Bulldogs loose to Coolidge 34-19

<i>Photo by Craig Fujii</i>
<b>Winslow quarterback Jordan Payne (17) is sacked for a 9-yard loss by Coolidge defenders Jovante Waggoner (cq), center, and Jaime Casillas (30) during third quarter  action at the 3A State football finals in Tempe last Saturday.</b>

<i>Photo by Craig Fujii</i> <b>Winslow quarterback Jordan Payne (17) is sacked for a 9-yard loss by Coolidge defenders Jovante Waggoner (cq), center, and Jaime Casillas (30) during third quarter action at the 3A State football finals in Tempe last Saturday.</b>

The Winslow Bulldogs saw their state title hopes end with a 34-19 loss to the Coolidge Bears in the Arizona State 3A Conference Championship Game in Tempe on Saturday. Winslow finished the season with a 12-2 record while Coolidge ended with a 12-1 mark.

The Bears parlayed blazing speed and a clutch defense into victory. Junior quarterback Jesse Wheeler was a thorn in Winslow's side as he passed for one touchdown, ran for another and got a third defensively on an 84 yard run with a Bulldog fumble.

Sophomore linebacker Jovante Waggoner hurt the Bulldogs with a number of successful blitzes that resulted in loss of yardage in the red zone at critical points of the game. Coolidge took advantage of good field position after Winslow let a punt roll dead on their nine yard line then suffered a series of penalties.

The Bears began their drive at the Winslow 25 yard line and scored on Wheeler's two yard run from the two. Hugo Guerrero booted the conversion to give the Bears a 7-0 lead with 6:57 left in the first quarter.

The Bears drove 99 yards on their next possession and scored on T. J. White's nine-yard run with 10:58 left in the half. Guerrero's conversion gave Coolidge a 14-0 lead.

Winslow came alive with an 84-yard march capped by Jordan Payne's one-yard run. Kyle Holland converted to cut the Coolidge margin to 14-7 with 5:13 left in the half.

The Bulldogs missed a golden opportunity to tie the score when they lost the ball on downs after a blocked punt had given them possession at the Coolidge 32.

Coolidge scored on their first possession of the second half on a four yard run by Jaime Cassillas. The conversion opened up a 21-7 Bears lead with 6:50 left in the third quarter. The Bears got good field position when a fourth down and 11 Winslow gamble failed and gave them the ball at the Winslow 47.

A 29 yard pass off a fake punt put the ball at the Winslow four. The Bulldogs defense pushed them back but Wheeler hit Brad Jackson on a 14 yard scoring pass with just 12 seconds left in the quarter. The conversion increased Coolidge's lead to a commanding 28-7.

Wheeler scored a defensive touchdown when a fumble ended a promising Winslow drive at the Bears 16 and he scooped up the ball and raced 84 yards to pay dirt. The conversion failed but Coolidge now held a virtually insurmountable 34-7 lead with just 6:24 left to play.

The Bulldogs had at least one more drive in them and went 70 yards to score on an 11-yard pass from Payne to Johnny Butler. The conversion failed and Coolidge led 34-13 with 1:44 left on the clock.

Winslow got the ball back a final time and scored on a 48-yard pass from Payne to Butler on the last play of the game. There was no conversion attempt, leaving the final score 34-19 in favor of Coolidge.

The scoring reception by Butler tied a 3A Conference Championship Game record of two such receptions held by a number of players.

The championship game between the Bears and Bulldogs will be aired on Channel 58 at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4.

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