Wildcat offense still missing in action

By: 
Jason Ferguson

The Custer High School football team’s home opener was a lot like its road opener the previous weekend, as they were completely stymied on offense by an East River school.
When the final horn sounded at Wildcat Field last Friday evening, the Wildcats had lost to the Tri-Valley Mustangs 43-0, and perhaps more concerning for head coach David Williams, is that the Wildcat offense was able to gain little to no yards (stats were unavailable at press time) a week after netting three offensive yards in a 43-0 loss to West Central.
Through two games, Custer has yet to find the end zone and has spent most of its offensive possessions going backwards. The Wildcats didn’t gain a first down last Friday until there were nine minutes left in the game and Mustang backups were playing.
Williams said the team has had to endure a litany of injuries on the line already, and that combined with the youth of the line and perhaps not every player giving their all in practice lead to the results from the first two games.
“This is what you get. I really thought we could compete with them,” Williams said. “(Tri-Valley is) a well-oiled machine.”
The most glaring weakness for Custer is the complete absence of a running game, as Mustang defenders spent most of the game in the Wildcat backfield dropping Custer ball carriers for losses, many times almost as soon as they were given the ball.
Williams said the team has “looked horrible” on offense dating back to its preseason scrimmage with Hot Springs, and that the team’s offensive fortunes won’t change until run blocking improves.
“Nobody wants to play the offensive line because there is no glory, but in the trenches is where games are won,” Williams said. “It’s always like we are starting every week with new people on the line. We have to make sure the next man up is ready to play and we haven’t been. That’s on the coaches.”
Custer got the ball first in the game and lost yards on three straight plays and punted, and the Mustangs took the ball and went 52 yards for a score when Carter Sorenson ran in from nine yards out.
Custer went three and out again on its next possession, and Tri-Valley scored again on its ensuing possession, this time on a 27-yard touchdown strike from Eli McFarland to Logan Ellison on a third-and-nine play.
The Mustangs scored again on their next possession on a six-yard touchdown run by Lawson Loiseau and scored again on its next possession on another touchdown run.
The final points of the first half came when the Mustangs recovered a Wildcat fumble and Sorenson scampered in from 18 yards out to make the score 35-0 at the half.
The large lead meant a running clock to start the second half of the game, and the Mustangs tacked on the final score of the game in the third quarter on a Hayden Hastings 35-yard run that was followed by a Hastings two-point conversion.
Williams said despite two consecutive lopsided losses he does see good things from the Wildcats each week—including the play of the defense—which continues to make it tough on teams despite frequently being put in tough situations by the lack of offense.
The Wildcats return to Wildcat Field Friday evening to host the Rapid City Christian Comets, who bring a 1-1 record into the game, having defeated Lead-Deadwood in triple overtime before losing to St. Thomas More last week.
The Comets will be much different from the Mustangs in that they like to throw the ball, led by quarterback Simon Kieffer and 6-6 receiver Elijah Hoyt.
Williams said it doesn’t matter who the Wildcats play at this point, as he is more concerned with what his team is doing than the opponent.
“We have to get back to the basics. Fundamentals. Teaching things that should be taught,” he said.
Friday’s kickoff will be at 6 p.m.

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