All photos courtesy of Charla Shults
Wet conditions and a slippery ball should be the right conditions for a low-scoring affair, right? Not quite on Friday as the Pampa Harvesters (0-2) traveled to Plainview (1-1) to take on the Bulldogs at Greg Sherwood Memorial Stadium
The Harvesters scored their most points, 41, since last year’s Week 1 match-up at Iowa Park; which was a far cry from their 51-18 outing when they hosted these very Bulldogs just a year ago.
“Offensively we’re doing a great job of executing,” Head Coach Floyd White said. “We’re getting out there, we’re getting our bodies and pushing people around to do the things we need to do offensively.”
“Defensively we are just not getting it done. We are getting ourselves into great situations on third down and doing our own thing. As long as we keep doing our own thing we are going to continue to shoot ourselves in the foot. Until we fix ourselves on that, we are going to have a lot of issues.”
Plainview got on the board first 7-0 with 4:35 left in the opening quarter. On their ensuing drive, the Harvesters set up shop at the Plainview 31-yard line after a big return by senior Max Neff.
Three plays into the drive, senior quarterback Jarren Hill found junior wide receiver Cy LeBlanc for 23 yards to move the chains. Two plays later, Neff broke several tackles en route to pay dirt on a 13-yard touchdown run. After the extra point by sophomore Mauro Lopez, the Harvesters tied the Bulldogs 7-7 with 1:38 left in the opening quarter.
Plainview took a 20-7 lead, as Pampa started their next drive at the Harvesters’ 33-yard line with 7:26 in the second quarter. Carries by Hill and Neff alternated throughout the drive before Neff broke through for a 25-yard bulldoze. Two plays later, the Harvesters scored on a Neff touchdown scamper. Lopez punched in the extra point to close the gap to 20-14 with 2:07 left in the half.
As the Bulldogs were driving on their following possession, senior defensive back Jose Alonzo picked off a deep pass at the goal line and returned the ball deep into Plainview territory.
“He (Jose) didn’t have a chance to play last week,” White said. “He came out and has done a lot of things really, really well. It’s a matter of getting him back into the groove and get a bunch of snaps so he can be an integral part of this team.”
The Harvesters' first drive had promise after a long 62-yard run from Neff put the Harvesters at the goal line. Hill kept it himself on the next play and scored the touchdown. After the Lopez extra point, Pampa had their first lead of the game.
Jarren Hill rushes for a touchdown against Plainview on Friday. Photo Courtesy of Charla Shults
“I can’t say enough great things about Jarren,” White said. “Jarren is a great leader. He’s there early, and he works his butt off all the time. I’m very, very proud to watch how he has matured over the last year. Everybody rallies around him. It doesn’t matter what happens, everybody rallies around that kid because he gets out there and gives his heart out. He has given us a chance to be in every game.”
The Bulldogs had back-to-back drives where they scored and eventually took the 35-21 lead.
The Harvesters’ next scoring drive started with 22 seconds left in the third quarter at their own 35-yard line. Neff took the rock 40 yards deep into Plainview territory. Three plays later, Hill moved the chains with a 12-yard run to put the Harvesters at the six-yard line of Plainview. The next play, Neff completed his hat trick with a six-yard touchdown run to pull within a score.
The Bulldogs answered with a scoring drive of their own to extend the lead to 42-28. But on the following kickoff, Neff took the return deep into Plainview territory at the Bulldog 17. Three plays later, Hill took the ball to the 7-yard line for a fresh set of downs. Neff scored his fourth touchdown on the next play, followed by a two-point conversion from Hill to make it a touchdown game, 42-35, with 6:08 left to play.
Plainview answered with a score of their own to take the 49-35 lead with 5:39 to play.
The Harvesters’ started at the Pampa 25-yard line. A long touchdown run from Neff was called back, but the spot of the foul still allowed for Pampa to have a first down at the Harvesters’ 45-yard line. Hill found senior wideout Caden Waldrip deep downfield, who took it to the Bulldog one-yard line. The next play, Hill punched it in for the touchdown on the keeper. Pampa drew within one score, 49-41, with 2:48 left to play.
The Harvesters return to action next week when they will take on Amarillo’s Caprock at West Texas A&M University.
“After watching them last year they are going to be good and get after us,” White said. “They are going to get takeaways. We have got to take care of the ball, get stops and do the things we have to. The recipe isn’t going to change. Once we finally get the amount of salt and pepper, we are going to have a heck of a meal.”
Stats
Max Neff had 23 carries for 297 yards and 4 touchdowns. He added 117 kickoff return yards.
Jarren Hill had 13 carries for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Caden Waldrip had a 49 yard catch. He added seven tackles on defense.
The Pampa offensive line did not allow a sack again this week and led the Harvester offense to 433 yards on the evening.
Parker Webb had eight tackles. Reese Waldrip had five tackles. Clayton Ward had six tackles. Aiden Hammond had five tackles. Jose Alonzo had an interception which he nearly returned to the house. Dase Scott and Jack Dyer each had four tackles.
Mauro Lopez had four extra points.
Scores from around the area:
Canyon 22, Andrews 16
Dumas 51, Borger 0
Estacado 35, Hereford 33
Monahans 0, Randall 58
Dalhart 26, Perryton 27
Stratford 19, Panhandle 61
Shamrock 0, West Texas 76
Pampa will head to Buff Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&M to face the Caprock Longhorns (0-2) in week three next Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Canyon.
First picture: Gunter Thomas runs a kickoff return back. Second picture: Max Neff runs in one of his four touchdowns. - Photos Courtesy of Charla Shults.