The road to Cameron from my San Antonio residence is a three hour drive, pocked with small towns and flat farmlands. Through the journey, you’ll spot old insurance buildings, banks housed under family names promising low interest rates, churches with community service messages organized in block letters. On the road side, there are sporadic land-ports, car parks and barns; town signs read populations low enough to the bank account balance of a famished college student.
Over train tracks, and through a suburban neighborhood from an episode of “Leave it to Beaver”, resides the Friday night lights of Yoe Field.
The Yoemen faithful cluttered the stadium bleachers hoping for a spectacular series against China Spring; during the program’s last meeting in 2015, the Cougars barely edged the Yoe 42-41.
The quaint and nostalgic feelings surrounding Cameron were the only positives preluding an absolute blowout that will surely plummet the Yoemen from the powering ranking, losing to China Springs 63-13.
Coach Tommy Brashear’s boys were overpowered, ran-through, and committed numerous mental faux pas against a Cougars team that racked up 647 total yards.
After two Texas HS Football “Game of the Week” barn-burners, it was only a matter of time before we selected a dud.
And what a disappointment it was.
On paper, the match didn’t look so bad. The Cougars were ranked No. 8 in Class 4A, and the Yoemen were No.2 in Class 3A. Cameron Yoe won three straight state titles from 2012-2014, finishing runner-up last year. They only lost twice last season, once to the Cougars.
The Yoemen entered Friday with revenge on their minds, but I took one look at how the their defensive front lined up with the Cougars’ offense from my on-field vantage and immediately knew Cameron Yoe wasn’t getting any kind of retribution. China Springs towered over Yoe; several tacklers had to pile on running back Keaton Dudik to even stumble him.
The Cougars put it away early, leading 35-0 at the half, emphasized by three straight touchdowns from Dudik. The impressive running back finished with 20 carries for 214 yards and three touchdowns.
Similar to the mosquitos bleeding me dry on the sidelines, China Springs defense consumed the Yoemen, forcing three turnovers in the first half and five overall. Leading Cameron Yoe receiver Sicory Smith averaged 201 receiving yards heading into Friday’s match; junior defensive back Trae Cherry shadowed him all night, limiting his production to only six catches for 44 yards.
Cameron Yoe did score twice at the waning moments of the game during garbage time, and finished with 307 yards of offense.
