Little reason to rejoice
Defending Class A champ Cashion defeated by 2A contenders in season opener
CASHION’S Jackson Vandruff (59) and Timmy Jones (52) combine to bring down a Rejoice Christian offensive player during last Friday’s home game. [Photo by Brad Stone/www.bestone. shootproof.com]
Lynn Shackelford had a fairly simple assessment of Rejoice Christian’s Chance Wilson.
“If there’s a better quarterback in the state in any class, I’d like to see him,” said Cashion’s head coach.
He saw all he wanted of Wilson last Friday in Rejoice Christian’s 49-13 victory over Cashion in the season opener at Maxon Field.
Wilson, a Montana State commit, threw for 382 yards and five touchdowns while adding another 83 yards and a TD on the ground.
He helped the visiting Eagles to the game’s first 28 points and a 42-6 halftime lead over the two-time defending Class A state champs.
“I told the guys at halftime that we were playing a team with a real shot at winning Class 2A,” Shackelford said. “We’re playing up in class and struggling, but we knew it was going to be tough going in.”
Rejoice beat Cashion in last year’s opener for the Wildcats’ only loss in 31 games before Friday night.
Wilson and the Eagles wasted little time in trying to set the early tone on Cashion’s home field.
He threw three TD passes - all of 35 or more yards - in the first quarter.
Two were to Solomon Morton, one from 47 yards out to open the scoring and another from 69 yards away.
Wilson also ran in a 49-yard touchdown in the second quarter before Cashion’s first score of the game.
Down 28-0, the Wildcats were able to strike back when Chance Acord hit Max Brown for a 45-yard TD.
The visitors scored twice more before halftime and Wilson added a 45-yard TD pass in the third quarter.
Cashion got its second TD when Acord found Seth Gilbert from 6 yards out in the fourth.
Acord, who played at Davenport last season, was 19 of 26 for 187 yards in his Cashion debut. He had the two touchdowns and one interception.
Brown caught eight passes for 80 yards and Gilbert six for 83. Brown added another 53 yards on four rushing attempts. Nathan Nabavi carried it four times for 39 yards and Jake Branson’s 10 carries netted him 38 yards. Nabavi led the team with five tackles. Cashion had 325 total yards, but the Eagles countered with 496.
Cashion’s road gets no easier this week. The Wildcats travel to another 2A contender, Pawhuska, which beat Caney Valley 52-7 last week. Cashion beat Pawhuska in the semifinals of the last two playoffs.