Burk sours Slaughter's Sweetwater debut

**Kevin** Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:23 pm

Original story can be found HERE

Burk sours Slaughter's Sweetwater debut

By Evan Ren (Contact)
Saturday, August 29, 2009

SWEETWATER — The Craig Slaughter era officially began for the Sweetwater High School football team Friday in Game 2 of the Sammy Baugh Classic.

Unfortunately for the Mustangs, five turnovers soiled the red carpet in a 14-0 loss to Burkburnett in the Big Country Game of the Week.

Cannon Cornelius rushed for 118 yards and two scores to lead Burkburnett, which broke a scoreless tie with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Sweetwater managed just 158 yards in total offense.

“We had the ball four times in the second half and had four turnovers,” Slaughter said. “That’s a sure way to get your butt kicked and we executed it perfectly tonight.”

In a game marked by mistakes and missed opportunities, Burkburnett finally found the end zone with 11:17 to play, when Cornelius scored on a 9-yard option keeper. The score was set up by a Jason Vause fumble, giving the Bulldogs possession at the Sweetwater 40.

An interception by James Lorenzo set up Burkburnett’s next score — a 7-yard keeper for Cornelius with 8:38 to play to cap a five-play 36-yard possession.

Burkburnett finished with 296 yards in total offense; Sweetwater, which was led by Vause with 82 receiving yards, managed just 158.

“Depth definitely came into play and their numbers hurt us,” Slaughter said. “It’s our fault. We’ve got to have more guys ready to go, but defensively, we never gave them a break.

“We’d get a first down then turn it over and our defense was always on the field.”

For Sweetwater, the first half was largely an exercise in frustration, with four of five possessions stalling inside Bulldogs territory.

The Mustangs lost two solid scoring chances in the first 24 minutes, beginning with a blocked 37-yard field goal attempt by Cole Rhoades on the game’s opening possession. A 54-yard return by Josh Gomez on opening kickoff had given Sweetwater the football at Burkburnett’s 31. After five plays, Rhoades attempt was swatted away.

One possession later, a fumble by B.J. Walker ended a Sweetwater drive at the Burkburnett 40, but it was at the 4:27 mark of the second quarter which proved most costly. There, following a 58-yard option pass from Ken Norman to Vause to the Bulldogs 10, Sweetwater stalled on downs at the 5.

Burkburnett had its early chances as well, with Jackie Sanders missing a field goal attempt of 48 yards at the 1:29 mark of the second quarter. He would later hook a 39-yarder with 2:59 left in the third.

In total, Sweetwater managed 92 yards in total offense in the first half; Burkburnett tallied just 103.

“Sweetwater is a quality football team and we’re extremely fortunate to be where we’re at right now,” Burkburnett coach Scott Boswell said. “I don’t expect this to happen to often with them.

“They’ve got good running backs, a good offensive line, solid defense and they made us work for everything we got tonight.”

NOTES

The son of NFL Hall-of-Famer Sammy Baugh, David Baugh, conducted the coin toss prior to the game.Cornelius completed 4-of-7 pass attempts in the first half, but produced just 14 yards through the air Despite only producing 158 yards in total offense, Sweetwater punted just once.

Burkburnett 0 0 0 14—14

Sweetwater 0 0 0 0—0

Fourth quarter

Bur— Cannon Cornelius 9 run (Jackie Sanders kick), 11:17

Bur— Cornelius 7 run (Sanders kick) 8:38

Bur Swe

First downs 13 6

Rushes-yards 45-227 24-68

Passing 77 90

Total offense 296 158

Comp-Att-Int 6-11-0 5-10-1

Punts 2-35 1-37

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 8-4

Penalties-Yards 7-65 1-10

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Burkburnett, Cannon Cornelius 15-118, James Lorenzo 10-18, Isaiah Terry 4-12, Ben Cahayla 1-5, Malachi Naef 1-8, Ryne Cozby 8-36, Gavin Whittaker 3-13, Lorenzo Barnes 1-9, Brian George 2-8. Sweetwater, B.J. Walker 6-36, Jake Lawrence 3-10, A.J. McCoy 12-32, Bo Bugarin 1-3, Clint Jay 1-10, Team 1-(-23) .

PASSING— Burkburnett, Cornelius 6-11-0 77. Sweetwater, Lawrence 4-9-1, Kenneth Norman 1-1-0 58.

RECEIVING — Burkburnett, Tyler McClelland 1-9, Temi Ogunleye 1-1, Terry 2-42, Cozby 1-0, Lorenzo 1-25, Sweetwater, Jason Vause 4-82, Norman 1-8.