Cashion’s perfect trifecta
Wildcats dominate Crescent 55-7 for District A-3 championship
CASHION’S Mason Manning (16) and Colton Southall (50) celebrate after a Wildcat touchdown as Crescent’s Kade Varner (7) walks away. Cashion won 55-7 to secure the District A-3 title. [Photo by Brad Stone/www.bestone.shootproacom]
Cashion completed its run to a third consecutive undefeated regular season last Friday with a 55-7 dismantling of rival Crescent in the annual War on 74.
The Wildcats are 10-0 for the third straight year and haven’ t lost a regular-season game since Oct. 6, 2017... against Crescent.
Since then, Cashion has rattled off 33 straight in the regular season.
“I think doing it in the district we were in the last two years (2018, 2019) makes it pretty impressive,” coach Lynn Shackelford said. “But it’s not something I had even thought of until Friday.”
Crescent entered the game with a chance to make a logjam atop District A-3 along with Tonkawa, the only team that had defeated the Tigers in 2020, but fell prey to Cashion last week.
However, Cashion put away any thoughts of sharing a district title early.
The Wildcats scored on all four offensive possessions and blocked a punt for a touchdown in just the first quarter alone.
“We started a game as well as we have in a while,” Shackelford said.
From there, Cashion was on cruise control.
Quarterback Ben Harman had another massive game.
He was 15 of 18 for 353 yards and three touchdowns.
Harman spread the wealth as Brexten Green, Landon LaGasse and Mason Manning all caught a long TD pass.
Green caught eight passes overall for 163 yards. LaGasse’s three catches covered 99 yards and Manning’s two went for 47.
Caden Harrell didn’t get a lot of touches on the ground but half of his six carries went for scores, including a 51-yarder in the third. He ran for 83 yards and averaged 13.8 per carry.
Conversely, Crescenthad just 90 yards of total offense and averaged 2.3 yards a snap.
The Wildcats were able to bottle up the dynamic Hunter Wilmoth, who had just 15 rushing yards and six passing.
Luke Descher was the team’s top gainer with 32 yards on 10 rushes.
Cade Watkins led Crescent with seven tackles.
The Tigers end the regular season 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the district.
They finished third and will host Rush Springs in a playoff game this week.
Cashion’s defense was led by Justice Broadbent’s nine tackles. Harrell added six.
The Wildcats will host Wynnewood in what they hope is a six-week run to a state title.
That’s the one thing that’s eluded Shackelford in his time there.
“We’re 0-3 in the ones that matter,” he said, alluding to last year’s loss to Ringling in the Class A title tilt to go with state championship game losses in 2014 and 2015.