobcats intercepted the pass in their own end zone for the touchback.  The Bobcats began their next drive from their 20 yard line.  Two runs, a penalty and an incomplete pass forced the Bobcats to punt the ball away.  Bilderback booted a 40 yarder to the Bearcat 38 yard line, however after a 10 yard return the ball carrier fumbled the ball back to the Bobcats and the Bobcats had the football and the momentum.  As is their custom, the Bobcats struck quickly after the turnover.  Nathan Elliott found Zack Bilderback for a 55 yard scoring strike on first down for a 21-3 Bobcat lead.  Vargas kicked the PAT with 7:12 left in the first half of play.

After the kickoff the Bearcats took possession in the Bobcat end of the field on the Celina 41 yard line.  Pilot Point put together an 11 play drive that consumed about 5:00 minutes off the clock.  All of the yardage was piled up on the ground with Buckingham and Tristen Jurecka doing most of the damage.  The Bobcat defense stiffened when the Bearcats reached their 14 yard line and forced another Pilot Point FG attempt.  Martinez was successful once again and kicked the 31 yard FG, cutting the Celina lead to 21-6.  Celina picked up two first downs on 5 plays before turning the ball over on downs, giving the Bearcats another chance to score and perhaps regain some momentum.  The Celina defense would have none of it, preserving the 21-6 lead as time ran out in the first half of play.

The third quarter began with a Pilot Point possession from their own 20 yard line.  The Orange defense forced a three and out, giving the ball back to the offense after still another short Bearcat punt.   Celina began their first drive of the second half on the Pilot Point 48 yard line.  Bush and Simmons did most of the work on the way to the end zone.  Simmons would again get the scoring honors with an 8 yard blast to give Celina a 27-6 lead with almost 9 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter.  The PAT failed.  Celina would tack on another 2 points moments later as the Pilot Point ball carrier stepped out of the end zone for the safety, boosting the lead to 29-6.  After the free kick, Celina took over on the Pilot Point 49 yard line.  Celina put together a 9 play drive mixing in some short passes with some more runs by Simmons.  Simmons took the ball the final yard into the end zone for a 36-6 Bobcat lead midway through the 3^rd quarter.  Fabian Aguirre came on to kick the PAT.

After another short possession ended with a 4 yard punt, the Bobcats would again take over.  The Bobcat offense then went four and out, followed by another short Bearcat drive that ended with another short punt.  Neither team could put together any significant drives for the remainder of the 3^rd quarter and into the 4^th quarter.  After a couple of three and outs the Bearcats would mount one last scoring drive.  With 4:12 remaining in the ballgame Justin Gray ran 5 yards for a Pilot Point TD that narrowed the Bobcat lead to 36-12.  The good fortune was short lived for the Bearcats.  After the kickoff put the ball on the Bobcat 21 yard line, DeShawn Davis ripped off a 79 yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage to extend the Bobcat lead to 43-12.  The Davis TD run would end the scoring for the night and the Bobcats would go home with a convincing 43-12 victory over the rival Bearcats.

Celina dominated in all areas of the game, led by the vaunted Bobcat rushing attack.  Jamarick Simmons stepped off 134 yards on 19 carries (7.05 avg.) with 3 scores.  DeShawn Davis had 80 yards on only 3 carries with the 79 yard scoring run. Bush, Vargas, and Elliott each had just under 30 yards on the ground.  In total, Celina amassed 302 yards on 46 rushing attempts (6.56 avg.).  Freshman Nathan Elliott went most of the way at QB for Celina.  Elliott had a decent night passing, completing 8 of 13 for 88 yards and one TD of 55 yards to Zack Bilderback.  Celina is still getting flagged for too many penalties.  The Bearcats accepted 11 Bobcat penalties for 99 yards on the night.

For the Bearcats, Aaron Buckingham was the leading ground gainer with 91 yards on 11 carries.  His passing was not nearly as impressive, completing only 2 of 14 for 40 yards with no TD’s and a costly interception.  The Bearcat offense was held to only 214 yards by the swarming Bobcat defense.  The win for Celina moves their season record to 3-0 with an important Homecoming contest against Melissa coming up this Friday night at Bobcat Field.  You may remember that Melissa won the Class 3A and under 7 on 7 State Tournament this past year, so they are team that should challenge the Bobcats.  We are expecting a huge turnout for the Homecoming game that will include several very special presentations recognizing and honor past and present Celina student athletes.  You don’t want to miss it.

See you at the game.

