photos by Becky Antunes
The China Spring Cougars traveled to Melissa on Friday night to take on a strong Class 5A DII Cardinal football team. Early on, it looked as if the Cardinals would run away and hide from the Cougars, but China Spring showed heart and grit to come away with a thrilling 42-41 win in Collin County.
Early offensive miscues were the story for the Cougars. After the first eight minutes of the game, the Cardinals had only 11 yards of total offense, but held a 20-0 lead over China Spring. The Cougars first three possessions ended with a fumble on their own 11, a 33 yard punt return for a touchdown and a 30 yard interception return for a touchdown. The Cardinal defense was getting a lot of backside pressure on Cougar QB Cash McCollum. China Spring couldn’t seem to get out of their own way, until they did.
There was no panic from the young men in white, most of whom experienced the ultimate ride last year bringing home a state championship. All of whom took care of the No. 1 ranked Class 3A DI Lorena Leopards last week. There was no panic in the men in Cougar Blue with the headsets on. They know the team they have. There was no panic. The Cougars put their heads down and went to work.
Beginning with their fourth possession, the Cougars went to work behind the strong, quick legs of RB Kyle Barton. The first four plays saw McCollum hand the ball to Barton, and behind a young and learning offensive line, scratched out 13 yards and crossed midfield. From there, McCollum looks for WR/DB Tre Hafford. On a 3rd & 1, McCollum finds Hafford for 10 yards and a first down. Four plays later, McCollum finds Hafford in the back of the endzone for a 24 yard touchdown to put the Cougars on the board. Hafford would end the night with 10 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cougar defense is now tasked with keeping Melissa out of the endzone, which they do for the remainder of the half. In his first start on Varsity, LB Ryder Reeves plugged up the middle with the help of veteran DL Greg Salazar. The Cougar defense held Melissa to a three and out on their first drive after the China Spring score.
China Spring’s second score came from a two play drive from Barton. After a seven yard run, Barton finds the endzone. In the books, it’s listed as a 35 yard touchdown run, but Barton started up the middle and cut to his left passed the numbers on the far side, cut back right and ended up in the near side corner of the endzone for what looked to be an 85 yard run. Aided by blocks from WR Cameron Campos and McCollum, Barton’s “never give up” running style pulled the Cougars to a 20-14 score.
After another strong defensive stand by the Cougar defense that held the Cardinals to a field goal, McCollum finds WR Jackson Battles for a 14 yard touchdown at the end of the first half. In what could have been a disastrous first 24 minutes, China Spring goes into the locker room at halftime trailing 23-21.
The second half started with a five play, 75 yard touchdown drive by the Cardinals, capped by a 48 yard touchdown run by RB Justin Fields. In what could have been another deflating moment for the Cougars, they answered with their own 10 play, 63 yard touchdown drive. This drive saw McCollum go to the air, finding both Hafford and WR/LB Tristen Exline twice each for 50 yards. This set up Barton for a one yard push into the endzone and the Cougars trailing 30-28.
The ensuing kickoff saw Melissa return the ball into Cougar territory, and after a China Spring penalty, the Cardinals start their drive on the China Spring 13. The Cougar defense holds Cardinal RB Nathan Adejokun to just two yards and forces an incompletion from QB Trever Ham. Melissa has to settle for a 29 yard field goal and a precarious 33-28 lead.
China Spring now has the ball, and the momentum. Starting on their own 35, Barton and McCollum eat up 28 yards on the ground on three plays. On the fourth play of the drive, McCollum finds Hafford down the middle. Taking the pass on the 25 yard line, Hafford sprints toward the endzone, taking a Cardinal defender on his back the final 5 yards. China Spring has their first lead of the game, 35-33, with 10:15 remaining in the game.
Melissa strikes back with a 10 play, 65 yard drive. The key play was a 48 yard pass reception from Ham to WR Jacob Kusano. Fields runs it in from two yards out and Melissa takes the 41-35 lead with 8:12 to play.
An interception by McCollum stalls the Cougars next drive, but the China Spring defense steps up again. CB Cage McCloud and LB Jacob Mott make their presence know to the Cardinal offense. Melissa is unable to gain a first down, starting from the China Spring 41 yard line and punts the ball back to the Cougars.
With just 5:56 remaining in the game, China Spring takes over on their own 4 yard line. From his own endzone, McCollum finds Exline, who was covered up by a Cardinal defender, for 33 yards. From there, the Cougars were methodical going down the field. Another excellent effort by Exline set the Cougars up on the Cardinal 28. On a 4th & 5 from the 23, McCollum looks for Hafford down the middle and pass interference is called on the Cardinals, setting up the Cougars on the 8 yard line. On a 3rd & goal from the 6, Barton caps his 22 carry, 111 yard, 3 touchdown night with a strong run through a Cardinal defender and into the endzone. The Cougars take the lead with 0:51 remaining in the game.
The Cardinal comeback was stopped by an Exline interception with no time left on the clock. China Spring, after putting themselves in a 20-0 hole, come back to defeat the Melissa Cardinals 42-21.
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