Senior Gage Ayala brings down the Borger running back (Photo by John Lee)
BORGER – The Pampa Harvesters (1-3) found their stride in all phases of the game on Friday night when they took on their long-time rivals, the Borger Bulldogs. After scoring 42 points in the first half, the Harvesters finished off their foes for the 11th straight time with a 56-26 win.
“Ultimately it comes down to our kids,” Head Coach Floyd White said. “They came out and executed our offense to the best of their ability. We saw what can happen when we get out there and truly execute. Borger came out and played their hearts out, but our kids executed.”
The Harvesters quickly found themselves in a goal-to-go situation after Senior Running Back Max Neff took a kickoff return 90 yards to the two-yard line. One play later, Senior Quarterback Jarren Hill punched it in on the quarterback keeper. After the extra point from Junior Kicker Brian Montelongo, it was 7-0 Pampa.
The Harvester defense forced a punt on the ensuing Borger drive, allowing Pampa to set up shop at their own 33-yard line.
Neff started the drive with a six-yard tote, followed by Senior Parker Webb running for 13 yards to move the sticks. Hill took the ball for a carry of his own for 31 yards, putting Pampa at the Borger 23-yard line.
After a defensive penalty, Neff took the ball for 11 yards and pay-dirt. After the Montelongo extra point, it was 14-0 Pampa in the middle of the opening quarter.
Pampa’s next scoring drive came on the heels of a Borger touchdown, with the Pampa drive starting at the Pampa 23-yard line.
Webb and Neff combined carries for a first down. Webb moved the chains with a 13-yard run, followed by an 11-yard carry from Hill set the Harvesters up with a first down at the Borger 39-yard line. Neff took the next carry 39 yards for the touchdown and Pampa led 21-7 with 33 seconds left in the first quarter.
On the Harvesters next drive, Senior Linebacker Dase Scott picked off the Borger pass and returned it to the Borger three-yard line, setting Hill up for the go-ahead touchdown. Pampa led 28-7 early in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs answered the Pampa score with a touchdown of their own to keep it a two-possession game. On the Harvesters next drive, the three-headed rushing beast of Hill, Neff and Webb kept pounding their way down the field. Before Webb punched it in on a 15-yard touchdown run. Montelongo added the extra point and Pampa had the commanding 35-14 lead.
Senior defensive back Reese Waldrip had an interception returned for a touchdown on the next Borger drive and Pampa had scored 42 points in the first half against their long-time nemesis.
“We always laugh during practice if we knock down a ball or almost get an interception,” White said. “’You guys must not like interceptions,’ or ‘You guys must want to lead in pass break ups.’ Ultimately in the end they got themselves in position to make those plays. They are executing on what we teach them through the course of the day. They go out there. Dase was in a great position. Reese did the same thing. We dropped them into those spots and here comes that ball.”
Coming out of the locker room, there were a pair of penalties to start the drive, but Neff took the rock 35 yards to erase the penalty yardage and then some. Three plays later, Senior Running Back Reese Waldrip took the ball 39 yards for the touchdown run.
Later in the fourth quarter, Neff and the Harvesters’ offensive line continued to push the Bulldog defense around as Neff added to his touchdown total with a 26-yard touchdown scamper to give Pampa the 56-20 lead after the Montelongo extra point.
The Bulldogs added one more score before the end of the game and Pampa went on to win 56-26.
The Harvesters return home to Harvester Field at Zach Thomas Stadium next Friday when they host Perryton for Homecoming.
“Ultimately we’ve got to avoid all of the outside distractions,” White said. “There’s a lot of stuff that comes with Homecoming and I want the kids to be kids. They are going to be kids. But ultimately we’ve got goals ahead of us.
“This one win isn’t going to be the crux of our season. This is just the beginning of what we know that can be more and more. We’ve just got to keep figuring out what it is we are good at.”
Official stats
Senior Max Neff had 187 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries; Senior Jarren Hill had 56 yards and two touchdowns on five carries; Senior Reese Waldrip had 61 yards and one touchdown on five carries; Senior Parker Webb had 61 yards and one touchdown on eight carries.
Senior Kaviontra Branch had seven tackles and a fumble recovery; R. Waldrip had two tackles; Senior Gage Ayala had seven tackles; Webb had eight tackles; Senior Dase Scott had four tackles and an interception; Sophomore Cy LeBlanc had six tackles; Junior Raidyn Brown had three tackles; Junior Carter McLaughlin had one tackle; Senior Jose Alonzo had a tackle; Connor McKinley had one tackle; Senior Clayton Ward had three tackles; Junior Aiden Hammond had three tackles; Senior Robert Galvan had three tackles; Senior Caden Waldrip had six tackles; Gage Gamblin had two tackles and Alex Arreola had four tackles.
Junior Kicker Bryan Montelongo went 8-8 in extra points.
Area Scores
Dumas 43, Plainview 35
Perryton 38, Hereford 28
Bushland 0, West Plains 45
River Road 0, Panhandle 77
Canadian 65, Muleshoe 28
White Deer 14, Miami 30
Hedley 0, Lefors 48