Pat Hunn

CELINA BOBCATS VS. PRESTONWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY LIONS

Friday, September 2, 2011

Plano, Texas

Well folks, this one lived up to the hype!  In a game that pitted the TAPPS two-time defending state champion PCA Lions against the perennial Class 3A powerhouse Celina Bobcats, raw emotion was on display from the pre-game presentation to the final whistle.  The PCA Lions had suffered a tragic loss after the first day of fall practice, losing their defensive coordinator Wade McLain to heat and heart related causes.  This was the season opener for PCA, and the pent up emotions the players had felt since their loss would no doubt be released on this night against Celina.

This game had everything you could ask for in a high school football game.  Momentum changes, lead changes, emotions, outstanding individual performances, and in the end a freshman making the biggest play of his young career to lead the Bobcats to a 34-33 victory over a very good PCA Lion squad.

After the emotional pregame ceremonies to honor Coach McLain, both offenses were a little jittery.  Neither team could find the end zone in the first quarter, but that would not be indicative of the fireworks that would eventually happen.  Celina put together a nice 15 play drive toward the end of the first quarter that resulted in a Bobcat TD with 11:32 remaining in the second quarter.  Most of the yards were gained on the ground, Celina’s tried and true recipe for victory.  Freshman Nathan Elliott took the ball into the end zone for the final yard to cap off the scoring drive.  Jesus Vargas tacked on the PAT and Celina led 7-0.

Prestonwood would answer quickly.  Brandon Henry took a Parker Ash screen pass all the way to the Bobcat one yard line, where Grayson Warren would take it into the end zone for a 7-7 tie with 9:45 remaining in the half.  The Bobcat’s Jamarick Simmons then ripped off a 74 yard run down the sideline to put the Bobcats back on top 14-7 after another successful PAT by Vargas.  Simmons run occurred just about one minute after PCA had knotted the score.  Simmons had a monster night, gaining 277 yards on 32 carries (8.65 ypc) and two TD’s.

Prestonwood’s defense then rose to the occasion when Alex Harris intercepted an Elliott pass, giving the ball back to the high octane Lion offense.  Parker Ash hooked up with Brandon Henry for a 5 yard pitch and catch that gave PCA a chance to tie the score at 14 apiece.  That wouldn’t happen this time, as the Bobcats special teams made a big play, blocking the PAT attempt, preserving, at least for a while, the one point Bobcat advantage, 14-13.  Henry’s TD came with 3:06 left in the half, just enough time for Celina to light up the scoreboard once again.  But that was not to happen either!

The Bobcat offense was unable to mount a scoring drive and was forced to give the ball back to the Lions.  The Lions quickly cashed in on the opportunity.  Ash and Henry hooked up again for a 30 yard scoring play with just 11 seconds left in the first half.  The PAT by Zac Elsenbroek was good and the Lions took a 20-14 lead into the halftime locker room.

The third quarter didn’t generate a lot of points, but Celina was able to regain the lead with 4:28 left in the period.  With Jamarick Simmons doing most of the work on the ground, he capped off the scoring drive with a 9 yard run that put the Bobcats back into the lead.  Vargas’ PAT was good for a 21-20 advantage heading into the final period.

Parker Ash and Brandon Henry would make the Bobcats work for this victory.  After connecting for two scores in the first half, the duo would connect for two more in the early part of the fourth quarter.  The first one came just 22 seconds into the quarter on a 25 yard completion that would put the Lions back in the lead 26-21.  The conversion attempt failed.  The second one came with 7:14 remaining.  This would be an 8 yard hookup that would stretch the lead to 33-21 after Elsenboek’s successful PAT.

The Bobcats were down but they were not out.  Nathan Elliott found a wide-open Mike Richardson on a play action pass and hit him in stride for a 61 yard TD.  Vargas’ kick was good and Celina had narrowed the lead to 33-28.  Still they would need the ball back with enough time to score if they were to complete the come from behind victory.  The defense delivered!  Jake Raulerson picked off an attempted screen pass from Parker Ash giving the Bobcat offense 2:19 to snatch the victory.  Celina, starting at its own 48 yard line stuck to its ground and pound attack.  Picking up positive yardage and making good use of the time that remained, Jamarick Simmons and Nathan Elliott led the attack.  With just 37 seconds left Elliott took a quarterback draw into the end zone from 14 yards out for the game winning score.  The TD gave Celina a 34-33 lead but the conversion attempt failed.

PCA had just enough time on the clock for a miracle, but it wouldn’t happen tonight.  PCA QB Parker Ash found Brandon Henry for a 40 yard completion to the Bobcat 40 yard line and they still had 17 very tense seconds left.  Three incompletions later, the Bobcats had their well-deserved, well-earned victory, winning by the final score of 34-33.

