Local Sports
Getting back to the championship game
Cayuga goes through bumps on road to title game
By SCOTT TYLER
Sports Editor
BETHEL — Cayuga’s Tramon Shead remembers a year ago when the Wildcats watched Stratford celebrate winning the Class A, Division II state championship in Abilene.
“We were hurting after that game,” Shead said. “We knew we were going to do anything and everything to get back to that game.”
And the Wildcats have done that, returning to the state championship game for the second straight year. Cayuga faces Albany at 3 p.m. Saturday at Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield.
“We felt a huge sense of disappointment last year after losing to Stratford,” Cayuga head coach Tommy Allison said. “We worked so hard to get there and not be able to get it done in the end.
“After the game, we talked in the lockerroom about getting a mind set to get back this year.”
While Cayuga has returned to the state championship game, the Wildcats had to go through an early season loss and some adversity to get back.
Cayuga entered the 2009 season with a lot of buzz around them. The Wildcats were picked No. 1 in several preaseason polls including the Associated Press and Texas Football Magazine.
“There was lots of anticipation and expectations put on the backs of these kids,” Allison said. “At times it was overwhelming but these kids have their heads squarely on their shoulders.”
Then the unthinkable happened for many Cayuga faithful, the Wildcats opened up the season with a 33-26 loss to Frankston.
“After the loss to Frankston, we felt down,” Cayuga senior Malcome Kennedy said. “But it was eye opening and we dedicated ourselves not to lose another game.”
Shead said the loss to Frankston was the best thing to happen to the Wildcats.
“We had big heads coming into the season and the loss to Frankston helped take care of that,” Shead said. “Since then, we have played our hearts out.”
After the loss to Frankston, Cayuga has won 13 straight games and Allison called the first-game loss a chance for his team to get regrouped.
“Looking back, it is never good to lose, but it gave us a chance to refocus on what we needed to get done,” Allison said. “We realized we could not rely on our expectations and the past.”
Cayuga got a critical win over Kerens to finish the non-district season. In the win, all-state running back Traylon Shead went down with an injury but Cayuga battled back, finding a way to win.
“The win against Kerens was big for our team,” Allison said. “First, because we beat a really good football team and second because we overcame Traylon getting hurt and found a way to win.”
Another key win came two weeks before the start of the playoffs when Cayuga traveled to Alto and outlasted the Yellowjackets 43-36 in overtime.
“That game gave our kids an understanding that they had the potential to beat really good football teams if they work hard and execute,” Allison said.
In Cayuga’s playoff run, the Wildcats have had to battle through three tough games to reach the state championship. In Region III play, Lovelady and Mart both made second-half runs at Cayuga but the Wildcats held off both teams.
Saturday night, the Wildcats went through a second-quarter lull, but rebounded to put away Ganado 41-19.
The experience Cayuga went through last year in the run to the state championship game has helped the Wildcats this time around.
“Last year we were in uncharted waters as everything was new,” Allison said. “This year, nothing is new to us, we have done it all.
“These kids can treat it just like any other game.”
In the last three years, the Cayuga seniors have played in 14 playoff games.
“These kids have played on a lot of win or go home scenarios,” Allison said. “They have learned how to play in that kind of pressure.”
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Scott Tyler may be contacted via e-mail at styler@palestineherald.com
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