3A Team of the Week: Idalou Wildcats
Idalou went to halftime last Friday with the ultimate pit in its stomach. Not only did the Wildcats trail 21-0, but they had just given up a Hail Mary to end the half.
Moments like that test the leadership of a team. Luckily for the Wildcats, they have 18 seniors on their roster who stepped up when the odds seemed against them.
The Idalou offense came alive in the second half and the defense produced stop after stop as the Wildcats stormed back to earn an unbelievable 25-21 victory.
Idalou head coach Clay White said the game had “one of his favorite endings” as the defense made one final big play. Sophomore AJ Huddleston forced a fumble recovered by Nick Estrada to seal the win for the Wildcats.
On the other side of the ball, senior quarterback Kutter Houchin got the offense’s wheels turning when the Wildcats needed it the most. He completed nine of his 11 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns, both to Aiden Barrera, while also adding 90 yards and another score on the ground. Huddleston also played his part offensively with a 42-yard rushing touchdown.
With a game like that to open the season, it revealed a lot to White about the group of players he’ll go to battle with in 2024.
“I’m proud of the way our guys responded,” White said. “It’s not easy being down 21 especially after a 50-yard Hail Mary to end the half. We talked about focusing one play at a time and controlling what we can control… So proud of the way we stood up to the adversity and found unity in it.”
The Wildcats will be back on their home turf this Friday at 7:00 when they host a Lubb0ck-Cooper Liberty team that is playing in just its second-ever varsity game.