This game had a lot of outstanding individual performances from both teams.  PCA’s Parker Ash completed 17 of 40 attempts for 329 yards and four TD’s.  He threw one interception to Jake Raulerson which would prove costly, setting up the final Celina TD.  Eight of Ash’s 17 completions would go to Brandon Henry.  Henry scored 4 TD’s on the night, picking up 188 yards along the way.

Celina was led by Jamarick Simmons with his 277 yards rushing on 32 carries and 2 TD’s.  Nathan Elliott had 61 of Celina’s 391 yards on the ground, and he also found the end zone twice.  Elliott completed just 4 of 11 passes for 95 yards, with the bulk of the yardage coming on the 61 yard strike to Mike Richardson which set up the comeback win.  Brooks Stephenson, rotating in at QB, completed 4 of 5 attempts for 51 yards.  Richardson was the leading receiver with the 61 yard TD reception from Elliott.  Four other Bobcats caught passes during the game.

In the end, Celina’s ground game and perhaps their experience in knowing how to win would lead them to victory.  For PCA, the emotions of playing their first game without Coach McLain may have put them in position to have an outstanding season.  Despite the loss, the combination of Ash to Henry is going to create nightmares for defensive coaches in the weeks ahead.  The Bobcats may have seen freshman Nathan Elliott grow up before their very eyes, morphing into a more experienced, confident signal caller during the 48 minutes of action.  The combination of Brooks Stephenson and Nathan Elliott is a tremendous luxury the Bobcat coaches will enjoy throughout the season.  Although neither player has much varsity experience, both young men are outstanding leaders and talented individuals that the coaches can use to take advantage of their individual strengths.

Any win is a good win, especially against a quality opponent like PCA.  The Bobcat defense still has a lot of work to do, especially in pass coverage.  The Bobcat defensive scheme depends on a lot of pressure on the quarterback and the defensive backs will usually be in tight press coverage.  If the pressure doesn’t come then the DB’s are susceptible to getting beat.  Everything has to work together as a unit to effectively defend.  We are two games deep into the season, and if previous seasons are an indicator, the Bobcat defense will continue to improve.  Both sides of the ball will need to clean up in the penalty department.  Far too many flags are being thrown against the Bobcats.  While some of the calls may be a little suspect, this is still an area that the coaches will concentrate on or else pay a heavy price down the road.

Speaking of the road, Celina hits the road once again this Friday for their annual rivalry game with the Pilot Point Bearcats.  Pilot Point is coming off a nice win over Iowa Park and will be looking to add to their victory total against the Bobcats in a game that usually provides some memorable moments.  Kickoff is at 7:30 in Pilot Point.  Come on out and support your Bobcats and their coaches.

Pat Hunn

August 26, 2011

Bobcat Field   Celina, TX

After several hot weeks of 2-a-day practices, two scrimmages, 100 degree temperatures, and a full week of school, the Celina Bobcats finally opened the 2011 High School Football Season with a non-District game against the Carrollton-Ranchview Wolves.  While there was a decent turnout for the season/home opener, the atmosphere at Bobcat Field was not nearly as “electric” as usual.  I believe that may have had a lot to do with the scorching heat endured by the players, coaches, support organizations, and fans alike.  The visiting Wolves brought a sparse crowd of supporters with them, but not the band, cheerleaders, or any sort of spirit squad.  Due to budget cutbacks in the Carrollton ISD these groups will not make out of town trips during the non-District season.

The Bobcats had played two scrimmages and hadn’t looked all that great in doing so.  The coaches were mixing and matching a lot of personnel groups in an effort to try to find out who their starters and backups will be.  That process will continue for a while as they attempt to replace last year’s seniors.  There were some bright spots in the scrimmages, mainly the “live” portion of the scrimmage against Ft. Worth Nolan, and most of the controlled portion of the scrimmage against Bridgeport.  There are no winners or losers in scrimmages, with the primary purpose being to find out who can play and who can’t.  From the looks of things Friday night vs. the Wolves, the coaches found a lot of Bobcats they can count on.

Celina got on the scoreboard first.  After being forced to punt the ball away on their first possession, the Bobcat defense stymied the Wolves and got the ball back to the offense.  Then Celina  unleashed their usually strong running game on the Wolves.  Jamarick Simmons punched the ball across the goal line for the final yard and the first Bobcat touchdown of the season.  Jesus Vargas PAT was good and Celina led 7-0.  The Celina coaches employed a rotation system at the Quarterback position with Junior Brooks Stephenson and Freshman Nathan Elliott leading the team every other series.  Stephenson started the game under center, but Elliott was on the field for the first Bobcat TD.

