Abilene Cowboys VS TMP
In more than one of the many vehicles traveling I-70 from
Abilene to Hays on Friday afternoon, the Cowboy faithful speculated about how
Steve Simpson’s football team would respond to losing a senior class that
guided the Cowboys to a 9-2 record, kicked in the door of the 4A-1 playoffs,
and came within a whisker of advancing to the semi-finals in 2015. Gone is the
playmaking ability of Harley Hazlett and Trey Bender. Gone is the dominance of
an offensive line anchored by seniors Andy Tope, Hayden Funston, Bailey
Fitzgeralds, and Cale Mayden. Gone is the ferocity of a defense whose heartbeat
came from seniors Jovany Garcia, Dylan Ford, and Jason Tarn. Gone is the steady
strength of senior leaders Ryan LaCombe and Colten Liby. Conversations among
the faithful speeding along I-70 centered around a team in 2016 that would not
be able to strike as quickly on offense or boast as many exciting, athletic
plays or impose their defensive will as they’d done in 2015.
One of the beautiful features of competition is the inescapable truth
that conversations about what might happen on the field of play become utterly
meaningless once the game starts. The 2016 edition of the Abilene Cowboy
football team made a statement of their own once the game began. No
speculation, no lamenting who was not there because of graduation, no talk at
all; just a dominating performance on the field of play.
New playmakers emerged on Friday night as the Cowboys crushed an
overmatched TMP football team at Lewis Field Stadium at Fort Hays State
University. In addition, the Cowboy faithful were offered a profound reminder
that many playmakers from last year remain on Simpson’s
roster. Michael Anguiano intercepted a pass on the Monarchs’ first series to
begin to jog the memories. Following Anguiano’s interception, Parker O’Neal,
Parker Base, Ryan Wilson, and Carter Wildey continued the theme. Ryan Wilson,
senior quarterback, calmly guided his team down to the one yard line only to
fumble away a certain score. This would be the lone negative on the night for
Simpson’s offense. O’Neal and Base are big, fast, athletic, and their method of
carrying the ball can only be described as “angry.”
Following the turnover, Adam Gantenbein’s defense
offered a reminder of their own: these
Cowboys are going to be just fine. In fact, TMP either turned it over or had to
punt every time they had the ball in the first quarter. By the time the
Monarchs achieved a first down, the score was 39 to 0 in favor of the Cowboys.
Gantenbein’s defense looked stout. In the middle lurks the Parker brothers—Base
and O’Neal—, the line is bookended by Sam Burt and Tucker Robinson, and the
secondary boasts the aforementioned Anguiano, Ryan Wilson, Cooper Wyckoff, and
Carter Wildey. These Cowboys are
physical and understand how Gantenbein and Simpson want them to defend.
The Abilene scoring began with a Parker O’Neal dive on
the second possession. Parker Base then scampered nearly untouched for a 40
yard touchdown behind the blocking of senior Donovan Anguiano and freshman, yes
freshman Kade Funston on their next offensive drive.
TMP’s next offensive series began with Abilene’s Cooper
Wyckoff imposing his will from the strong safety position against the run, and
when the Monarchs’ went to the air, junior Bryce Riekeman intercepted a pass
attempt and ran 36 yards the other direction for a pick-six. At the 2:00 mark
of the first quarter, Abilene lead 19-0. So much for speculation that the
Cowboys’ quick strike ability had left with last year’s graduates.
TMP’s next series ended with Cooper Wyckoff blocking the
attempted punt resulting in the Cowboys taking over at the Monarch 29. One play
later, Wilson hit his tight end, Bryce Reikeman, with a beautiful touch pass
for a touchdown. 25-0. From that point, the Cowboys suffocated the Monarchs
even further. O’Neal plays defense like he runs the ball, very angrily. He and
his partner Parker Base controlled the game defensively. Following a fake punt
by TMP that was thwarted by Base, O’Neal scored again for the Abilene offense.
On Abilene’s next offensive possession, the junior speed merchant, Dominick
Campbell, took a handoff from Wilson, and 60 yards later, a touchdown and
another playmaker had emerged. At this point in the game, Abilene lead by a
score of 39-0, and the Monarchs had yet to register a first down. These Cowboys
are going to be just fine.
The second half scoring began with a 22 yard touchdown pass from Wilson
to Carter Wildey. Wilson also found senior wideout Ben Veach for a 29 yard
strike during the drive as the introduction of Coach Simpson’s
and Coach Hartman’s new tools continued in Hays. The scoring for Abilene would
conclude when Ryan Wilson took an interception back for a touchdown in the
fourth quarter. TMP’s starters got in some work in the interim, scoring
touchdowns against Abilene’s reserves.
Next Friday, Abilene will host a much improved Marysville team that lost
a close one to two-time defending champion Rossville this week. Game time will
be 7 p.m. at Paul Dennis Field. The Cowboy faithful can speculate all week
about how the Cowboys will do against a better opponent. It’s
all meaningless—but fun—until the game begins Friday.
These Cowboys are going to be just fine.
