Alto goes 10-0 for 2nd year in a row
Jackets defeat Cushing 56-12 to claim district title
ROBIN BEST
Crushing Cushing 56-12 was Alto's 24th win in a row.

Tarlandus l Mitchell takes a snap from the shotgun formation as the Jackets claw the Cushing Bearkats 56-12 to conclude District 21-A competition. Alto posted a 5-0 mark in district, winning the title and chalking up its 24th consecutive win. The Mean Sting has a bye in the first round of the playoffs and will face the winner of Groveton vs. Hulls-Daisetta next week. PHOTO: LEANN JONES

The Yellowjackets now own exclusive rights to the District 21-A championship.

And they are still listed as the #1 1-A team in every poll in Texas.

"I'm really not trying to sound cocky," said Yellowjacket offensive coordinator and lineman Coach Paul Gould. "But these kids are something special. This is our second team to go 10-and-0. No matter how good of a team you are, that is quite a feat. It isn't just physical. There is a lot of mental maturity that goes along with it.

"I am very proud of our kids and I am proud of how well they are playing," he added.

Friday night's contest in Alto started slow on Senior Night.

ROBIN BEST

But it was a night for the Yellowjacket seniors to shine.

The only first-quarter score was a four-yard dash made by senior quarterback Tarlandus Mitchell on the Jacket's first possession.

"We knew going into it that they were pretty good," Coach Gould said. "They were 6-2 and they had been playing pretty well. Their game plan was to come in and keep the ball out of our hands. On their opening drive, they didn't really drive that far on us, but they did get three first downs. They were able to take some time off of the clock and that was their plan.

"We were able to make the stop and put together a drive of our own," he added.

Mitchell had plans of his own with 4:32 remaining in the opening quarter, and the Jackets led 7-0 following a PAT tagged on by kicker Colton Crisp held by Scott Hayden.

The freshman pair were just moved up this week from JV to give the Jackets' kicking game a shot in the arm.

The strategy worked, with Crisp knocking 6 of 8 extra point attempts through the uprights.

"On special teams we moved Crisp and Scott up from the JV," Coach Gould said. "They did a great job for us. Those two guys played their first varsity game and they did very well. It is something a coach likes to see."

The second quarter began with an Alto drive that was cut short when Mitchell's pass was picked off by Cushing Bearkat defensive back Jordy Gladdis.

Cushing was able to convert the turnover into points, driving through the Jacket red zone and scoring when Bearkat QB Caleb Davis connected with tight end Jessie Rosales. The point-after-attempt was no good and Alto maintained a slim lead 7-6.

"The first half we had the ball three times and turned one of those possessions over on the interception," Coach Gould said. "Their game plan was to keep the ball out of our hands, and for a while their plan was working."

Cushing attempted an onside kick, but Alto covered the ball at the Bearkat 45 yard line. Five plays later, Mitchell dashed into the end zone with a 16-yard score. A Crisp PAT and the Jackets led 14-6, with 3:28 remaining in the first half.

It looked like the Bearkats were going to give Alto a tough game when Cushing returned the kickoff 80 yards to the Jacket 11.

But Alto was about to come out of their early-game sluggishness.

The Jacket defense stepped up and pushed the 'Kats back, with deep penetrations by defensive linemen Lance Low, Clayton Scott and Derek Mumphrey shoving Cushing almost all the way back into Rusk County.

"The defense came through for us," Coach Gould said. "They were able to respond and do the job."

Pushing back to the Alto 14 yard line by fourth down, the Bearkats attempted to put points back on the board with a field goal.

But Alto seniors Mitchell and Devon Patton were ready with a scoring plan of their own.

"Tarlandus blocked it and Devon picked it up and was able to return it all the way back for a touchdown," Coach Gould said. "That changed the momentum of the game right there. That really got things going and it continued to give us the edge right on into the second half."

At halftime, Alto led 21-6. With less than a minute to go in the third quarter, Alto Yellowjacket running back sensation Marcuse "Pee Wee" Gasaway ran this way, then he ran that way, and then he dashed 51 yards to give Alto a 28-6 lead following a Crisp PAT.

"We started to get a better handle on things in the second half," Coach Gould said.

The Alto defense came up strong on the next Bearkat possession, when Mitchell punched in for another Jacket TD from 15 yards out with 6:57 left in the third, and Alto led 35-6.

Mitchell then added a 74 yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Brandon Thacker and Alto led 42-6.

In the fourth, the Kats were still showing some fight, putting another score on the board.

But when Cushing attempted a 2 point conversion, Patton stepped up again with an "Oh no you didn't!" intercepting the Bearkat pass in the end zone and flying 102 yards to give the Yellowjackets the 2 point benefit, bringing the score to Alto 50, Cushing 12.

Also scoring for Alto was freshman quarterback Javonte Jones from 43 yards out and junior wide receiver Kevin Blakemore.

The Jackets have earned a bye in the first week of the playoffs, but will face the winner of Friday night's contest between Groveton and Hull- Daisetta at a yet-to-be-determined time and place.