Turnover bug bites Longhorns in loss to Wildcats
“You can’t have eight turnovers against anybody and win,” head coach David Akins said after the Marengo Academy Longhorns fumbled the ball six times and threw two interceptions in their game against the visiting Wilcox Academy Wildcats. The Longhorns lost five of those six fumbles, two of which led to points by the Wildcats. With one of the interceptions leading to another score, half of the Longhorns’ opponents were scored after turnovers.
The Wildcats won the toss and elected to defer until the second half. After receiving the ball on the opening kickoff, the Longhorns were forced to punt. With 5:21 to go in the first quarter, a 37-yard run and successful PAT gave the Wildcats the only points they would need to secure a win.
On the Longhorns next possession, the Wildcats recovered a fumble at the Longhorns’ 38-yard line. At the 2:25 mark of the first quarter, the Wildcats connected on a 40-yard touchdown catch and run. The PAT gave the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.
After a Longhorn pass was intercepted on their next possession, the Wildcats cashed in with a 5-yard run with 11:15 to go in the second quarter. The PAT increased the Longhorn deficit to 21-0.
The ensuing kickoff was fumbled by the Longhorn returner and recovered by the Wildcats. A little over two minutes later, an 8-yard touchdown run and successful PAT gave the Wildcats a 28-0 lead with 8:51 to go in the first half.
The Longhorns next possession ended with a punt. On a 3rd -and-22 play from their own 49-yard line, the Wilcats would hit a 51-yard touchdown pass and tack on the PAT to go up 35-0 with 5:13 to go in the half.
The Longhorns would drive to the Wildcats’ 8-yard line on their ensuing possession. However, a fumbled snap with 17 second to go in the half would crash the Longhorns longest drive of the game. The half would end with the Longhorns trailing the Wildcats 35-0.
After receiving the second half opening kickoff, the Wilcats would get a 60-yard touchdown run and PAT with 8:26 to go in the third quarter. This would give the Wildcats their final margin of victory at 42-0.
“We made some mistakes that we aren’t supposed to be making this time of year,” Akins said. “We’ll get them fixed. Wilcox has a very good football team. You just can’t have eight turnovers and beat a team like that.” Akins said the the Longhorns have three region games to look forward to and they will use next week’s non-region game to get better.
The Longhorns (1-5) will travel to Evergreen next week to take on the Sparta Academy Warriors.
