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Wildcats looking forward to next year’s playoff run
  
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By CHUCK HLAVA
It wasn't the way Clear Creek’s football team and its coaches wanted to end the season after the Wildcats fell to Hightower for the third straight year in the playoffs.
The Hurricanes basically blew past Creek 57-17 at The Rig in Pearland last week, ending the Cats’ season at 4-6.
In this last contest both teams combined for 10 touchdowns but the Wildcats got only two while Hightower accounted for eight.
This playoff game figured to be a closer matchup than the runaway it turned out to be. With the win Hightower ballooned to 9-0.
The Hurricanes dominated from the start, building a 21-0 lead before Creek managed a field goal in the second quarter. The imposing size of Hightower made a definite impression on the smaller but speedy Wildcats.
“They’re loaded and very solid all the way around,” Clear Creek coach Darrell Warden said of Hightower following the game.
“They’re such a good team that you have to play your absolute best if you want to have a chance to beat them.”
But Warden felt good that the Wildcats accomplished their goal of making post-season.
“We’ve been in the playoffs four straight years now and not too many teams can say that,” he added. “We had some injuries which forced us to move some people around.
“Our defensive line was a question mark but we’re going to get some people back next year. Overall, I’m very proud of the kids and they overcame a lot of obstacles this season.”
The Wildcats actually had 290 yards of offense, with 221 coming in the air, but were hampered by losing three of four fumbles in the game.
Hightower got things started early in the game. Jarmane Longino put the Canes up with a dash from the four early in the first quarter. From there London Hamilton’s two-yarder and quarterback AJ Highsmith’s keeper from the six with 9:41 left in the second period made it 21-0. Kicker Jake Kane was true on all his eight PATs and a field goal in the fourth period.
Tommy Henshaw’s 35-yard field goal with 5:57 remaining in the third period brought the Wildcats closer at 21-3. But Hightower scored again with 29 seconds left before the half to go into the locker rooms up 28-3.
After the break Hightower’s big offensive line remained in command moving. But Creek was its worst enemy in the early going of the third quarter with a fumble that the Canes eventually converted into another score. Highsmith’s lunge from the two and then another keeper, this time for 38 yards, added insult to injury as the Hurricanes poured it on for a 42-3 lead with 5:30 remaining in the third period. The Cats fumbled again on their next series. Even though they recovered the ball, they lost 16 yards on the play and eventually had to punt. After that Highsmith went 38 yards for the score.
Clear Creek finally found the end zone with 2:54 left in the third period on a good sustained drive from its own 26 when Nick Mencacci ran in from the six. Henshaw’s kick made it 42-10.
But it took the Hurricanes a little more than two minutes to go in for another score to make it 49-10 with 38 seconds left in the third.
Kane’s field goal early in the fourth quarter produced a 52-10 margin for Hightower but then Creek quarterback Jarryd Garza connected with C. J. McElory on an electrifying catch and run covering 83 yards. With 8:28 left in the game it was 52-17.
Hightower put an end to the scoring with 1:29 showing on the makeshift trailer clock (the scoreboard was a victim of Hurricane Ike) when Bobie DuBose went in from the eight for the final 59-17. The Hurricanes had 486 yards total offense, with 380 coming on the ground.
Clear Creek will have enough players returning next season to go for five straight playoff berths.
The Hurricanes basically blew past Creek 57-17 at The Rig in Pearland last week, ending the Cats’ season at 4-6.
In this last contest both teams combined for 10 touchdowns but the Wildcats got only two while Hightower accounted for eight.
This playoff game figured to be a closer matchup than the runaway it turned out to be. With the win Hightower ballooned to 9-0.
The Hurricanes dominated from the start, building a 21-0 lead before Creek managed a field goal in the second quarter. The imposing size of Hightower made a definite impression on the smaller but speedy Wildcats.
“They’re loaded and very solid all the way around,” Clear Creek coach Darrell Warden said of Hightower following the game.
“They’re such a good team that you have to play your absolute best if you want to have a chance to beat them.”
But Warden felt good that the Wildcats accomplished their goal of making post-season.
“We’ve been in the playoffs four straight years now and not too many teams can say that,” he added. “We had some injuries which forced us to move some people around.
“Our defensive line was a question mark but we’re going to get some people back next year. Overall, I’m very proud of the kids and they overcame a lot of obstacles this season.”
The Wildcats actually had 290 yards of offense, with 221 coming in the air, but were hampered by losing three of four fumbles in the game.
Hightower got things started early in the game. Jarmane Longino put the Canes up with a dash from the four early in the first quarter. From there London Hamilton’s two-yarder and quarterback AJ Highsmith’s keeper from the six with 9:41 left in the second period made it 21-0. Kicker Jake Kane was true on all his eight PATs and a field goal in the fourth period.
Tommy Henshaw’s 35-yard field goal with 5:57 remaining in the third period brought the Wildcats closer at 21-3. But Hightower scored again with 29 seconds left before the half to go into the locker rooms up 28-3.
After the break Hightower’s big offensive line remained in command moving. But Creek was its worst enemy in the early going of the third quarter with a fumble that the Canes eventually converted into another score. Highsmith’s lunge from the two and then another keeper, this time for 38 yards, added insult to injury as the Hurricanes poured it on for a 42-3 lead with 5:30 remaining in the third period. The Cats fumbled again on their next series. Even though they recovered the ball, they lost 16 yards on the play and eventually had to punt. After that Highsmith went 38 yards for the score.
Clear Creek finally found the end zone with 2:54 left in the third period on a good sustained drive from its own 26 when Nick Mencacci ran in from the six. Henshaw’s kick made it 42-10.
But it took the Hurricanes a little more than two minutes to go in for another score to make it 49-10 with 38 seconds left in the third.
Kane’s field goal early in the fourth quarter produced a 52-10 margin for Hightower but then Creek quarterback Jarryd Garza connected with C. J. McElory on an electrifying catch and run covering 83 yards. With 8:28 left in the game it was 52-17.
Hightower put an end to the scoring with 1:29 showing on the makeshift trailer clock (the scoreboard was a victim of Hurricane Ike) when Bobie DuBose went in from the eight for the final 59-17. The Hurricanes had 486 yards total offense, with 380 coming on the ground.
Clear Creek will have enough players returning next season to go for five straight playoff berths.
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