Log in

No. 2 Aledo Bearcats pile up 591 total yards in 65-7 victory over Westlake (Calif.) Warriors

Posted

Two years ago, Los Angeles Bishop Amat came to Aledo carrying the California flag and came away with a convincing 42-7 win over the stunned Bearcats.

“Bishop Amat knocked the snot out of us,” senior Wes Harris, who was on the ’14 team, said. “This year we weren’t letting another California team come in here and do that.”

Still feeling the sting from that game, Friday night the Bearcats erased it from their collective memory, holding up Aledo and Texas pride with a 65-7 victory at Bearcat Stadium over the Westlake Warriors from Westlake Village, Calif.

Bearcats head coach Steve Wood wasn’t worried about two years ago, instead, he was fretting about how his Bearcats would react after a draining, emotional, close win last week over Colleyville Heritage.

But paced by 355 rushing yards – which included a game-high 174 yards from running back Michael Jordan and 105 yards on the ground by freshman 'back Jase McClellan – the Bearcats rolled up 591 total yards and moved to 2-0 for the year.

Senior quarterback Dillon Davis completed 14 of 20 passes for 236 yards and a pair of touchdown passes, with receiver Hunter Rosson leading the team with six catches for 59 yards. Receivers Preston Jefferis and Logan Bridges each caught three passes, with Bridges gaining 63 yards and Jefferis 61.

Aledo will conclude non-district play at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Mansfield Legacy at Newsome Stadium in Mansfield.

“I am proud of our kids. They came ready to play,” Wood said. “I was a little worried about them, but to bounce back after an emotional win last week was good. We got better on defense, but we still have a long way to go.

“We haven’t arrived yet, but the guys are working and we will keep coaching and we will get better. We were more physical than they were, and we put a lot of pressure on them and we covered them well.

“Our offense was also clicking, and our offensive line was the key. Now we will get ready for Mansfield Legacy.”

Westlake head coach Tony Henney said he loved the atmosphere of Bearcat Stadium, and he came away with immense respect for the Bearcats.

“I was impressed with Aledo’s execution,” he said. “They controlled the game the way they want to play it; the way their coaches coach; and they don’t make the same mistake twice. I was impressed how they immediately adjusted to things. They are impressive.”

It was all Aledo in the first half.

Jeffrey Carter set the tone of the first half when he returned the opening kickoff 66 yards to the Westlake 24. Davis brought the ball close to the Westlake goal line when he completed a 14-yard pass the Hunter Rosson to the Warriors’ 9.

On the next play, McClellan ran through a huge hole off left tackle untouched to the end zone to compete a nine-yard TD run. Quinn Davis booted the extra point to give the Bearcats a quick 7-0 lead.

After a Warriors punt, the Bearcats put together an 11-play, 53-yard drive that was closed by a four-yard touchdown blast up the middle by Jordan. Jordan was a workhorse on the drive, carrying seven times for 30 yards.

A pass on a fake kick on the PAT failed, and with 5:18 left in the first quarter the Bearcats led 13-0.

Aledo forced another punt on the Warriors’ ensuing possession, and after a punt started a drive from their own 35. Davis scrambled for 13 yards on third and three to move the chains before connecting with receiver Logan Bridges for a 43-yard gain to the Westlake 1. Bridges had lined up in the slot to the right and beat a single defender on a slant route and appeared to have scored but officials marked the ball at the one.

Jordan closed the drive with a somersault over the goal line with five seconds remaining in the opening period. Davis added the extra point to increase the AHS advantage to 20-0.

"I was just trying to dive over the goal line," Jordan said. "But someone it me low and I did a flip over the goal line."

The Bearcats scored on four of five drives in the second quarter.

After another Warriors punt, Davis threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Carter, who had sprinted past his single defender as Davis hit the sophomore in stride for the touchdown. With 9:32 left in the half, Quinn Davis added the PAT to extend the hosts’ advantage to 27-0.

Westlake lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to give the Bearcats excellent field position at the Warriors’ 32. Davis threw to McClellan on first down for a nine-yard gain, and after an incomplete pass, McClellan rambled for 17 yards off left tackle to the Warriors’ 6.

Two plays later, McClellan took a hand off and raced down the right side for a four-yard touchdown with 7:52 remaining in the half. Quinn Davis added the extra point as Aledo led 34-0.

On Westlake’s next possession the Warriors moved the ball on four plays to the Bearcats’ 35. But the next four plays netted five yards as the Warriors turned the ball over on downs.

Aledo found the end zone again when Davis engineered an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended on a 30-yard TD pass from Davis to Preston Jefferis. On the TD play, Davis lofted a high spiral to the back of the left side of the end zone, but Jefferis elevated above two defenders to snare the aerial for the score.

Quinn Davis added the PAT for a 41-0 cushion.

An interception by Wyatt Harris set up the final Aledo score of the first half. Harris had advanced his pick off to the Westlake 15, and from there McClellan went to work.

The freshman carried for 11 yards on second down, and on first and goal from the four-yard line, he scampered untouched down the right side for an easy score. Quinn Davis added the PAT as the Bearcats went into the locker room at halftime with a comfortable 48-0 lead.

The Bearcats piled up 443 total yards in the first half, including 217 on the ground. Westlake finished the opening half with 71 total yards, including minus-13 rushing yards.

Westlake went three and out on the first possession of the second half.

On Aledo’s initial possession of the third quarter, Davis and Jordan combined for all of the yards on a 69-yard drive with Davis completing a pair of passes to Rosson and Jordan rushing three times for 34 yards. But the drive stalled, and Quinn Davis salvaged three points with a 38-yard field goal to increase the AHS advantage to 51-0.

With 31 seconds left in the third quarter, Jordan electrified the Bearcat faithful when he outraced three defenders down the right sideline for a 57-yard touchdown. The defenders looked to have Jordan cornered, but he turned on the jets and sprinted around the corner, seemingly hitting another gear at the 20 past the startled Warriors secondary.

Quinn Davis added the PAT to extend the Bearcats’ lead to 58-0.

An interception by Rylan Campbell set up the final AHS score. McClellan rushed for 31 yards on the first five plays, and after new quarterback Zane Hayden rushed for two yards, McClellan’s number was called again and he scored untouched from three yards out for a 65-0 lead.

Westlake finally got on the board late in the fourth quarter when new quarterback Brendan Udolph fired a nine-yard touchdown pass to receiver Nolan Brooks. Josh Garelik booted the extra point to close the scoring.

Aledo had two running backs gain more than 100 yards Friday night in a 65-7 win over Westlake (Calif.). Shown is freshman running back Jase McClellan, who gained 105 yards on 18 carries. The win moves the 'Cats to 2-0. Aledo had two running backs gain more than 100 yards Friday night in a 65-7 win over Westlake (Calif.). Shown is freshman running back Jase McClellan(9), who gained 105 yards on 18 carries. The win moves the 'Cats to 2-0.

 

 

 

 

Aledo Bearcats, Dillon Davis, Michael Jordan, Preston Jefferis, Steve Wood, Tony Henney, Westlake Warriors

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here