Cats stun Sandia late 38-34

Kordell Tindle was getting ready to help tie the game on special teams. He ended up winning it behind center.

CMI photo: Kevin WilsonClovis running back Kamal Cass, front, and quarterback Kordell Tindle celebrates in the end zone after a go-ahead 20-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter Friday night at Leon Williams Stadium. The 20-yard pass from Tindle to Cass gave Clovis a 38-34 victory.

Tindle, thrown into Clovis' final drive after an injury to starter Dakotah Yandell, tossed a 20-yard pass to Kamal Cass on a crossing route with six seconds to play, giving the Clovis Wildcats a 38-34 victory over Sandia on Friday.

The only completed Wildcats pass of the night was the fifth touchdown for Cass, and provided a dramatic way for Clovis (3-5) to end a five-game losing streak.

"The kids deserved a little bit of sugar after five weeks of vinegar," Clovis coach Eric Roanhaus said after the win, which looked to be Sandia's when Dillon Boyd caught a 10-yard touchdown pass with just 28 seconds to play.

But the Matadors (5-2), shooting for their first win at Leon Williams Stadium since 2006, were called for an excessive celebration penalty on the touchdown and an offside on the kickoff.

Without the penalties, Roanhaus and Sandia coach Kevin Barker presume kicker Craig Coffman would have easily booted the ball into the Clovis end zone for a touchback and made a Wildcat comeback a nearly-impossible scenario.

Instead, junior Shaprei Bryant returned the kickoff to the Sandia 35 and junior receiver Traivon Sopila drew a pass interference to put the Wildcats at the 20 for Tindle.

CMI staff photo: Kevin Wilson

Clovis fullback Marcos Trujillo is wrapped up by Sandia defenders Dugger Wesley, left, and Aaron Smith in the first half Friday at Leon Williams Stadium. Trujillo had four carries for 20 yards in Clovis' 38-34 victory over the Matadors.

"I was busy holding kicks for Adam (Wagnener), in case we got in position for a game-tying field goal. I heard, 'Kordell,' and I came in," said Tindle. "Coach called the one throw I can make, and Kamal made a great play."

Tindle, who had mixed results as the starting quarterback when Yandell was out with an arm injury to start the season, said he was happy to help end the losing streak after being under center when it started Sept. 15 against Manzano — coincidentally, Sandia's opponent next week to open District 2-5A play.

Despite the loss, Barker said the game was a good experience heading into district play.

"I'm proud of the way we played," Barker said. "It was 17-0 and they could have blown us out of Clovis. We did a lot of good things tonight."

Barker didn't like the late flags, but said that's the way the ball bounces sometimes.

"I thought the unsportsmanlike was huge, and I also thought the face guarding call was huge, because there's (no penalty) for face guarding in high school football," Barker said. "All in all, we lost the game. I've never seen a referee lose a ballgame. We will correct it as coaches."

The Wildcats got plenty of other big plays that will end up overshadowed by the final reception from Cass, who also added rushing touchdowns of 15, 20, 4 and 10 yards on a 39-carry, 248-yard night.

CMI staff photo: Kevin Wilson

Sandia quarterback Aaron Smith is wrapped up on the keeper by Clovis defenders Jacob Esquibel (No. 66) and Austin Gallegos (No. 61) as senior defensive end Dijon Ford comes in to finish the play in the first quarter Friday night at Leon Williams Stadium.

Cass' 10-yard scoring run, for instance, never would have happened without a series of trickery that started with a fourth-and-2 at the Wildcat 28. That's when sophomore Jordan Holguin came in to punt with Clovis trailing 27-24, but tucked the ball and got the first down on a fake.

"I was supposed to go outside and follow Marcos Trujillo," Holguin said. "I just saw a big hole and hit that instead."

The Wildcats went to Cass on the next play, but then pulled a reverse with Traivon Sopila, who took the reverse 60 yards to the Sandia 10.

"He was supposed to get outside, but he saw he could get a first down with a run up the inside," Roanhaus said of Holguin's trick run. "It's feast or famine there. That wasn't as good of a call as the reverse."