FLOYDADA — Rain and lighting on Friday night caused a postponement of the Floydada Whirlwinds hosting the Farwell Steers and Quanah Indians in a triangular scrimmage at Charles Tyer Stadium on Friday. Both Farwell and Quanah agreed to come back on Saturday morning at 11 o’clock despite each team travelling over 100 miles to Floydada for a varsity-only triangular.
Farwell and Quanah went at each other in the first session with the Steers outscoring the Indians 3-0 on touchdowns.
Floydada then went toe-to-toe with Farwell in the next round with a 1-1 tie. The Whirlwinds’ senior quarterback Trace Glasscock came out firing on the first play of the scrimmage by connecting with junior wide receiver Saul Reyes on a well-executed 40-yard pass completion that immediately put Floydada on Farwell’s end of the field. The Whirlwinds threatened on the initial drive going from their 25 yard line down to the Steers’ five before Farwell’s defense stopped Floydada on fourth down. It was a good-looking first drive and set the tone for the way the teams competed against each other.
Farwell got its touchdown on a 20-yard run by their quarterback Alex Actkinson. Floydada’s defense produced a touchdown when Saul Reyes stripped the ball away from a Farwell ball carrier and went 98 yards for the score.
The Whirlwinds were explosive on several occasions in the second scrimmage with Quanah edging the Indians 1-0. Junior running back Andres Mendoza broke loose on an 80-yard scoring gallop in front of the home stands on the first set of downs. Saul Reyes hauled in a 20-yard pass from Glasscock and then raced another 50 yards on a combined 75-yard play that was nullified due to a Floydada penalty. Junior defensive back Jayson Cooper intercepted a Quanah pass that probably would have been a pick-six, according to Coach J.R. Compton, had the play not been whistled dead at his request. Floydada’s defense came up with four interceptions during the two sessions.
“I thought the Whirlwinds gave great effort. We played with a lot of enthusiasm, but we have got to build on this area to play with high energy not just on game day. Both the O-line and D-line played well in the trenches against some good lines of the Steers and Indians. Sure-handed sophomore slotback Aiden Trevino caught every pass thrown his way, Mendoza ran the ball hard and smart, the defensive backs were opportunistic and quarterbacks Glassock and Izaiah Alvarado did their jobs well. We still have a lot to learn, but for a first outing I am very pleased,” said new head coach J.R. Compton with a positive tone.
Compton agreed with the question that a triangular scrimmage can be grueling. “Those last 20 plays was a gut check for us, and I thought we dug down inside to persevere,” he added.
After Floydada gave the highly regarded Steers a tough outing. Compton warned his team before the Quanah scrimmage, “you guys gave a great effort, but you can not rest on your laurels. We have another good opponent to face, and this next session will be harder. All I ask is for you to play hard, and see what we are made of. Does everyone understand? TEAM!” Compton barked in a spirited manner.
The Whirlwinds will have a quicker turnaround for the next scrimmage in another triangular with the Trinity Christian Lions and Bovina Mustangs in Lubbock on Thursday.
“We have to go back to work on Monday and Tuesday to get better,” said Compton.
He repeatedly says, “our goal is that the Whirlwinds are a good football team when we roll into Tahoka to start district play in October. One day at a time is our philosophy. I want these guys to succeed.”
The Whirlwind JV team received positive remarks in their 0-0 tie with Farwell. Floydada and Quanah did not get to play before the unsafe thunderstorm moved into town.
Floydada will open the 2021 regular season on August 27 when the Tulia Hornets come to Charles Tyer Stadium.
