By CINDY ROLLER

Sulphur Springs News-Telegram



PRINCETON — It wasn’t what they expected, but it was a win nonetheless as the Lindsay Knights ride on to the area playoffs with a 48-14 win over the Cumby Trojans at Jackie Hendricks Stadium in Princeton Friday.

The newly crowned Class A Division II Region II bi-district champions, Lindsay Knights will seek to continue their streak against the bite of the purple Tolar Rattlers (8-2), the District 15-A winners, next Friday at 7:30 p.m., at Birdville ISD Stadium in North Richland Hills.

Shifting the momentum of the tied 14-all ballgame was Knight senior Josh Mueller’s kickoff return score to start the third quarter. He also repeated his run across the goal line to seal the deal in the fourth quarter.

“Twenty-eight points in the third quarter is outstanding,” said Lindsay coach Cody Bounds. “But at the same time we have got to fix it (the slow start). My hats off to Josh Mueller, he got us on the spot. He is a power player.”

On Cumby’s next possession, stops made by juniors Tyler Hundt and Madison Parkhill forced a punt. Cumby Trojan senior Timmy Cook booted the pigskin to the 41-yard line. Knight senior Ryan Haverkamp gained six yards on his next tote to be halted by Daniel “Cancun” Degetau, Cumby’s exchange student.

After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Degetau scored on a 13-yard run, and Cook ran in a 56-yarder for Cumby in the second quarter.

Chalking up the majority of the 165 yards of rushing offense was Cook with 15 carries for 75 yards and 10 for a gain of 64 by Degetau. Degetau cleared both PATs.

With 9:15 left on the third quarter clock, junior Jordan Lane continued forward progress when Trojan senior C.J. Ringenberg found him. Now in the red zone, Lindsay sent in senior Frankie Cornett. Cornett’s yardage made it easy for Haverkamp to drive in another touchdown just like the duo of scores he had in the first half of play. Junior Travis Skinner sailed one through the uprights for a 28-14 Lindsay lead. Skinner was six for seven on PATs for the game.

Lindsay’s defensive wall poised to force Cumby to return possession on downs. The Knights took over on the 48-yard line. Quarterback Dax Fleitman connected with teammate senior John Block for a first down. Haverkamp went back to work only to be yanked down by Trojan senior Tanner Gomez. Mueller pushed the marker two more yards. Junior Robert Arend made the short trip for another Lindsay first down.

Fleitman sent an aerial to Block to put the ball on the 13-yard line. A handoff to Haverkamp gave the Knights another first down. Cornett sounded the Lindsay cheers with a touchdown. However, time was still left on the third quarter clock, and the Knights were not done. With the scoreboard lights aglow 35-14 Lindsay’s favor, the ball was spotted at the 46-yard line after Trojan senior Michael Morris was tackled by Knight junior Jordan Lane.

Cumby was flagged with illegal procedure with just 49 seconds. Arend intercepted a Cook pass and returned it 25 yards to add another six to the board. Cumby continued to gamble with the passing game tossing out long bombs.

“We took care of the ball well (in the first half). But we had to start gambling here and there, and it came back to bite us,” explained Cumby Trojan head coach Ed Perez.

“They’re a good football team,” Perez said in reference to Lindsay. “And we knew that coming in. We knew we were the underdogs, and we were going to have to play well.”

In the final quarter, Cook connected with Morris, Rodney Hobbs and Brandon Heer. A Lindsay pass interference call gave the Trojans the needed first down. On the next play, Lindsay got vengeance with a sack on Cook by Will Taylor to give them the ball on the 48-yard line.

Haverkamp worked his magic with a set of carries and a reception over midfield. Fleitman sent out another aerial only Cumby’s Degetau came up with it to run it down to the 21-yard line. Cumby saw the writing on the walk when Cornett sacked Cook. One final score by Mueller, and it was said and done. Lindsay, as the home team, went home with their 48-14 victory.

“It was exactly like the Petrolia game. We have to figure out how to get them motivated. We’re flat and that’s my fault. We had been up ever since that game,” said Bounds. “Seemed like we were waiting for somebody to make a play, instead of going out and doing it. But you have to give Cumby credit; their coach had a great game plan. They hit us, but at the end of the game, it was about what we weren’t doing—playing with the speed and intensity like we can.”

Bounds added, “I thought they were going to run the ball more … I was ready to make some changes. I have a good coaching staff, but it wasn’t a scheme thing, it was just a hustle thing. We just had to let the kids calm down, get out there and play.”