Playing their final regular season home football game of the year, the Joseph City Wildcats scored on offense, defense and special teams en route to a huge 98-14 win over visiting Orme on Friday night.
Things started well early on for the Cats as Remington Baldwin took the opening kickoff back 95 yards for the initial score of the night. After holding Orme in four plays the Wildcats scored again when Wyatt Bain hooked up with Dallas Elmer for a 67-yard catch and run. Jacob Fields converted the two-point run, giving the Cats a 14-0 lead.
Baldwin scooped up an Orme fumble and returned it 20 yards. He then had scoring runs of 32 yards and four yards. Baldwin ended the first period onslaught with a 47-yard punt return, pushing the margin to 46-0 at the end of the quarter.
Early in the second, Elmer scored on a 50-yard run, then Wyatt Johnson gave the special teams another score, returning a punt for 57 yards. With just over five minutes left in the half, Bain found Josh Burt with a 31-yard scoring strike. Joel DeWitt closed out the first half scoring with a 10-yard run, giving the hometown Cats a 76-0 halftime lead. All total, Joseph City scored 10 first half touchdowns.
Only one score came in the third, and that was on a 61-yard run by Burt. DeWitt and Daniel Hutchens combined for the two-point conversion, making the total 84-0 heading to the fourth.
DeWitt scored on a one-yard run, then passed to Jaden Parra for an additional two points early in the fourth. Following an Orme score, Colton Spurlock scored the Wildcats’ final points on a three-yard run. Orme scored again with just under three minutes left in the game to bring the final score to 98-14.
Working with a short field for much of the night, plus four special team and defensive scores, kept the Wildcat offense from putting up huge statistical numbers. The Cats rushed for 243 yards and threw for only 104. Burt led the Cats in rushing with 126 yards on seven attempts. Elmer rushed one time for 50 yards. Baldwin only carried twice for 36 yards, with both going for scores. Spurlock also rushed twice, picking up 16 yards. DeWitt had seven runs for 10 yards.
Bain completed both of his pass attempts for 98 yards and two touchdowns. DeWitt was one for three for six yards. Burt had two of the receptions for 37 yards and Elmer had one catch for 67 yards.
“We are right where we want to be, and that’s in the playoffs. We have a great opportunity, but we will take one game at a time. I’m very proud of the players for stepping up so far this season. I’m very optimistic,” said Coach John Bryant.
Orme 0 0 0 14 14
Joseph City 46 30 8 14 98
The Wildcats now head into the post season as the No. 4 seed. After a first round bye this week, the Cats will face either No. 5 Mogollon or No. 12 Duncan on Friday, Oct. 28, in the second round. They defeated both teams during the regular season, with neither game being that close. If the Wildcats can advance to the semifinal round, they will most likely meet up with top ranked Pima, which handed St. David its first loss of the season last Friday. The other unbeaten team in Division VI, Joy Christian, is the second seed in the bracket and would only meet up with the Wildcats if they were to face off in the championship game.
