BLUECATS REPEAT AS BI-DISTRICT CHAMPS

It was a defensive battle ... a battle that was won by the Coleman Bluecats.  Neither team moved the ball well, a testament to the power of their fine defenses.  A special team play sparked a desire to win in the Bluecats, and they took advantage and never looked back, earning a 17-7 Bi-District win over the Haskell Indians Saturday in Cisco.  This is the fourth year in a row that Coleman has won the Bi-District crown, advancing to Area.  The Bluecats have won three Area titles in a row, also.  It is time for a 4-peat!

The first quarter in Cisco was scoreless, and Haskell drew first blood late in the second quarter when they scored after a 13-play drive.  Weston Rutkowski hit Aaron Rodriquez on a 2-yard scoring pass to get the lead.  The Indians joy was short-lived, however.  On the ensuing kickoff, Glen Edington caught the  kick on his own 15-yard line, headed for the sidelines, then cut upfield and scored on a 85-yard kickoff return!  Oscar Villeda’s PAT was good, and just like that the score was tied  at 7-7, and that’s the way it was at halftime.

The third quarter was just like the first, with no scoring for either team.  That changed in the fourth quarter.  The Bluecats finally started clicking on all cylinders as they manufactured a 12-play drive that almost ran out of steam at the Haskell 1.  Facing a fourth and goal at the one, Coach Buzzard gave the ball to Stanley Cole, who bulled his way over left tackle into the end zone for the go ahead score. "True Toe" Villeda’s PAT was good again, and the Cats had all the lead they needed at 14-7.  The Indians got the ball back and were driving, when the Coleman defense had them facing a fourth down.  Haskell decided to go for it, and the mighty Big Blue defense stuffed them, taking over the ball on downs.  Taking advantage of the good field position, the Bluecats drove down the field, but were stopped short of the goal line.  Buzzard decided to send in "True Toe," who calmly kicked a 21-yard field goal to give the Cats a 17-7 lead, the final score.

Coleman held Haskell to a mere 137 total yards and five first downs, while the Bluecats were held to 217, well below their average.  That shows how dominant the two defenses were.  The Bluecats added two more interceptions to their collection.  Dalton DeLeon and Anthony Morales got their first of the year, bringing the "ball hog" total to 18 for the year.  Another point of pride for the Cats should be a lack of penalties.  The Bluecats only had two, and that has to be some kind of record for them.  Penalties have hamstrung the Cats all year.

I’m proud of you guys!  I'm sure the Indians are getting a little tired of Coleman.  Last year they were riding high with an undefeated season at 10-0, when they ran into a buzz saw in form of the Coleman Bluecats.  The underdog Cats took the game into triple overtime, winning 48-42, and ended the Indians season.  Haskell ends their 2007 season at 8-3, while Coleman improved to 9-2 and will meet Crane in the Area round of the playoffs.

(Coleman Chronicle and Democrat-Voice, November 20, 2007.)

       
                                    Images from colemannews.com

For the fourth consecutive year, the Coleman Bluecats are Bi-District Champions.  Saturday night, the Bluecats and Haskell Indians returned to Cisco where, one year ago, Coleman defeated Haskell in three overtimes.  This year, it took only four quarters for the Bluecats to win another gold trophy, 17 to 7.  When Glen Edington returned a Haskell kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, that seemed to be the spark Coleman needed.

After a scoreless first quarter, Haskell put together a nice 13 play scoring drive which culminated with a 2 yard pass from Weston Rutkowski to Aaron Rodriguez.  The point after gave Haskell a 7 to 0 lead but on the ensuing kickoff, Coleman's Glen Edington caught the ball on the 15 and took an angle to the Haskell sideline and turned on the after burners for a retaliatory score only 13 seconds after Haskell scored.  Oscar Villeda added the extra point and the game went to half tied 7 to 7.

For that matter, the game remained tied 7 to 7 through the third quarter.  It wasn't until the Bluecats unreeled a 12 play drive which ended on a fourth and goal play from the one.  In a make it or give the ball back to Haskell scenario, Bluecat #32 Stanley Cole was not going to be denied as he ran off tackle left and launched into the end zone (shown below) for the go ahead score with 9:17 left in the game. Villeda's extra point gave the Bluecats a 14 to 7 lead.

What seemed to drive the nail in the coffin for the Indians was the next series when the Bluecat defense stopped Haskell short on fourth down, giving the Bluecats the ball.  The next series ended on a 21 yard Oscar Villeda field goal with 3:22 left making the score 17 to 7, the final.