Waskom Wildcats Dominate Harleton 28-0 in Showdown
UPDATE: The Waskom Wildcats have just triumphed over the Harleton Wildcats with a decisive score of 28-0 in the highly anticipated Battle of the Wildcats held on October 20, 2023. This victory not only improves Waskom’s record to 5-1, 3-0 in district play but also showcases their dominance on the field in front of their 2015 state championship team members.
The game kicked off with both defenses holding strong, resulting in a series of punts until Waskom struck first. Quarterback Joe Irving executed a flawless flea flicker play that allowed Jaxon Hicks to score a 61-yard touchdown, putting Waskom ahead 7-0 early in the first quarter. Irving expressed confidence, stating, “When [Hicks] caught it, we knew he was going to go in and give us the lead.”
Despite strong performances from Harleton’s Alex Holt and Michael Williams, who combined for 164 rushing yards, they struggled to capitalize in the red zone. After a defensive interception by Hicks, Waskom’s Chris Hernandez executed a powerful offensive drive, scoring with a 34-yard touchdown run to extend their lead to 14-0 by halftime.
The second half saw Waskom’s Hernandez make a stunning 96-yard touchdown run from their own four-yard line, further solidifying their dominance at 21-0. A subsequent touchdown from Hernandez to Montez Thompson capped off the scoring at 28-0 as the teams entered the fourth quarter.
Waskom’s defense remained relentless, forcing multiple turnovers and halting Harleton’s drives. Coach Wade Lawson praised his team’s resilience despite acknowledging areas for improvement: “We didn’t play clean enough throughout the night… but I don’t think we’ve hit our ceiling this year.”
With intense competition on the horizon, Irving emphasized the importance of teamwork: “We needed to win this game. It’s going to get rougher, so I told them to keep fighting for each other and stick together.”
Next week, Waskom faces a challenging road game against Beckville while Harleton prepares to host Hawkins. Fans of both teams are eager to see if Waskom can maintain their momentum or if Harleton will bounce back after this tough loss. Stay tuned for more updates as the season progresses.
