STORY BY: CHACE MURPHY
– TEMPLE – A 23-point Temple first quarter set the tone for the game as the Bryan Vikings wrapped up the 2011 season with a 0-37 loss to the Wildcats Friday night at Wildcat Stadium.
The Vikings’ first possession got off to a strong start before the Wildcats (6-4, 5-2) forced a punt.
Tim Willett’s first punt of the night buried the Wildcats at their own one yard line. But that proved to be a small obstacle for Temple.
The Wildcats’ 12-play, 99-yard drive took fewer than four minutes off the clock. Gaylon Sanders ran in from one-yard out to put Temple up 7-0.
The touchdown not only gave the Wildcats the lead. It also opened the floodgates.
On the ensuing Viking possession, Zach Alvarado fumbled inside Bryan’s five yard line. Temple’s Demarkes Mathis lived a defensive lineman’s dream as he scooped up the ball and rumbled in the final three yards to put the Wildcats ahead 14-0.
Temple’s defense was not finished putting points on the board, however. Alvarado was sacked in the end zone on the next possession and Bryan (4-6, 2-5) trailed 16-0.
Following the free kick, Temple quarterback Zach Allen hit Jeremy Hemphill for a 48-yard completion to put the Wildcats back in the red zone.
Sanders finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run to put Temple ahead 23-0.
The woes continued in the second half.
A short Tim Willett punt gave the Wildcats a short field at the Bryan 18. Sanders ran in from 13 yards to put Temple up 30-0.
The Wildcats added their final score on a three yard touchdown pass from Allen to Ronnie Chapman.
Temple finished with 335 total yards. Allen had 150 passing yards and 39 on the ground.
Sanders had 100 of the Wildcats 185 rushing yards.
Temple’s defense, which came into the game statistically last in the district, may have made the biggest difference in the game for the Wildcats. They kept the Vikings in check offensively, holding Bryan to 107 yards of total offense, including only 58 yards rushing.
Temple advances to the 5A playoffs. They will face Longview next Saturday at 2 p.m. in Corsicana.
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Final
Bryan 0 0 0 0 0
Temple 23 0 7 7 37
1st Quarter
Temple, 4:14, Gaylon Sanders 1 yd TD run (Joseph Pickett kick), 7-0
Temple, 3:20, Demarkes Mathis 3 yd fumble return for TD (Pickett kick), 14-0
Temple, 1:27, Zach Alvarado tackled in end zone for safety, 16-0
Temple, 0:01, Sanders 2 yd TD run (Pickett kick), 23-0
3rd Quarter
Temple, 6:56, Sanders 13 yd TD run (Pickett kick), 30-0
4th Quarter
Temple, 3:58, Ronnie Chapman 3 yd TD pass from Zach Allen (Pickett kick), 37-0