Cards Maintain Winning Streak, 7-0

PASCO --The WP Cardinals held off an air attack by the Tri- City Prep Jaguars last Friday night to remain undefeated, 7-0.

The Jaguars took the opening kickoff and began an opening drive on its own 34-yard line.

After completing three first downs that took them to the WP 14-yard line, Jaguar quarterback Evan Whitsett connected with Chris Yackawich for an 11 yard completion that put the Jaguars at first and goal on the 3-yard line.

The impenetrable Cardinal defense kept the goal line out of reach for the Jaguars and the Cardinals took over on downs on its own 3-yard line.

After short runs from Zach Bartlow and Billy Brown and an incomplete pass attempt to Dalton Estes, the Cardinals were also forced to punt from their own nine yard line with 5 minutes left in the first quarter.

The Jaguars hunt for the end zone was loaded with blanks on its next drive as WP's defensive giants Cadman Donovan, Eshom Estes and Greg Stearns dragged Whitsett back 6 yards, forcing another punt situation.

The Jaguars opted to fake a punt formation and take to the air in hopes of keeping its drive alive, but WP's Bartlow intercepted the ball on WP's 22-yard line and returned it 44 yards and the Cardinals took over on the Jaguar 34-yard line with 3:12 left in the first.

Wasting no time on first and 10, Bartlow connected with Devin Acevedo and he remained untouched as he crossed the goal line for six. Jose Barajas' extra-point attempt was good and the Cardinals had a 7-0 lead going into the second quarter.

The Cardinal defense continued to be on the prowl as the Jaguars were in scoring position with first and goal on the 2-yard line.

A quarterback keeper for six was in the works, but WP's rock-solid Stearns stopped Whitsett in his tracks and pushed him back for a loss of three.

The Jaguars were soon pushed back further as Estes took Whitsett for a free ride all the way back to the Jaguar 19- yard line.

Estes broke through the Jaguar line once again and chased Whitsett in the backfield before Donovan and Stearns caught him and threw him back for another loss of 15 yards.

Now fourth and 32, the Jaguars took a timeout to rethink some blocking strategy. They might as well have stayed in their huddle because Chance Leroue took his turn at stubbling up Whitsett in the backfield and Estes finished him off as the Cardinals nailed down their fourth straight quarterback sack.

The Cardinals started its next drive on the Jaguar 34 and once again found themselves in the end zone after a 30-yard rush from Brown and a 30-yard Estes touchdown reception.

Barajas extra point attempt was no good and the Cardinals were up 13-0 with 3:29 left in the half.

The Jaguars completed its next three passes for first and 10 from its own 31-yard line with 1:54 left in the half.

They were looking like they were going to ride that momentum all the way to the end zone, but quarterback Whitsett was once again met in the backfield by Estes and Stearns and the deadly duo buried him 8 yards back.

With 19.3 seconds left in the first half, the Jaguars faced fourth and 33 on their own 45-yard line when they faked another punt that ended in the Cardinal's favor and WP was up 13-0 at the half.

The Cardinals got right down to business scoring on its opening drive with a Bartlow keeper for 8 yards, a 9-yard rush from Brown, and a Bartlow completion to Acevedo to give the freshman his second touchdown of the night and put the big red birds up, 19-0.

The Cardinal defense continued hold its ground, keeping the Jaguars scoreless into the fourth quarter where they finally lit up the board with an air attack narrowing the lead, 19-7 with 11:53 left in the game.

The next Cardinal drive was all WP workhorse Billy Brown. Pushing through the line on two carries for a Cardinal first down, he then ploughed his way up the middle until he found the end zone, extending the Cardinal lead 26-7 with 8:27 left in the game.

Brown found the end zone once again for a 57-yard touchdown run, but was denied the six points on the board when WP's Ben Schafer was caught with a holding penalty.

After Bartlow was sacked for a loss of one and an incomplete pass, the big red birds punted.

The Jaguars' air attack was in full force as they scored off a 45-yard reception to Jacob Schmidt and 70-yard completion to 6'5" Jameson Pederson.

The Cardinal defense finished the game off as Estes once again broke through the line to sack Whitsett with 10.4 seconds left and the Cardinals celebrated a 26-20 victory over the Jaguars.

Although the Cardinals remain undefeated they face the Asotin Panthers this week for their homecoming game and practice looks to be gruesome to prepare them for that.

"It was a fist fight of a game," said WP head coach Jeff Bartlow. "Our pass defense timing was close we were just early with pick attempts."

"Celebrate the win tonight," Bartlow told his boys of fall after the game. "But we've got to think about Asotin and how we're going to get better so that we'll beat them."

"We had a couple of penalties tonight that killed us," said Bartlow. "Come to practice ready to work and get back on track."

The Cardinals face the Asotin Panthers for their Homecoming game Friday night at 7 p.m.

Slap on the face paint and glitter, shake the dust off that 'ol letterman jacket, and get on out to the field to root your hometown boys to victory.