Hawks Provide Fireworks for Austin Akins Homecoming, 42-20
Tanner Faris on long jaunt in last week’s Lampasas Game (picture mjrphotog.com)
Canyon Lake supplied the Fireworks in their win over Austin Akins’ homecoming crowd, 42-20.
The Hawks reached 524 yards of total offense which is their 3rd most in CL’s 94 games of action and with that number the good guys also had their best rushing game with 469 yards of real estate.
game total yardage game rushing yardage 1. Ingram 579 2009 1. Austin Akins 469 2016 2. Bandera 528 2011 2. Bandera 456 2015 3. Austin Akins 524 2016 3. Marion 429 2015 4. Blanco 500 2016 4. Waco La Vega 410 2014
Austin Brennan and Micah St. John both broke 100 yards of rushing which is the second game in a row where this stat has been reached. With those numbers, Tanner Faris had 5 carries for 84 yards and might have reached that 100 yard marker if not for an injury in the second quarter.
Hawks Flying High
Brennan and St. John also broke the 1000 yards career rushing as the Hawks now have 3 current backs with that lofty status adding Tanner Faris, who topped that mark last week.
“I am very proud of this team,” Head Coach Charlie Drum said. “We needed this win as we will start district next week.”
Canyon Lake was a winner in every facet of this contest as the Hawk defense gave up just 60 yards to the Eagles in the second half and clipped the Eagles wings in helping this game to go in CL’s favor. In that first half Akins had 162 yards by pass and run and the defense response in this manner would have insured a victory even if the Hawks had run just one play in this contest.
The defense suffered gashes in recent games and plugging those holes in their boat allowed the Hawks to enjoy time on Canyon’s Lake.
Way to Go Hawks!!
Reduced penalties was also evident with just 2 flags for 10 yards was the extent of the damage. One of those penalties was a kick-off going out of bounds.
Speaking of kicking, Trenton Lorett has been nails on extra points and that is another area that has been a pleasant surprise as this season matures. Lorett has 27 consecutive extra points and his only miss was after the 2nd touchdown against Blanco.
“My Dad wants me to be a kicker,” Lorett laced it up. “I think his main reason is that kickers don’t get hurt….but we started practicing on weekends and working on it.”
On filling the shoes from graduate Mike Thorpe, “Those are big shoes to fill and he helped me out with some pointers last year. Kicking is important because when you miss then that can lead to losses or wins.”
The game started with CL moving 80 yards on just 3 plays as Tanner Faris uncorked a 55 yard run which was topped off when Micah St. John went up the middle for a 14 yard score.
Having an explosive play defined as a 11 or more rushing and 15 yards via the pass, then the Hawks were more explosive as a 4th of July celebration at Canyon Lake or fireworks for a Homecoming.
Canyon Lake had a total of 13 plays of explosiveness and most of those fireworks had some spectacular sights. Almost each Hawk drive had one play of over 20 yards in helping move the stick or setting up a score.
player rush/pass fireworks
Drive 1 Tanner Faris Rush 55 yards
Drive 2 Micah St. John Rush 33 yards
Drive 3 Austin Brennan Rush 42 yards
Drive 4 Brandon Courtney Pass 48 yards
Drive 5 Austin Brennan Rush 37 yards
Drive 6 Austin Brennan Rush 46 yards
This game would give Canyon Lake a chill early on as Akins responded with a quick strike moving 65 yards on their first three plays showing off an explosive apparatus of their own.
Hawk Proud
Consecutive runs of 25 and 15 yards and then a 20 yard pass play had the Eagles on CL’s 5 yard line and scoring two plays later for a, 7-7 score.
The Hawks answered like a telephone operator (parent’s will need to explain this concept), with a longer lasting drive that was capped off with a J. T. Greene touchdown pass reception from QB Ben Fulton.
With a 14-7 lead the Hawk’s defense decided to make their appearance and in dramatic fashion as the Eagles drove to the Hawks 18 yard line and was poised for another score. Three consecutive plays of lost yardage had Linebacker Kenneth Jowers recovering a fumble after an 11 yard loss and change of possession.
Canyon Lake responded with a 4 play scoring drive to keep the pressure on Akins, when Brennan used Offensive Guard Jacob Foster to dart 42 yards for the score and 14 point lead.
This Brennan run was fun as he pushed Jacob Foster towards an Eagle trying for the tackle in the open field and from that Foster block Brennan would scoot to the left to paydirt.
