Wildcats Need Just A Quarter To Defeat Rock Point Cougars

By Greg Perkins
   Seven first period touchdowns by the Joseph City Wildcats last Friday afternoon at Rock Point quickly put their game against the Cougars out of reach. The Cats scored on offense, defense and special teams, all in the first 12 minutes of action en route to their sixth consecutive win.
   Zack Baldwin started the scoring with a 47-yard run. Tracy Poudrier then hooked up with Spencer Baldwin on a 57-yard scoring strike to put Joseph City on top 16-0. Zack Baldwin found the end zone again this, time from 15 yards away, pushing the lead to 22-0. The defense got into the act when Braden Hansen picked off a Cougar pass attempt and returned it 10 yards, increasing the margin to 30-0. Zach Miller then found Stephen Solomon for a 45-yard hookup, moving the lead to 38-0. Special teams came next with Miller returning one punt for a 40-yard touchdown and Clark Davis returning a second punt 25 yards for the final points of the period as the Cats held a 52-0 lead.
   In the second quarter Rock Point got on the board with a 10-yard run, but Wyatt Bain quickly answered, finding Brannick Carlisle on a 12-yard scoring toss to give Joseph City a 60-8 halftime margin.
   Rock Point scored twice in the third period, the first on a 61-yard pass and the second on a 73-yard pass, making the score 60-20 heading into the final quarter.
   In the fourth, Bain found Chance Rush for a 30-yard touchdown, the Wildcats’ score. Rock Point added one final touchdown on a five-yard run.
   Joseph City rushed for 210 yards and passed for 170. Rock Point countered with 68 yards on the ground and 230 through the air, with most of those coming late in the game.
   The Wildcats were led in rushing by Zack Baldwin with three carries for 82 yards and a pair of scores. Josh Burt gained 59 yards on six runs, while Carlisle had 42 on 12 carries. Jacob DeJesus rushed twice for 11, Dalton Hughes, once for nine; Austin Gardner, five for seven; and Jaden Parra, one for no yards.
   Bain completed all three of his pass attempts for a total of 60 yards with two scores. Poudrier went one for one for 57 yards and a score. Miller was one for one for 45 yards with a touchdown. Joel DeWitt completed one of two passes for eight yards.
   Rush caught two balls for 48 yards, Carlisle had two catches for 25 yards, Spencer Baldwin made one grab for 57 yards and Solomon had one for 45 yards. Each of the four receivers had a touchdown catch.
   On defense, the Wildcats were led by Solomon, who had seven tackles with one sack. William Bushman had four tackles and Zack Baldwin made three.
   “After we put up the 52 in the first period, we played our second unit the rest of the game. It was their homecoming, and their coach thanked us for playing our second team. Our homecoming will be this week, but we are still getting ready for our showdown with Mogollon in two weeks,” said Wildcat Coach John Bryant.