The Wolves would narrow the margin to 7-6 after Chris Wimby scored on a 3 yard run.  The PAT by Gibbran Perez was no good and Celina kept the lead at 7-6.  Celina would go on to score three more times in the second quarter.   The first Bobcat touchdown of the second quarter came on a beautiful pass and reception from Nathan Elliott to Zach Bilderback.  The play covered 38 yards.  Bilderback was well covered on the play, but he did have a step on the defender.  Elliott put the ball in a great spot, allowing Bilderback to jump up and grab the ball near the goal line before taking it into the end zone.  Vargas PAT was again good, and Celina led 14-6.  Vargas did almost all of the heavy lifting on the second score of the quarter, taking the ball in on the ground from 34 yards out.  He kicked the extra point as well and Celina led 21-6.  The Bobcats would score once again before the half, courtesy of a spectacular Elliot Bush 27 yard run.  Bush made several nice moves on his way to the end zone and his first Varsity TD.  Vargas kicked the PAT and Celina took a 28-6 lead into intermission.

The second half got a little sloppy at times, but Celina was still able to dominate on both sides of the ball.  Bush would get his second score of the evening on a 9 yard run in the 3^rd period.  Vargas’ PAT was again successful and Celina had a 35-6 lead going into the 4^th quarter.  Deshawn Davis would score his first varsity TD in the 4^th quarter on a 7 yard run, and Reece Morton would tack on his first varsity TD with a 20 yard run late in the game.  Morton’s run was very exciting, as the Bobcats were not looking to score at this point in the game, but Morton broke several tackle attempts on his way to the end zone.  Fabian Aguirre kicked the final two PAT’s, and Celina would come away with a rather convincing 49-6 victory.

There were a lot of “FIRSTS” in this ballgame.  Of course it was the first game of the 2011 season, the first victory of the 2011 season, and several individual Bobcats got some “firsts”.  Freshman Nathan Elliott threw his first TD pass as a member of the Bobcat varsity.  Elliot Bush scored the first two TD’s of his Bobcat career, as did Deshawn Davis and Reece Morton.  Freshman Nick Grant got his first varsity carry, picking up 34 yards on his single attempt.  While this game wasn’t always a thing of beauty, you can never be disappointed in a WIN.  Both teams had trouble keeping the ball in their hands, with each team fumbling three times.  Ranchview was able to recover each of their fumbles but Celina was not as fortunate, losing one possession back to the Wolves.  The passing game was spotty for both squads.  Marcus Wimby completed 5 of11 passes (45.4%) for only 46 yards.  Nathan Elliott was just 2 of 8 (25%) for 42 yards with one TD (38 yards to Bilderback) and one interception.  Brooks Stephenson completed both of his pass attempts, each going to Jesus Vargas out of the backfield.  Vargas did pickup 16 yards on his three receptions, and Bilderback finished with the one catch for 38 yards and the TD.

Celina rolled up 297 yards on the ground on only 30 carries (9.9 avg.).  Jamarick Simmons led the way with 88 yards on 9 carries (9.8 avg.) and one TD.  Jesus Vargas added 65 yards on only 7 carries (9.3 avg,), and Elliot Bush stepped off 44 yards on only 3 carries (14.7 avg.) with two TD’s.   For the Wolves, most of the offense was provided by QB Marcus Wimby or his twin brother, RB Chris Wimby.  Marcus would finish with 100 yards on 24 carries (4.2 avg.) most of them under great duress.  Osh-Shakkur Derrick chipped in 46 yards on 12 carries (3.8 avg.) and Chris Wimby added 10 yards on just 4 carries (2.5 avg.).  Chris Wimby caught 3 passes on the night, finishing with 38 yards.

Next Friday night the Bobcats travel to Plano to take on the defending TAPPS Division One State Champion Prestonwood Christian Academy.  Prestonwood is coming off an outstanding 12-2 season which saw them claim the state championship.  This team is loaded with talent, led by Safety Anthony Morgan, Offensive Tackle Brandon Dawkins, and Christian Morgan.  They have tall receivers, and a prolific passing quarterback.  This Prestonwood team will be as talented as any team the Bobcats will face this season.  It promises to be a real test for the young Bobcats.  The Bobcats will need your support if they are to prevail.  See you at the game.

Pat Hunn