Hawks Catch Lightning in a Bottle in, 40-07 Win over Blanco
The Main Reason Canyon Lake Beat Blanco Photo by Karen Holmes HTN
Canyon Lake took the lightning delay and bottled it up for a run-a-way win over the Blanco Panthers, 40-7 on Friday night.
The game was tied, 7-7, when the clouds closed in and started a lightning show but the Hawks outdid that display with both their offense and defense in grand fashion.
That lightning show would get that proverbial monkey off Canyon Lake, who have been carrying a 3 year losing streak with Blanco that is now history.
“We refocused after the game delay,” Head Coach Charley Drum started. “That was the key as we executed when we came back out and I thought we were the better team.”
Canyon Lake has had a different after game speech from those past losses the past 3 years and on
Patriot Propane all in for CL Hawks
this night there was a whole new mindset seen with these players.
“This was a huge stepping stone,” Coach Drum continued. “We have been getting better starting with the Smithville scrimmage then La Vernia and tonight…..We got a monkey off our back and we had a good off season and now they (the team) got a good taste tonight.”
So true as Blanco has too many times had Canyon Lake searching for answers after that opening bell in recent years.
CL won the battle of the trenches big time as the offensive line was instrumental helping the running backs to get right at 9 yards per rushing play.
“It feels great,” Offensive Lineman Jacob Foster said mightily. “Coming out of last season we have a great recipe as we are a year older and in the bus (while waiting out the storm) we kept our composure and just came in and discussed our mistakes and when we came out we were ready to fight.”
On the defensive side, the line had just one hiccup with Blanco’s first drive but after that series of downs it was all Hawks all the time.
The Panther Quarterback was hurried or was running for his life as CL finished with enough sacks that Brookshire Store will have enough ‘sacks’ for their shoppers when the Hawks bring them home.
Drives for Canyon Lake had several varieties as the Hawks had time eating drives and two drives that took 11 seconds to finish.
Drive Plays Yards TOP Result Big Play #1 9 75 3:47 TD 32 yard pass from Fulton to Austin Brennan #2 11 41 5:15 Int 14 yard run by Tanner Faris #3 10 47 4:42 TD Tanner Faris runs of 16 and 17 yards #4 1 61 0:11 TD 61 yard run by Austin Brennan #5 3 99 1:16 TD 90 yard run by Austin Brennan #6 1 66 0:11 TD 66 yard pass reception for Brandon Courtney #7 5 68 2:19 TD 21 yard pass reception for Ben Fulton #8 7 34 4:13 Downs Nothing spectacular just running out clock
Canyon Lake was in total control as those numbers above certainly tell a story on what this Hawk team can do for what could be a special year.
The score was tied 7 all when the lightning started and the question would be, which team would come from that hour and half delay and be sharp.
Tanner Faris digging for Gold in Win over Blanco
The Hawks had a 2nd down needing 16 yards and right off the bat, Faris would run 17 yards for a first down and that was how this game would continue. Six plays later, CL would have a lead that would never be threatened, 13-7.
CL’s defense was next to take the stage when they held the Panthers without a first down the rest of the half.
Starting the 2nd Half, Canyon Lake’s lead was still iffy, 19-7, and Blanco still could be a lurking if things fell right.
After getting a first down the Hawks would hold while Blanco would play a field position game by punting.
Go Hawks
This Panther punt was salty as the ball rolled dead on the Hawk 1 yard line.
Canyon Lake would start their drive with a penalty that moved the ball 3 inches closer to the goal line, then a Micah St. John run up the middle for 2 yards, would give a tad of breathing room.
Next up was a Tanner Faris 8 yard run helping the Hawks with a first down on their 10 yard line still needing 90 yards to go.
Enter Brennan with a 90 yard run that had some great blocking and even better running as Brennan found a lane down the home field’s sideline that would put a dagger in this Panther team.
“I had great protection,” Brennan said humbly. “The play came together perfect.”
On what he was thinking with that one Panther that had an angle on him, “I turned it on a little bit and just reached into a higher gear….this set the tone and it was very exciting.”
That 90 yard score is now the longest scoring tally in Hawk history as an 88 yard reception by Matt Magness is now looking up at Brennan’s score.
