Pick your poison
Rush Springs focuses on stopping run so Cashion goes to air in shutout win
CASHION JUNIOR Brexten Green (10) hauls in one of his seven passes during last Friday night’s playoff win. Green’s receptions covered 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns. [Photo by Brad Stone/www.bestone.shoo
CASHION DEFENDERS swarm a Rush Springs ball carrier during the Wildcats’ win last Friday night. Cashion gave up just 114 total yards of offense. Rush Springs didn’t attempt a pass all night. It was Cashion’s third shutout win of the season and the s
Lynn Shackelford wasn’t even aware of the enormity of his quarterback’s stats until well after last Friday night’s game.
Ben Harman threw for 376 yards and six touchdowns as top-ranked Cashion disposed of Rush Springs 45-0 in a first-round Class A playoff game at Maxon Field.
The Wildcats have been manhandling their last handful of foes with the run game, but Rush Springs was set on not letting that happen.
“They played a lot of people in the box and brought a lot of pressure,” Shackelford said. “But, honestly, I didn’t realize we threw it as much as we did until afterward.”
Harman chucked it 36 times and completed 22 of them without an interception.
The sophomore quarterback had three TD passes in the first quarter alone and two receivers surpassed the century mark in yards gained.
Mason Manning caught the first and final TD passes thrown by Harman.
The first one was from 24 yards out in the first quarter and the last one from 50 in the fourth.
He caught four passes in all for 112 yards.
Brexten Green added seven catches for 105 yards and two TDs as well.
His scores came in the second (12 yards) and third (29 yards) quarters.
Alex Nabavi and Ca-den Harrell also hauled in scoring passes. Those two combined for 10 catches for 156 yards.
It helped offset Rush Springs selling out to stop the run.
Shackelford called just 22 run plays and they netted 108 yards.
T.J. Roberts had all 108 net yards on his 15 carries. He also had a 4-yard TD run.
While the defense tried to stop the run, the Rush Springs offense did nothing but that.
The Redskins didn’t attempt a single pass. Their 53 run attempts managed just 114 total yards.
“They were trying to keep our offense off the field and limit our opportunities,” Shackelford said. “It was somewhat effective, but we took advantage of our opportunities.”
Colten Ogletree led the Cashion defense with 11 tackles.
Harrell and Nick Nabavi had 10 apiece.
It was Cashion’s third shutout this season and the sixth time in 10 games the Wildcats gave up one score or less.
Cashion (10-0) advances to host Texhoma at 7 p.m. Friday in the second round.
The Red Devils are 9-2 and coming off a 32-15 victory over Hobart.
Their lone losses are to Gruver (Texas) in Week 0 and to Thomas (16-8) in Week 4.
Texhoma has won five in a row since that loss.
“They’re a pretty good team,” Shackelford said. “They do some really good stuff on offense that we’ll have to be ready for.
“We’re going to have to play well to beat them.”