Madill takes control of the jungle; beat the Lions

The Madill football team traveled to Durant to play the 5A Lions at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Paul Laird Field. Madill and Durant met in 2020 where Durant won that game, 42 to 14.

Before 2020, the teams did not play each other since 1983, where Durant won. The last time Madill beat Durant was in 1982. However, that all changed on Friday, September 3, 2021 when Madill beat Durant.

The Wildcats surprised the Lions with a change up to their playbook when Madill chose to kick an onside kick by Junior Yovanny Robles (5 XP; 9 receiving yards). Not only did Robles kick an onside kick, he recovered his own kick for the Wildcats on the forty-seven-yard line in Lion territory. Head Coach Chad Speer said they worked on the surprise quite a bit.

“The onside kick was something we messed around with in practice last week. Yo-Yo (Yovanny Robles) did it really well,” Speer said. “So, if there’s a way, we can steal a possession and put us in a better position to succeed we will do it. I wanted the kids to know that we were going to do whatever it took to win the game. I thought that would set the tone for the game.”

And boy, did it ever set the tone. Senior Kendall Robertson (205 passing yards; 89 rushing yards) as quarterback kept the snap for a twelve-yard gain and put the Wildcats on the thirty-four line. Robertson handed off to Junior Holden McGahey (69 rushing yards, 2 kick return yards) for a loss of two yards, bringing second down and thirteen.

Robertson passed to Sophomore Caden McHatton for an incomplete pass that was almost intercepted by the Lions. On the next play, Robertson passed to Senior Nick Northcutt (44 receiving yards) for a catch on the twenty-nine-yard line making it fourth and five with 10:55 to go in the first quarter.

The Wildcats went for the first down when Robertson passed to Junior Stephen Sisco (94 receiving yards; 39 punt return yards) who caught the ball and wove through the Lions defense to make it on the seventeenyard line for a first down.

Robertson then handed off to McGahey who pushes his way through defensive Lion players to land on the eleven yard line. On the next snap, Robertson fakes a handed off to Sophomore Rey Gomez (27 rushing yards; 46 receiving yards), and Robertson kept the ball to be stopped on the seven-yard line. Robertson handed off to McGahey who dodged several defensive players to make it to the two yard line.

The next snap was a touchdown for the Wildcats with Robertson handing off to McGahey. The Wildcats were called for unsportmanship penalty, and the extra point was moved back to the thirty five yard line.

Robles kicked the extra point but it is no good. Wildcats led with 8:01 to go, 6 to 0. Speer said, “The biggest thing I talked about before the game was playing with relentless effort and competing in all four quarters.”

Robles kicked to the Lions and McGahey was there to make the tackle on the eleven-yard line in Lions territory after the Lions fumbled around the ball. Durant called a time out with 7:51 to in the first quarter.

Durant snapped the ball and tried to run up the middle but senior Tito Gomez made the stop. The next play brought a Lions’ quarterback sack by Senior Cory Merchant for a four-yard loss. The Lions ran the ball up the sideline and was stopped by Robles for a loss of yardage.

Durant, now fourth and long, punts to the Wildcats. The Lions dropped the snap in the end zone and Junior River Shaw makes the tackle for a two-point conversion. With 5:38 left in the first quarter, Madill leads 8 to 0.

The Lions kicked to the Wildcats with Freshman Leo Martinez (15 kick return yards) making the catch and stopped at the forty-five-yard line. Robertson threw a pass to Robles for a nine-yard gain, putting the Wildcats in Lions territory. Robertson threw a pass to Northcutt for a four yard gain. McGahey received the handed off from Robertson to bring third and four.

Sisco caught a pass from Robertson at the thirty-five-yard line. McGahey received the hand off from Robertson and is tackled at the thirtyone line, making it fourth and one. The Wildcats rallied and went for it with Robertson keeping the ball and running up the middle for a first down. Robertson passed to Sisco and was immediately tackled at the twenty-four-yard line. McGahey gets the handed off from Robertson and ran toward the sideline for the fourteen yard line ending the first quarter of play. Wildcats led 8 to 0.

The second quarter started with Robertson running up the middle for a short gain of one yard. The next play found Robertson running for his life and lobbing the ball towards the sideline where freshman Uziel Flores (12 receiving yards) caught the ball and ran to the end zone for a touchdown.

With 10:55 on the clock, Robles extra point was good. Wildcats increased their lead 15 to 0. Robles kicked to the Lions offense where Sophomore Diego Navarrete made the stop on the twenty-nine-yard line in Wildcat territory.

