Posted 1:01 am Sunday, December 13, 2009
Cayuga Earns Berth In State Championship
By CLINT BUCKLEY
Staff Writer
SHENANDOAH -- There have been two constants this football season for Cayuga -- winning and more milestones for senior running back Traylon Shead.
Staff Writer
SHENANDOAH -- There have been two constants this football season for Cayuga -- winning and more milestones for senior running back Traylon Shead.
Shead eclipsed the 10,000-yard career rushing mark, becoming only the state's second player to do so and the Wildcats rolled past Ganado, 41-19, on Saturday in their Class 1A Division II state semifinal at Woodforest Bank Stadium.
Cayuga (13-1), a state finalist from a year ago, will face undefeated and top-ranked Albany (15-0) with the school's first state title on the line. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Mansfield's Newsom Stadium.
"We said something to each other after we got beat by Stratford (in last year's state final) that we were going to do whatever it took to get back," said Cayuga coach Tommy Allison. "I'm proud of these guys with the time that they put in to give us a chance to get back there one more time."
Shead finished the game with 218 yards and four touchdowns, adding to his state record which now stands at 143 career touchdowns. The University of Texas recruit trails only Kenneth Hall on Texas' all-time career rushing list.
"I'd like to give all our linemen and receivers credit, blocking and letting me spring those long runs," Shead said.
Malcome Kennedy, who switched from receiver to quarterback at the beginning of the season, ran for 195 yards and touchdown. He also threw a 42-yard scoring strike.
"He's definitely made a difference," Allison said of Kennedy. "If all the attention goes to Traylon, then teams are going to be in trouble because the two kids back there get it done."
The Wildcats' defense sacked Ganado quarterback Donovan Foster five times -- three in the second half.
"We forced them to run outside, and then we had to change our front up a little bit," Allison said.
"Our four guys up front played their butts off. They're the ones that really caused the problems in the second half."
The Indians (9-5), who rushed for 284 yards on the night, were led by Josh Labay's 123-yard effort.
Cayuga scored on its first three drives of the night, and all three scores were the result of big plays.
Shead got the things going with a 57-yard run on Cayuga's fifth play from scrimmage. One possession later, Kennedy rolled to his left and found a wide open Chris Turner streaking down the sideline for a 42-yard scoring strike.
Kennedy punctuated the end of Cayuga's dominant first quarter with an 88-yard burst up the middle for six on the period's final play.
"When I saw the opening it was like down the middle, no cutting to the outside, nothing else -- just straight down the middle and I'm gone," Kennedy said. "Once I got to the end zone, I was so exhausted."
Ganado answered on Labay's 50-yard run on the ensuing possession.
Cayuga had a chance to score again before halftime, but its drive was stopped on a fourth-down incomplete pass at the Indians' 18-yard line.
The Wildcats, who lost their season opener to Frankston, have now won 13 straight.
But everyone on that sideline knows anything less than a 14th consecutive "W" would be a disappointment.
"We've still got one more game to go," Shead said. "We're going to prepare this week like we've never prepared before, because we know we have some unfinished business to take care of."
-- -- --
Cayuga 41,
Ganado 19
Class 1A Division II Semifinal
Cayuga 41,
Ganado 19
Class 1A Division II Semifinal
At Woodforest Bank Stadium, Shenandoah
Cayuga 20 0 8 13 -- 41
Cayuga 20 0 8 13 -- 41
Ganado 0 7 6 6 -- 19
First Quarter
First Quarter
CAY -- Traylon Shead 57 run (Melvin Shead kick), 6:41.
CAY -- Chris Turner 42 pass from Malcome Kennedy (M. Shead kick), 3:45.
CAY -- Kennedy 88 run (run failed), :00.
Second Quarter
Second Quarter
GAN -- Josh Labay 50 run (Glenn Sparkman kick), 10:40.
Third Quarter
CAY -- T. Shead 48 run (Sha'keal Jenkins run), 4:57.
CAY -- T. Shead 48 run (Sha'keal Jenkins run), 4:57.
GAN -- Kevin Smith 3 run (kick failed), :59.
Fourth Quarter
Fourth Quarter
CAY -- T. Shead 1 run (run failed), 8:19.
CAY -- T. Shead 14 run (M. Shead kick), 4:28.
CAY -- T. Shead 14 run (M. Shead kick), 4:28.
GAN -- Labay 8 pass from Donovan Foster (kick failed), 1:41.
EST. ATT. -- 4,000.
CAY GAN
CAY GAN
First Downs 19 16
Rushes-Yards 48-400 45-284
Rushes-Yards 48-400 45-284
Passing Yards 66 12
Comp.-Att.-Int. 3-8-1 4-8-1
Comp.-Att.-Int. 3-8-1 4-8-1
Punts-Avg. 1-31.0 2-38.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-1
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-1
Penalties-Yards 4-42 2-10
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Cayuga
, Traylon Shead 25-218, Malcome Kennedy 21-195, Chantz Holland 1-(-6), D'onte Jackson 1-(-7).
, Traylon Shead 25-218, Malcome Kennedy 21-195, Chantz Holland 1-(-6), D'onte Jackson 1-(-7).
Ganado, Josh Labay 18-123, Kevin Smith 14-88, Donovan Foster 9-56, Wesley Demecelli 5-17.
PASSING -- Cayuga
, Kennedy 2-7-1 -- 43, Shead 1-1-0 -- 23.
, Kennedy 2-7-1 -- 43, Shead 1-1-0 -- 23.
Ganado
, Foster 4-8-1 -- 12.
RECEIVING -- Cayuga
, Foster 4-8-1 -- 12.
RECEIVING -- Cayuga
, Chris Turner 2-65, Sha'keal Jenkins 1-1.
Ganado
Ganado
, Demecelli 2-10, Labay 2-2.
