Wildcats dominate Sandia to open district play

CLOVIS — Every football team has things to work on, needs a nip and tuck here or there.

But, the Clovis High football coaches won’t be able to find much wrong with Friday night’s 50-0 Homecoming victory over Sandia at Leon Williams Stadium.

Offensively, defensively, and on special teams, the Wildcats were dominant. They got 173 yards rushing from Jeston Webskowski (all in the first half), three interceptions from Brandon Mason, and a 66-yard punt return touchdown from Malik Phillips.

Plus, Devin Gillespie gave the Wildcats a solid start at quarterback, stepping in for the injured Chance Harris and throwing a pair of touchdown passes.

The result was a big night for Clovis, ended by the mercy rule with 2:02 left in the third quarter. Just 33 minutes and 58 seconds were needed to open District 2/5-6A play with a smashing victory.

“We had a really good week of practice and it kind of showed tonight,” Clovis head coach Cal Fullerton said. “Offensively I think we kind of stalled a little bit there at the beginning of the second quarter, trying to do some things that were a little bit out of our element. And I think we kind of slacked off a little bit. But other than that, I thought special teams and offense and defense were really good tonight.”

“It feels really great,” said Webskowski, who had three rushing touchdowns, one receiving, and a pair of two-point conversion runs. “We had a lot of preparation coming into this game, and we came out here and executed it. It was a great win for us, especially coming into district.”

“It’s pretty cool,” Mason said. “Especially because it’s Homecoming, my last Homecoming. Everybody balled out today, and I just love playing with my teammates.”

Oddly enough, the game’s first play from scrimmage was a two-yard rushing loss by Webskowski, certainly not a portend of things to come. In fact, the junior took a pitch on the second play from scrimmage and went down the left sideline for 23 yards.

Webskowski reeled in a nine-yard catch on the third play, bolted 20 yards on the fourth, and ran nine more on the fifth. The next play was a 10-yard completion to Phillips, giving the Wildcats first-and-10 from Sandia’s 11.

Though they soon faced third-and-11 from the Matadors’ 12, the ’Cats then sealed the deal with a touchdown pass. Gillespie dropped back on the play, looked around just a bit, then quickly glanced left and threw to Webskowski, who was wide open at the 2. Webskowski made the catch then turned around and ran into the end zone.

A two-point conversion run was thwarted, so the score remained 6-0 Clovis with 8:14 left in the first quarter.

Sandia went three-and-out on its first possession, and after a punt, Clovis began at the Matadors’ 44.

An illegal substitution penalty moved the Wildcats up five yards; a Webskowski run moved them ahead two more. Webskowski got the next carry too and ran 15 yards to the 22, and a play later he was again the ball carrier, this time running right, dashing down the sideline and diving into the end zone.

Malik Phillips hauled in a Gillespie toss for the two-point conversion, and with 5:31 left in the first quarter, Clovis was up 14-0.

Sandia’s next possession ended with another punt, and Clovis’ ended with another touchdown. The Wildcats needed just two plays to find the end zone again after starting at the Matadors’ 39. Following an incomplete pass on first down, Webskowski took a second-down handoff, burst forward and then weaved his way through Sandia defenders for a touchdown.

Webskowski followed with a two-point conversion run off a rightside pitch from Gillespie, making it 22-0 with 3:15 still to play in the first quarter.

On the first play of the next quarter, Mason collected his first interception. Clovis wound up punting on the ensuing possession, but its defense forced a turnover on downs at Sandia’s 44 when the Matadors had the ball again.

Five plays later, staring at fourth-and-three from the Sandia 37, Webskowski came through again, rushing those 37 yards for a score. It was certainly his night.

“It’s the best feeling,” Webskowski said. “I couldn’t describe anything else that feels better than running the ball on Friday night.”

“Jeston could do whatever he wanted tonight,” Fullerton said. “They were down about four of their starters and weren’t at full strength. But I don’t think it would’ve mattered a whole lot.”

Clovis tried for two again, and Phillips nearly pulled down a fade from Gillespie with one hand. He couldn’t hang on to what would have been a highlight-reel catch, but a holding penalty against Sandia gave Clovis another chance, this time from just 1 1/2 yards out. And the Wildcats made good when Webskowski rushed for the conversion to give his team a 30-0 advantage with 6:27 left in the second quarter.

Clovis’ next possession ended with yet another touchdown — officially a 20-yard pass from Gillespie to Phillips, but featuring mostly yards-after-the-catch from the latter. A conversion pass attempt was incomplete, keeping the Wildcats’ lead at 36-0 with 3:09 to go before intermission.

Before the half was over, Mason came up with his second interception and returned it to Sandia’s 14. A little over 10 seconds remained, though, and Clovis was unable to reach the end zone before time expired.

Sandia’s opening possession of the second half ended with a punt from the Matadors’ 34, returned by Phillips mostly down the left side of the field. He was soon headed toward the end zone, and at roughly the five-yard line he had to cut right, and then galloped into the end zone for the score.

A rare Clovis kicker sighting then occurred, as soccer player Kunal Puppala booted the extra point to give his team a 43-0 lead with 7:33 left in the third quarter.

Mason ended Sandia’s next possession with his third pick, going up high near the right sideline to bring it down with a little more than five and a half minutes remaining in the third.

Mason gave most of the credit for his memorable night to Wildcats defensive coordinator Drew Hatley.

“I was just playing, just locking down technique, Coach Hatley’s defense showing me everything,” Mason said.

Clovis took over at its own 42, and seven plays later was at Sandia’s 12. From there, Isaiah Jaramaillo took the handoff from Gillespie and ran up the middle for a score.

When Puppala kicked his second extra point, Clovis had mercy-ruled the Matadors.

“I can’t remember the last time Clovis 50-ed anybody,” Fullerton said. “So that’s a tribute to our kids, man. They played hard.”

And improved to 4-3, 1-0 in district. Fullerton, though, says only the second record bears any importance.

“I told the team afterward, “‘We’re 1-0 right now,’” Fullerton said. “‘So those other six games, nobody cares who we played, nobody cares what our record is. It doesn’t matter at all. We’re 1-0, and everybody else, their district record is what they are right now.’”