Cats win third straight

Rick White

With speed to stretch defenses like salt water taffy and more wiggle than a super model, Phillip Williams gives Clovis the breakaway threat its sorely needed the last two seasons.

In his third game since returning from an elbow injury, the junior with sprinter’s speed motored for 132 yards and two touchdowns as Clovis capped its non-district schedule Friday with a 42-6 win over Goddard at Leon Williams Stadium.

Williams, who put the power sweep back in the Wildcats’ arsenal, was at his best on his final carry midway through the third quarter, turning what looked like a short gain into his second 15-yard score by making four Goddard tacklers miss en route to the end zone and his second-straight 100-yard rushing effort.

Clovis assistant coach Darren Kelley said Williams makes the whole offense better.

“He has the ability to turn something bad into something good,” Kelley said. “Plus, he hits the hole so quick (our linemen) don’t have to hold their blocks as long.”

Williams didn’t do it alone as John Props threw a pair of TD passes and Mark Young returned a punt 67 yards for another score as the Wildcats (4-2) won their third straight game.

Meanwhile, an improving Wildcat defense held its third straight opponent to a touchdown or less.

Kelley said the dominating performance was just what the Wildcats needed heading into an open date this week.

“It was important to go into the next two weeks of practice and district with some confidence and without doubting ourselves,” Kelley said.

Clovis opens the District 4-5A season Oct. 18 at Eldorado.

Props threw TD passes of 34 yards to Anastacio Sisneros and 37 yards to favorite receiver Ben Teconchuk on back-to-back series in the second quarter, helping Clovis build a 28-0 halftime lead against its former district rival.

Both passes came against single coverage as Goddard was concentrating on stopping Williams and Clovis’ running game.

“Ben told me his guy was playing the run,” said Props, who has thrown eight TD passes this season — five to Teconchuk. “When I saw the (single) coverage I knew Ben could beat his man, so I just threw it up there and Ben made a great catch.”

Teconchuk had to adjust to the pass against the wind, snaring it over his outside shoulder on a fly pattern down the right side.

Clovis held Goddard (3-3) scoreless until late in the fourth quarter when sophomore quarterback Jesus Baca scored from the 3-yard line on a fourth-down scramble, capping a 16-play, 83-yard drive.

Baca completed 18 of 26 passes for 143 yards on mostly short passes.

“We didn’t feel we could run consistently against them,” Goddard coach Sam Jernigan said. “We did a good job (throwing the ball) most of the night.”

Gabe Garcia and Brandon Leal caught eight passes each for the Rockets, who had their modest two-game streak halted.

“We’re willing to give them the short stuff and make them complete eight or 10 passes to score,” said Young, a senior free safety, who returned another punt 66 yards to set up the Wildcats’ second score and added a third-quarter interception. “It’s hard to sit back and not try to make a play, but if you do, the next time they’ll go deep.”

On a down note for the Wildcats, senior linebacker/running back Shea Chase injured his right knee on the second-to-last play of the game while covering a punt.

The Clovis medical staff said Chase likely suffered damage to his anterior cruciate ligament and could be lost for the season.