| OCR Text |
Show 'Cals mash Murray in playoff "4t I - r Jr' A J (P ,, JKii.i -a ' 2 1 " - I ' j - V , It : IS - x . 1 By G.BRETT HART r SALT LAKE CITY-Woods Cross savored the sweet taste of revenge staggering Murray 35-20 with an unexpected display of offensive fury in a Region Six football foot-ball playoff game held at Granite High School Tuesday. The Wildcats lost to the Spartans 1 4-3 at home only two weeks before and definitely had a score to settle, not to mention qualify for the state playoffs. Woods Cross ended regular season, gridiron play tied with the Spartans for Region Six's fourth place spot. The two teams faced each other again for the opportunity op-portunity to enter the state 3A football foot-ball tournament. The Wildcats led 35-0 with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter and held the Spartans scoreless until Murray's George Kelsch finally scored on a 20-yard run. Murray managed to put a respectable respec-table 20 points on the board in the fourth quarter thanks to a couple of breaks and the 'Cats' second-string teams. But the Spartans scoring spree fell far short, and the Wildcats earned the opportunity to face Bear River in round one of the state tourney. The 'Cats first-half domination of Murray held the Spartans to only 66 yards passing and minus five yards rushing. The Wildcats, on the other hand, racked up 187 total yards of offense in the first half. Woods Cross Quarterback Ryan Van Alfen completed six of seven passes for 87 yards and finished the game completing nine of 1 1 for 124 yards. Running back Kevin Case rushed for 76 yards in the first half and added 26 in the second half to finish with 102 yards on 17 carries. Tailback Marcus Rhoton also contributed con-tributed 83 yards rushing. Woods Cross held a narrow, 7-0 lead after first-period play and literally lit-erally exploded in the second to lead Murray 29-0 at the half. In first quarter action, Rhoton rambled 77-yards on a draw play with 5:49 left in the period to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead only moments after a 77-yard, touchdown pass from Van Alfen to Kyle Lavender was called back due to a motion penalty. The 'Cats' second touchdown came at the opening of the second quarter. Woods Cross traversed the length of the field led by the unstoppable rushing of Kevin Case and receptions by Nick LaFeber. Case eventually burst off tackle and into the end zone from 1 5 yards. The Wildcats had only begun their second quarter, 22-point scor- SEE 'CATS B3 Wildcat Nick LaFeber erases into the end zone after hauling in a 30-yard touchdown toss I catapult the "Cats to a 1 5-point victory vic-tory over Murray. t touchdowns before the game ended. Kelsch entered the end zone from 20 yards out with nine minutes left in the game. After the ensuing kickoff, a Wildcat fumble landed in the hands of the Murray defensive line. Gourd in proceeded to march his beleaguered Spartans hitting three consecutive passes and finally connecting con-necting with receiver Jeremy Wingett on a three-yard touchdown pass. Wingett caught another Gour-din Gour-din pass with 24 seconds left in the game. The PAT flew wide, and the game ended 35-20 for the Wildcats. "We've got a chance now," said Woods Cross Coach John Haning. "The difference in this game was that we didn't squander or fumble the ball like we did last time. "We now have to take a look at what Bear River does and develop a game plan. We can move the ball. We just need to find out what they do and get after them. We can do it," added Haning. Woods Cross will face this season's ultimate test travelling to Bear River Saturday. Kickoff time is 3 p.m. Bear River finished regular season play leading Region Five. 'Cats FROM B1 ing spree. On Murray's first play from scrimmage, Rob Davis picked off a Tom Gourdin pass to give Woods Cross the ball on the Spartan Spar-tan 36-yard line and set up the Wildcats' third scoring drive. Van Alfen let fly a 30-yard strike to Steve Jensen who wrestled it out of the hands of the Murray defender in mid air. Though the play gave the 'Cats a first and goal at the five, it did prove costly. Jensen suffered a broken collarbone as he hit the ground. Woods Cross inched to the one-yard one-yard line, and Van Alfen plunged into the end zone on a quarterback sneak with 6:47 left in the first half. Lavender's PAT gave the Wildcats a commanding 21-0 lead. With three minutes left in the half, another Murray turnover would lead to Woods Cross' final, second quarter score. Co-captain James Larsen picked a fumbled Gourdin pitch at the Spartan 40 and returned it 20 yards to the 20-yard line before being brought down from behind. On the Wildcats' first play from scrimmage, Kevin Case broke free for a 19-yard gain. The 'Cats now faced first and goal on the one. Case dove up the middle two plays later for the score. A missed snap on the PAT ended up in the arms of Willy Lewis on a three-yard pass for the two-point conversion. The Wildcats' only second-half score came nine seconds into the fourth quarter on a 30-yard touchdown toss to LaFeber. The PAT was blocked and Woods Cross led 35-0. Murray managed to score three I JJ v. , ... -;V J L J. h'- y y.i f " ' jr ii i -If Woods Cross' Kevin Case scores his second of two touchdowns on a dive up the middle from the one-yard line. Case rushed for 1 02 yards on 1 7 carries against the Spartans. |
