The Whitney Wildcats made it a long night for Hillsboro as they beat the Eagles 70-44 Friday, September 12, at John P. Erwin Stadium in Hillsboro.
Hillsboro won the toss, elected to defer and kicked an onside kick to start the game. The kick was recovered by Hillsboro but negated by an offsides penalty. The re-kick landed in the hands of Whitney, and the ‘Cats went straight to work.
Starting at the Wildcat 45-yardline, Whitney quarterback Fisher Watson ignited the offense, picking up 20 yards on a run into Eagle territory.
On the third play of the opening drive, Watson found Jaxon Landrum open on a pass. Landrum juked the defender and ran into the end zone for a touchdown. The points-after-touchdown (PAT) attempt was good for two when Kobe Haynes connected with Jontae Johnson on a TD pass. With less than a minute gone in the game, the score was 8-0 Whitney.
The Eagles would tie the game at 8-8, but the tone was set for the Wildcat offense. Whitney regained the lead on the next possession when Watson and Keegan Estill torched the Eagles with a TD pass. The PAT was good for two on a reception by Landrum, and the score was 16-8 in favor of Whitney.
Whitney extended the lead after recovering a fumble near midfield. The offense capitalized just plays later as Watson rolled out, saw daylight and walked it across the goal line for six points. Johnson broke a tackle and crossed the goal line for two points to make the score 24-8 with 4:39 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles would respond again with a TD run. The two-point conversion was good, and the score was 24-16 Whitney with 3:18 left in the first.
The ‘Cats were not done scoring in the opening quarter. Johnson gashed the defense with a long run into Hillsboro territory. The drive ended in the end zone on the legs of Haynes. Haynes took a direct snap and galloped in for six. The PAT was no good, and the score was 30-16 Whitney.
The Wildcats scored with just over 10 minutes left in the second. Haynes was untouched going into the end zone on a fourth and short.
The PAT was no good, and the score was 36-16 Wildcats.
Whitney extended the lead on a TD run by Johnson. Haynes dragged four defenders into the end zone for two points, and the score was 44-16 Whitney with 6:38 remaining in the half.
Hillsboro quickly responded and made it 44-24.
The half would end after Edgar Sanchez scored on a run up the middle. The PAT kick was good, and the score was 51-24.
“I’m proud of the way our guys got after it. Our offensive line played its best game of the year, ” said Head Coach David Haynes Jr.
With four quarters of scoring and the fast-paced Whitney offense, the Wildcat conditioning played a role in the dispatching of the Eagles.
“We take pride in our conditioning. That is one of our goals. We want to be the most conditioned team on the field,” said Haynes.
Whitney finished what it started in the second half. With scores from Haynes and Watson and defensive plays like an interception by Landrum, the ‘Cats hung a 70-44 win on the Hillsboro Eagles.
Whitney will head to Rogers Friday, September 19.
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