By Varsity Coach Ernest Martinez
The Twentynine Palms varsity Wildcats won their first overtime game in nearly 20 seasons, defeating the Indio Rajahs 28-21 in a terrific non-league football game Friday night. The two teams battled through several tough conditions, including the heat and humidity, and moving the game to 8:30 because the Indio team bus broke down on the way to the contest. The game finally concluded nearly two hours later than usual, sometime around 11:15 p.m., with the extra overtime period included.
Indio scored on their first drive of the game to take an early 6-0 lead; however the ’Cats responded with a 75-yard scoring drive, finished off by a 20-yard run by K.J. Morton as he ran through several defenders on his way to the end zone. Isaiah Castaneda intercepted a pass and returned it 44 yards for a score moments later, and the ’Cats led 14-6 in the first quarter.
The Wildcats led 21 to 6 late in the third quarter, but an 89-yard kickoff return brought the visiting Rajahs to within eight points, with fewer than three minutes left to play in the third quarter. Senior quarterback D’Shaun Barrett connected on a 28-yard scoring pass to junior wide out Jonathan Carson and the ’Cats went up 21-6 late in the third.
The Wildcats took the opening series of the overtime and were faced with a fourth-and-4 situation, on the 19-yard line. Barrett scrambled to his right and found senior tight end Cody Landry in the corner of the end zone for the game-winning score. Jason Walters made his fourth consecutive point, and the ’Cats led 28-21, with Indio facing a must-score possession to force the game to a second overtime. Indio had three long runs, which set up a first-and-goal at the three-yard line. The Wildcat defense stopped the visitors short on two consecutive plays and then sacked the quarterback at the 8-yard line to force a final play. A quick pass to the left side of the field by Indio was dropped and the Wildcats celebrated their second consecutive win for the season.
Key offensive standouts for the Wildcats were Hunter Tygart, who rushed for 131 yards on 19 carries. Barrett was seven of 17 passing for 80 yards and a touchdown pass. K.J. Morton had 33 yards and a rushing touchdown, Carson and Landry caught four passes for 66 yards on the game. Defensively, K.J Morton led the team with 14 tackles, while Tristan Carpenter and Mac Miller had 10 tackles each. Castaneda and Morton both forced defensive turnovers with a fumble and an interception. Carpenter and senior defensive tackle Andrew Wallace both had key quarterback sacks in the contest. Finn O’Brien and Jonathan Carson combined for 14 tackles on the game as well.
The Wildcats will travel to Xavier Prep to face an outstanding team in the Desert Valley league. Xavier Prep lost a close game 24-21, to division 7 team Notre Dame Riverside, in Week 1. The frosh-soph contest will be played Thursday at Xavier Prep High School, while the varsity game will be on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
