Tiger Football: All on the line

Tigers can return to playoffs with win over Cleburne

By Todd Wills

If you’re wondering what to expect Friday night when the Tigers and Cleburne square off for one of the two undecided playoff spots in 16-4A, here’s all you need to know:

Of Corsicana’s six district games this season, five of them have been decided by 10 points or less.

That’s a turnover at a crucial time. A fumbled pitch. A pass route not finished off.

Chances are Friday’s game is going to come down to the last few minutes.

That means Tiger fans need to stay until the final game, not flock out of the stadium like last week during the last minutes of a 21-14 loss at Waxahachie.

This is the biggest game at Tiger Stadium since Corsicana hosted Waco High in a playoff game in 2006.

And this isn’t last year’s Cleburne team that went 0-7 in 16-4A. This is a Yellow Jackets team that whipped Waco University last Friday, 21-0 — that’s right, the same University team that led the Tigers, 42-7, way back in the district opener.

“They’re a really good team,” Tigers coach Phil Castles said. “They’re really tough.”

Both teams can boast of some success against ranked opponents. The Tigers beat No. 3 Waco Midway, 40-31, at Floyd Casey Stadium. The outplayed No. 4 Waxahachie for most of the night, winning the physical battle, only to lose to the Indians on the road.

Cleburne played Waxahachie, Ennis and Waco Midway all when they were ranked. The Yellow Jackets took the Indians to overtime before losing 49-36. Cleburne lost 28-13 to Ennis and 33-15 to Midway.

“The three teams that have beaten us have all been in the Top 10,” Cleburne coach Phil Young told the Cleburne Times-Review. “Ennis was No. 9 when they beat us.

“I think our guys understand that and even played within two touchdowns of those teams. They believe real strongly and never doubt.”

Cleburne played its best game of the season last Friday against Waco University.

The Yellow Jackets pounded the ball at the Trojans, rushing for 162 yards. L.J. Holmes had 109 yards on 22 carries.

But it’s what Cleburne did to University quarterback Randy Price on a muddy field that Tiger fans won’t recognize.

Price was 3 of 17 passing for 22 yards against the Jackets.

Price had 219 total yards against Corsicana in a 42-27 win for University at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers can expect to play the most fired up team they’ve seen all season. Cleburne was picked last in Texas Football magazine’s preseason 16-4A poll, and now the Yellow Jackets are playing for their first playoff appearance in seven years.

Corsicana is also trying to snap an unusual streak of two straight seasons without the playoffs.

“It’s on the line,” Young told the Times-Review. “Whoever wins goes on.”

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Cleburne at Corsicana

7:30 p.m. , Friday (1340 KAND-AM)

At Tiger Stadium

RECORDS: Class 4A Corsicana (4-5, 3-3 in District 16-4A) is unranked. Class 4A Cleburne (6-3, 3-3) is unranked.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Corsicana: RB Cody Evans, OL Ben Caton, OL Ryan Arnett, LB Matt Speed. Cleburne: QB Taylor Calahan, RB L.J. Holmes, RB Cody Hicks, WR Bubba Oakes.

UPDATE: The Tigers beat Cleburne in last year’s final regular season game, 35-31, to finish the regular season at 5-5. They’ll be trying to do that again Friday night, only this time a win will end a two-year playoff drought ... The Tigers are 0-3 when their opponent scores first, so a fast start will be critical in front of the home fans ... The Tigers are 2-2 at home, 2-1 in district games ... RBs Cody Evans and Johnathan Anderson have formed a dynamic duo in the Tigers’ backfield. Evans, a senior playing in his final home game, is averaging 5.8 yards per carry and 130.9 yards per game. Anderson, a sophomore who is sure to become a fixture at running back for the Tigers, is averaging 5.6 ypc and 51.9 ypg ... QB Cameron Cutrer has passed for 1,193 yards and nine TDs. He’ll look to make senior WR Javonti Hines a big part of the offense. Hines has 25 catches for 450 yards and 4 TDs ... Junior LB Martin Davis has 117 tackles. He had 12 against Waxahachie ... in fact, the Tigers linebackers had a stellar game against the Indians. Senior Matt Speed had 10 tackles and Cody Evans had two off the bench ... Cleburne RB L.J. Holmes had 109 yards rushing in last week’s 21-0 shutout of Waco University ... the Yellow Jackers had 162 rushing yards on 41 carries as they were able to grind out a victory against University. Cleburne is likely to try the same approach against the Tigers ... the Cleburne defense allowed just 121 total yards and eight first downs to the Trojans ... Cleburne’s district wins have come against Waco High, Waco University and Midlothian.

— Todd Wills

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