The Lions were called for holding and received a ten yard penalty. The ball was moved back to the nineteen-yard line still in their own territory. Robertson got his hands on the Lions’ quarterback for the tackle.

Durant fumbled the ball on the next snap and Wildcat Gomez recovered on the twenty seven yard line in Lions territory. Robertson threw a touchdown pass to Northcutt to take a 21 to 0 lead. Robles extra point is good to add a point to the Wildcat lead.

Robles kicked off to the Lions. Several Wildcat defensive players made the tackle to stop the Lions from running up the middle. Lions handed off to break a tackle but then was met by seniors Cornelius Smith and Northcutt for the tackle.

Madill was called for an offside five-yard penalty. Lions tried to run up the middle but was met by Smith and sophomore Reagan Combs (8 rushing yards) for the tackle. Durant took off on a run but was pushed out of bounds by Shaw to make it third and five.

The Lions quarterback did not have a chance on the next snap as Combs and Junior Adan Yanez made an immediate tackle. The Lions were forced to punt to the Wildcats with Sisco catching the ball and making it to the twenty-five-yard line in Lions’ territory with 6:25 to go before halftime. The Lions called time out.

McGahey received the hand off from Robertson and was tackled at the three-yard line for a first and goal. Robertson handed off to McGahey who was immediately stopped by the Lions defense for a loss of yardage. McGahey got another hand off for third and goal.

The next hand off from Robertson to McGahey gave the Wildcats another touchdown with 4:41 to go in the first half. Robles extra point was no good. Wildcats led 28 to 0. Robles kicked to the Lions with the running back running up the middle and tackled by Freshman Eli Vinson.

The Lions handed off for a good run up the middle to the forty-nine-yard line in Wildcat territory. This was the Lions biggest run in the first half. The Lions took the next hand off for a touchdown and a good extra point.

The Wildcats still led 28 to 7 with 3:57 in the half. The Lions kicked to the Wildcats, and it was caught at the thirty five yard line. Robertson kept the ball for a wide-open run and made it to the twenty-one-yard line.

Robertson faked the hand off and kept the ball for a touchdown from the seventeen-yard line. Robles extra point was good. Wildcats took a comfortable lead 35 to 7. Robles kicked to Durant and Robles was there for the tackle on the twenty-six-yard line. Lions received the hand off and ran up the middle to the forty-five-yard line before being stopped by senior Ezekiel Fuentes and Combs.

Lions were stopped from behind by Sisco on the next play. Wildcats were called for a fifteen-yard penalty for a late hit on the Lions.

Durant threw the ball for an incomplete pass covered by Northcutt and Robles. With 1:45 to go in the quarter, Lions were faced with third down and tried to run up the middle but was stopped by Shaw, bringing four and two. The Lions decided to go for it, but the Wildcats were called for off-sides, giving the Lions an automatic first down. Durant handed off and is immediately tackled by Gomez making it two and nine. The Lions next pass is overthrown with Northcutt on the coverage. Wildcats called time out to regroup. Lions snapped the ball and handed off to get the first down on the fifteen-yard line. Lions threw another incomplete pass then threw an out of bounds pass. But the Lions regroup and scored with 2.7 seconds left in the quarter. With a score of 35 to 13 at halftime, the Wildcats were still in the lead.

“I reiterated at halftime about playing with relentless effort and doing it the rest of the game,” said Speer. “Offensively we wanted to execute at a high level and take what the Lions were going to give us. I thought outside of the line did a great job of dominating the line of scrimmage. We pushed them around all night.”

To start the third quarter, Lions kicked off to the Wildcats. Robles ran out of bounds at the thirty-four-yard line. McGahey gained four yards with the hand off from Robertson. McHatton tried to catch a pass thrown from Robertson but was unsuccessful.

Sisco caught the pass thrown from Robertson and ran sixty-four yards for a touchdown. Robles extra point was good. With 11:17 to go, the Wildcats led 42 to 13. Robles kicked off to the Lions and caught at the ten-yard line but is quickly knocked out of bounds by Robles.

The Lions passed up the middle and stopped by Yanaz for the gain of two yards. Durant handed off for another two-yard gain then handed off for a run up the middle to bring four and one. The Lions used the quarterback sneak to make the first down. Durant handed off and is drug down at the forty-five-yard line by junior James Page.

