The Wildcats’ football team had a hard time containing a very explosive Liberty-Eylau team as the Leopards won a mostly game-like scrimmage, 42-20 at L-E Friday. Due to spring football practice, this was the only scrimmage for the Wildcats who will open the regular season at Sherman against the Bearcats this coming Friday.
Liberty-Eylau’s playmakers made lots of big plays but some of the Wildcats top stars made big plays to take an early lead. On their initial drive, the Wildcats picked up one first down before they were forced to punt. Then on the Leopards’ very first offensive snap, Wildcats stellar defensive lineman D’Idric Dugan ripped the ball away from a Leopard receiver after a catch and then outraced everyone 40 yards to the end zone. After D.J. Abron’s successful extra point kick the Wildcats led 7-0 with 9:32 left in the first quarter. Several drives later, L-E tied the score with a 14-yard TD pass set up by a long bomb. The score was tied at 7. On the Wildcats very next drive on a third and nine play, Quarterback Ryan Humphries threw a 69-yard touchdown strike to big play receiver Simeon Taylor who got behind the Leopard’s secondary and raced into the end zone after the catch. After another successful D.J. Abron extra point kick, the Wildcats led 14-7 with just 56.6 second left in the first quarter.
Liberty-Eylau’s explosive offense got cranked up in the second quarter. They scored three times. Once on a 12-yard pass set up by another long completion, a second on a 39-yard screen pass and the third on a 54-yard pass. After two quarters, L-E led 28-14. Then on the Leopard’s first possession of the third quarter, they found the end zone again on a two-play drive. Both plays were long runs with the second covering 59-yards for the touchdown. The Leopards led 35-14.
Wildcats quarterback D’Corian Young then led the Wildcats down the field completing passes to Landry Tyson and Austin Dodd. Colton Allen scored the touchdown on a four yard run. There was a malfunction on the extra point kick but the Wildcats were within 35-20 with 5:28 left in the third quarter. Liberty-Eylau struck suddenly on their next drive on a 70-yard TD pass. The scrimmage was ended after three quarters with L-E ahead 42-20.
After the game, Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens said it looked like a first scrimmage for the Wildcats, especially early. He said L-E’s speed exposed a lot of the Wildcats weaknesses. Coaches will be using scrimmage video to correct errors. Coach Owens said the miscues are all correctable. He said the Leopards provided a good test for the Wildcats. It was the second scrimmage for Liberty-Eylau. They also scrimmaged Mount Pleasant last weekend.