Wildcats clinch playoff spot

Trumann (5-5, 3-4) clinched a spot in the Class 4A state playoffs with a 47-6 win over Harrisburg (0-10, 0-7) this past Friday at Jordans Stadium in Harrisburg. The Wildcats will travel to Warren (10-0) for the first round of the playoffs.

Harrisburg won the toss and elected to get the ball first only to see Trumann's Efrain Garcia recover his own onside kick to give the Wildcats the ball on Harrisburg 49-yard line. The Wildcats moved the ball to the 23-yard line before Cade Hatton took a hand off down the right sideline for a touchdown to make it 6-0 Trumann. Garcia added the point-after making it 7-0. Harrisburg started their first series from their own 17-yard line. The Hornets had to punt the ball to Trumann with Max Tracy's punt downed at the Wildcats' 45-yard line with 7:48 left. The Wildcats needed four plays to find the end zone as a Jake Osment pass to Brandon Dohm moved the ball into Hornet territory as Osment ran the ball three straight times for the touchdown making it 13-0. Garcia was good on the extra-point to make it 14-0 with 6:40 left. Andrew England returned the ensuing kick-off out to his own 35-yard line for the Hornets' next series. Harrisburg moved the ball to their 42-yard line before having to punt the ball away. Trumann got the ball on their own 31-yard as the punt rolled out of bounds with 4:59 left. Hatton scored his second touchdown of the game with a 66 yard run to put the Wildcats up 20-0 with 4:06 left. Garcia's point-after made it 21-0 Wildcats. The turnover bug hit Harrisburg on their next possession as Tracy was hit and fumbled the ball with Trumann recovering at the Hornet's 47-yard line with two minutes left in the first quarter. Trumann went for it on fourth down only to see Osments' pass fall incomplete with three seconds left. The quarter ended during Harrisburg's possession.

Harrisburg started the second quarter with second and nine from their own 39-yard line as the Hornets moved the ball to the Trumann 18-yard line only to see Tracy's 35 yard field goal come up about two yards short giving the ball to the Wildcats on their own 18-yard line with 8:38 left. Harrisburg's defense came up big as Untarius Tate intercepted Osment's errant pass and returned it to the Hornets' 42-yard line with 2:19 left before halftime. The Hornets punted the ball away with 40 seconds left and the ball was downed at the Trumann 29-yard line with 28 seconds left. The half ended during Trumann's possession.

Andrew England of Harrisburg puts a big hit on Trumann Jake Osment during Poinsett County football action this past Friday at Jordans Stadium. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

Tracy's perfect onside kick to start the second half was recovered by Andrew England at the Wildcats' 42-yard line giving the Hornets good field position for their first possession of the second half. The Harrisburg offense couldn't take advantage as they turned the ball over on downs at their own 44-yard line with 10:43 left. Osment found the end zone on a run to make it 27-0 as Garcia's extra-point was no good with 6:42 left. Harrisburg's offense gave the ball back to Trumann with a turn over on downs at the Wildcats' 44-yard line with 3:25 left. The quarter would end during the Wildcats' drive.

Osment pushed the Trumann lead to 33-0 with a touchdown run early in the fourth quarter as Garcia added the extra-point making it 34-0 with 9:53 left. Trumann got an interception from Preston Wood and the Wildcats took advantage as Osment scored on a long touchdown run to make it 40-0 and start the mercy clock. Garcia's point-after made it 41-0. Harrisburg got on the board on their next possession as Tracy found Jax Mross down the left sideline for a touchdown to make it 41-6 with 5:35 left. Tracy's point-after was no good. Kayden Dunavin got loose around the right side and scored on a long touchdown run to make it 47-6 with 20 seconds left. Trumann let the time run out to end the game.

“I thought we played really well as the offense flew around the field tonight with a great first quarter,” Trumann head coach Gunner Cook said after the game. “We tried a few things in the second half and didn't put points on the board but went back to the game plan in the third and put some points on the board. It was good to get a lot of the kids in the game tonight,” Cook added. “Huge win headed into the playoffs. This is the ninth year in a row to make the playoff. Warren will be tough but we went down two years ago and moved the ball on them. I think we can play with anybody when we play Trumann Tough football,” Cook said.

Trumann senior David Hodges runs behind the blocking of senior Isaiah Carillo during 4A-3 football action this past Friday in Harrisburg. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

Osment led Trumann with 26 carries for 173 yards and three touchdowns as Hatton finished with five carries for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Dunavin added three carries for 59 yards and two touchdowns. Gavin Cubit led the defense with nine tackles as Isaiah Carillo and Cade Hayse had seven tackles each. Wood added an interception for the Wildcats' defense.

“We did our usual and had a horrible first quarter, we have to have better starts next season. We have to make some first downs but it seems something goes wrong each time we have that chance,” Harrisburg head coach Austin Jarrett said. “I feel good about next season with us getting a full off-season program in. We'll still be a little green with several new players at positions with seniors leaving or moving into positions they are not use to playing. We are dropping down a class but we'll still have tough teams to contend with. We'll work to get bigger, stronger and faster for next season,” Jarrett added.