Top 5 Touchdowns Scoring Plays All-Time
Player How Yards Game Year
1. Austin Brennan Run 90 Blanco 2016
2. Matt Magness Receiving 88 Luling 2010
3. Matt Magness Receiving 84 Fredericksburg 2010
4. Josh DeVries Run 82 Smithville 2014
5. Zach Henshaw Receiving 79 Luling 2011
Brennan had a 61 yard run earlier in the first half as his 21 yards per carry sounds like a 6-Man football game stat for this game.
That 90 yard score would also match CL’s most points scored against Blanco with 26….well…..until about 5 minutes later when Ben Fulton threw a beautiful pass to a streaking Brandon Courtney and 66 yards later had the Hawks in cruise control.
Hill Country Furnishings says Congrats on Win over Blanco
Canyon Lake had a Quarterback throwing to a Quarterback for that score….yes, we know that Courtney was not a QB during the execution of that play but that is something not seen often.
Courtney had a hurdle play earlier in this game and this play was run with his straight out speed.
Not to be outdone, Courtney then found Fulton in the end zone for the Hawk last score from 21 yards out to put the finishing touches to Blanco.
“I have never heard about that before,” Fulton said when commenting on the QB throwing to QB scenario. “Our team as a whole has a lot of athleticism.”
That reception had Fulton out jumping the Panther defensive back for the ball and an easy step back across the goal line after he secured the catch.
“They (Coaches) have been preaching for us to make a statement on our first play as that determines a game,” Fulton continued. “They want us to hit them hard and that sets the tone for the game.”
Canyon Lake had not scored on their first possession against Blanco in the 8 years prior to this night and now that little stat has gone the way of those lightning clouds that had fans running for cover.
Hawk Proud with Blanco Win
Those 40 points were more than the previous 4 games combined by Canyon Lake’s offense beating those games total by one point, 40-39.
A lot of pent up frustration in this series that now can have the Hawks going into their next game looking to improve on their record with a 5A foe.
Canyon Lake is a young team that has many players that are not use to losing and that could be seen all over the field from the get go to the end of play.
Lightning Delay allowed Canyon Lake to catch Lightning in a bottle and unleash it on the Panthers.
Great Game now Beat Austin Reagan.
1 2 3 4 Final CL Hawks 7 12 14 7 40 Blanco 7 0 0 0 07 Scoring Summary: CLH-Micah St. John 1 yard run (Trenton Lorett kick), 8:13, 1st BHS-Kailen Webster 1 yard run (pat good), 3:40, 1st CLH-Tanner Faris 3 yard run (pat failed), 4:09, 2nd CLH-Austin Brennan 61 yard run (pass failed), 1:34, 2nd CLH-Austin Brennan 90 yard run (Trenton Lorett kick), 7:24, 3rd CLH-Brandon Courtney 66 yard pass from Ben Fulton (Trenton Lorett kick), 2:41, 3rd CLH-Ben Fulton 21 yard pass from Brandon Courtney (Trenton Lorett kick), 10:11, 4th Game Stats Blanco CL Hawks Total Yards 152 500 First Downs 13 20 Rushes/Yards 37/143 43/381 Comp/Att/Int 1/11/1 3/4/1 Passing Yards 9 119 Punts/Average 4/33.0 0/0 Fumbles/Lost 1/0 1/0 Penalties-Yards 2-10 10-70 TOP 25:32 22:28 Passing Comp Att Pct. Yds Int TD Ben Fulton 2 2 1.000 98 0 1 Brandon Courtney 1 2 .500 21 1 1 Rushing Att Yds Ave Lg TD Austin Brennan 8 170 21.3 90 2 Tanner Faris 13 120 9.2 17 1 Hayden Reed 3 33 11.0 17 0 Micah St. John 11 29 2.6 6 1 Joseph Ruiz 2 11 5.5 6 0 Anthony Jones 2 7 3.5 6 0 Ben Fulton 1 5 5.0 5 0 Ross Snowden 1 3 3.0 3 0 Brandon Courtney 2 3 1.5 5 0 Receiving No Yds Ave Lg TD Brandon Courtney 1 66 66.0 66 1 Austin Brennan 1 32 32.0 32 0 Ben Fulton 1 21 21.0 21 1