“I did not think Foster could run that fast,” Brennan said with a sly smile.
Another Hawk defensive stop on a 3 play and punt series that had Canyon Lake with a chance to go 71 yards to the Akins end-zone.
Country Comfort Supports Hawk Football
This drive had Canyon Lake with an explosive pass from Fulton to Brandon Courtney covering 48 yards to the Akins 14 yard line.
Courtney out jumped an Eagle defender for this reception and CL scored 4 plays later when St. John ran in his 2nd of 3 touchdowns on the night.
Akins would start their next time with the ball on their 44 yard line and scored with under a minute left in the first half.
That was CL’s defense last time of having a bad series for this game as the defensive unit upheld their end of the bargain in winning this game.
With a 14 point lead to start the second half, the Hawk defense held Akins to -3 yards of territory and taking over right out the gate with a chance to increase their lead.
“We usually play tight,” Defensive Back Lorett tipped. “By looking at their line we would know if they might pass or run and then we would set the edge if they were going to run.”
The Hawks did move the ball but a fumble would have Akins with another chance, after taking the ball on CL’s 16 yard line. The Eagles returned that fumble deep into CL’s territory for another chance to close the score.
Canyon Lake’s defense held after allowing just 2 positive yards and taking the ball over on their own 14 yard line.
Go Lake
Another huge drive for a score when Brennan took the rock 46 yards that had an Akins 15 yard penalty moving the ball to the Eagles 19 yard line. This play had the Hawks moving from their 20 to the Akins 19 yard line and knocking on the touchdown door once again.
St. John would go up the middle from the 14 yard line and a Hawk, 35-14 lead. This drive would clinch the game for Canyon Lake.
Akins’ last score covered just 25 yards after a Hawk missed opportunity on a 4th down play and the Hawks would score on their next drive that sealed this contest when Joseph Ruiz scored from 15 yards on a play that could have been much longer if the goal line had not stopped this Hawk runner.
“I just ran as fast as I could,” Ruiz said when asked what he was thinking on his first Varsity score. “The line sealed the end and I knew I would score.”
A lot of offense but the Hawk defense deserves just as much praise as offense.
The Defense did a great job of allowing the Hawks to get some much needed momentum as District 14-4A starts next Friday at the same Bat Time and the same Bat Stadium against Eastside Memorial.
Go Hawks!!
1 2 3 4 Final CL Hawks 14 14 7 7 42 Akins Eagles 7 7 0 6 20 Scoring Summary: CL-Micah St. John 14 yard run (Trenton Lorett kick), 10:49, 1st AE-Malcolm Rogers 4 yard run (Luigi Martinez kick), 9:42, 1st CL-J.T. Greene 7 yard pass from Ben Fulton (Trenton Lorett kick), 5:01, 1st CL-Austin Brennan 42 yard run (Trenton Lorett kick), 10,07, 2nd CL-Micah St. John 2 yard run (Trenton Lorett kick), 4:00, 2nd AE-Demarcus Cabezas 12 yard run (Luigi Martinez kick), 0:44, 2nd CL-Micah St. John 14 yard run (Trenton Lorett kick), 3:32, 3rd AE-Demarcus Cabezas 7 yard run (kick failed), 10:22, 4th CL-Joseph Ruiz 15 yard run (Trenton Lorett kick), 4:00, 4th Team Stats Eagles Hawks Total Yards 232 524 First Downs 14 23 Rush/Yardage 35/158 54/469 Comp/Att/Int 8/16/0 2/3/1 Passing Yards 74 55 Punts/Average 3/36.3 0/0 Fumbles/Lost 3/1 3/1 Penalties-Yards 5-40 2-10 TOP 19:37 28:23 Passing Comp Att Pct Yds Int TD Ben Fulton 2 3 .667 55 1 1 Rushing Att Yds Ave Lg TD Austin Brennan 15 177 11.8 46 1 Micah St. John 24 154 6.4 33 3 Tanner Faris 5 84 16.8 55 0 Joseph Ruiz 6 34 5.7 15 1 Ben Fulton 2 8 4.0 8 0 Hayden Reed 1 7 7.0 7 0 Anthony Jones 1 4 4.0 4 0 Tristan Chacon 1 1 1.0 1 0 Receiving No Yds Ave Lg TD Brandon Courtney 1 48 48.0 48 0 J.T. Greene 1 7 7.0 7 1
