Culbertson Falls Short Against Fairview In League Showdown
Culbertson stepped up with a strong defensive effort in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as the Cowboys lost to Fairview, 30-14, in a game to decide the top seed of the Eastern C held in Culbertson on Saturday, Oct. 16.
The loss was Culbertson’s first of the football season.
“We played very good on defense in the second half,” Culbertson Coach Brian Manning said. “My offense didn’t get it going at all today.”
The coach explained that Fairview stacked its defense inside to slow down Culbertson’s running attack.
“We gave away some big plays in the first half and that took us out a little of our game,” Manning said.
The Warriors scored on the first play from scrimmage when Hunter Sharbono ran 53 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Kanyon Taylor ran in the two-point conversion.
Culbertson bounced back with a 10-play, 55-yard scoring drive. On a fourth-down play, quarterback Payton Perkins connected with fullback Justice Bengochea for a 40yard gain down to the Fairview six. After two runs by Kyler Kempton to the three, P. Perkins fought his way into the end zone to pull the Cowboys to 8-6 with 8:10 remaining in the opening quarter.
Culbertson’s defense led by the play of Aiden Perkins and Kobe Nickoloff stopped Fairview on its next possession, but the Cowboys also couldn’t get their offense moving.
Fairview was able to extend its lead on a 51-yard dash by Jace Vitt to put the margin at 16-6 with 1:09 left in the first quarter. Martin Manuel ran in the two-point conversion.
A pass from Taylor to Vitt put Fairview in scoring position again early in the second quarter. The Warriors scored when Sharbono recovered a fumble in the end zone. Manuel ran in the conversion for a 24-6 margin with 9:11 remaining in the half.
The Cowboys’ defense attempted to turn the tide when James Kirkaldie intercepted a pass to stop a drive by Fairview. A 17-yard pass from P. Perkins to Kirkaldie produced a first down at midfield, but Culbertson couldn’t move any farther.
Fairview scored on a 26- yard run by Sharbono to increase the margin at 30-6 with 43 seconds left in the half.
A blocked punt by Sharbono put the Warriors in scoring position early in the third quarter, but an interception by Kempton ended the threat and gave Culbertson a big lift.
The Cowboys used the passing and running ability of P. Perkins for a scoring drive. After a pass interference call put the ball at the Fairview 17, P. Perkins broke loose on a scramble for a touchdown. P. Perkins passed to Kirkaldie for the conversion to cut the gap to 30-14 with 3:53 left in the third quarter.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, P. Perkins intercepted a pass to end a Fairview threat. The Cowboys advanced as far as the Fairview 34 on a slant pass route to Kirkaldie, but quarterback pressures by Fairview’s Tristan Skov stopped the Cowboys.
The Cowboys drove into Fairview territory on their next drive, but Dylan Lorenz then recovered a fumble with only 4:17 remaining.
Coach Manning says he is looking forward to work on a variety of areas before the Cowboys host a state playoff game on Saturday, Oct. 30.