The Lions threw for a big gain but was called back by a penalty by the Lions. Gomez was there to make the next play stop allowing the Lions to go nowhere. Page allowed the Lions to gain a couple of yards before he stopped the run.

The Lions then threw an incomplete pass. The Lions were forced to punt with a short bounce out of bounds, the Wildcats started on the forty-eight-yard line. The Wildcats snapped the ball but were called for offside penalty, losing five yards. Sisco tried to catch a pass from Robertson with no success, but the Lions were called for pass interference, bringing a fifteen-yard penalty with it. The Wildcats started from the forty-three-yard line with a hand off to McGahey for a two-yard gain.

McGahey had nowhere to run on the next play and picked up no yardage. Robertson handed off to sophomore Rey Gomez where the Wildcats were called for off-sides. Wildcats then called a time out for discussion. With 4:59 left in the third quarter, Robertson threw to Rey Gomez for a touchdown and Robles extra point was good.

Wildcats expanded their lead 49 to 13. “Kendall did a very good job, Holden ran the ball hard and River wore the Lions Defensive End out all night,” Speer said.

Robles kicked to the Lions with the Lions dropping the catch but was able to recover. With the Lions deep in their own territory, they tried to run the ball but was met by Shaw for the stop. The Lions tried to run the ball again, but Robles was there for the tackle.

“Defensively, we wanted to stop their fullback. That was our number one priority and I thought we held him in check most of the night,” said Speer. “Robles made some defense plays and Tito played very well.”

The Lions tried to sweep across the field, but Flores made the tackle. The Lions moved up the middle but was stopped by Smith and senior Danny Lima. In Wildcat territory, the Lions tossed the ball with no gain.

With third and five for the Lions, an incomplete pass was thrown. The Lions continued to try to run up the middle of the field but no success as multiple Wildcats were there to make the stop. The Lions ran up the right side of the field for a first and goal.

Then, the Lions handed off, but Tito Gomez is there to make the stop. Robles made the next stop for the Lions run. Wildcats called time out. Then, Madill was called for offside penalty with the Lions on the fourteen-yard line in their own territory. The Lions handed off for a touchdown and extra point being good, bringing the score 49 to 20.

Durant kicked off to the Wildcats. Robertson handed off to McGahey with a couple of yards gained. Robertson found Sisco for a pass, but it is incomplete with pass interference called on the Lions for a fifteen-yard penalty. McGahey gained six yards on the next handed off.

Robertson handed off to McGahey for a first and ten on the forty-yard line to start the fourth quarter. Rey Gomez was handed the ball and got a fourteen-yard gain. Rey Gomez gained another eleven yards on the next hand off. Combs ran another five yards when Robertson handed him the ball.

With 8:40 to go in the game, the Wildcats were called for a five-yard penalty. Rey Gomez took the hand off and reached the eight-yard line.

Combs received the hand off from Robertson but was tackled in the back fold and lost yards. Robertson fumbled the snap but was able to recover; fumbled the ball again and the Lions recovered. The Lions were called for a five-yard penalty after the snap. Lions handed off but got nowhere with Lima and Yanez making the stop.

With 6:00 left in the game, the Lions handed off and made the first down. The Lions quarterback lobbed the ball to the outside receiver, but Junior Samy Trevino was there to make the tackle for loss of yards. The Lions ran up the left side of field to get a first and ten.

Vinson is in the line of fire for the next Lions throw but was unable to intercept. Durant ran up the middle but is met by Vinson and sophomore Zeke Rodriguez. The Lions made it into the end zone one last time. Durant tried for a two-point conversion but was unsuccessful.

The Lions trailed the Wildcats 49 to 26. The Lions kicked the ball into the end zone and Madill took over at the twenty-five-yard line. Wildcats called time out.

Vinson entered the game as the quarterback for Madill. Vinson handed off to freshman Leo Martinez for a one-yard gain. Vinson then handed off to freshman Jayden McCain (19 rushing yards) for a nineteen-yard-gain.

Vinson tried to hand off but was instantly stopped by the Lions defense. Robertson came back in the game for the last play of the game but took a knee. The Wildcats won, beating the Lions 49 to 26.

“Our crowd was awesome. I think it’s great for our kids to feel the support, especially on the road,” said Speer. “We are looking forward to having our first home game this week. Our kids will be excited and looking forward to playing the Marietta Indians.”

Madill will kick off at Blake Smiley Stadium on Alumni field at 7:30 on Friday, September 10.