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Purple Tigers overpower Champs

By CHRIS SIERS ~ sports@t-g.com
Posted 9/19/20

In order to pull an upset against some of the state's best competition, teams have to play nearly perfect football. Cascade coach Jake Tyre knew his team would have to replicate the near-perfect performance from a week ago during Friday night's Region 4-AA matchup at Watertown...

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Purple Tigers overpower Champs

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In order to pull an upset against some of the state's best competition, teams have to play nearly perfect football.

Cascade coach Jake Tyre knew his team would have to replicate the near-perfect performance from a week ago during Friday night's Region 4-AA matchup at Watertown.

While Cascade (1-3, 0-2) was in position to make key plays, the Purple Tigers (4-1, 2-0) took advantage of several miscues and handed the Champs a 35-0 loss.

“When you're playing against one of the best teams in the state, you cannot make mistakes. You have to play a perfect game if you're going to stay in it with them,” he said.

For the past few weeks, the Champions have thrived off an aggressive defense that has limited opposing offenses' big play capability.

Twice on Watertown's opening drive, the Champions got the Purple Tigers backed up on third and long, but each time, the home school was able to find a way to keep the chains moving and eventually finished the drive on a Jordan Cason four-yard touchdown.

Watertown found paydirt again in the second quarter with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Brayden Cousino to Quanterrius Hughes-Malone.

The Tigers got two more scores in the second quarter, the first of which came off a 70-yard punt return by Kaden Seay.

A Watertown interception set up the final score before the half, which came on another Hughes-Malone reception.

Cousino hit Hughes-Malone on a quick slant that went for 17 yards with under a minute to go.

The score could have spiraled even farther out of control in the first half had it not been for a key defensive stand halfway through the quarter.

With Cascade finally able to mobilize its run game and the Champions inching closer to midfield, tailback Chance Brown was stripped by Cason and returned to Cascade's seven-yard line.

Backed up to the two-yard line, Cascade answered the bell and forced a turnover on downs.

Even with the stop, the Champions trailed Watertown 28-0 at the half.

Watertown added one final score in the third frame, capped off on an eight-play drive when Cousino found his third passing touchdown of the night on a 25-yard strike to Isaac Finch.

While Watertown piled up over 250 yards of offense, Cascade was in position to make plays at key points in the game, but couldn't overcome Watertown's athleticism.

“We were in position. We have to get ourselves off the field. That's what hurt us in our losses. We have to make it a point to get off the field in third and long and fourth and long,” Tyre said.

As a team, the Champions managed just 80 yards of offense and were hampered by seven penalties.

Seth Countess led the Champs with 29 yards on the ground.

He also recorded six tackles, while J.J. Slusher added five.

For the past four seasons, Watertown has won at least nine games, including three trips to the playoffs.

“That's one of the best teams in the state, regardless of classification,” Tyre added.

For now, Cascade's attention focuses on a key three-game home stand that begins next Friday night with Community.

Following Friday's rivalry matchup with Community, Cascade will host Jackson County and Trousdale County.

For Tyre, the burden now falls on addressing the miscues from Friday night, which he says can be turned around in practice.

“We're going back to the basics. We've got to reemphasize some of the small stuff .

It's little breakdowns that are hurting us. It's not a complete scheme thing, it's just little things we have to fix,” he said.

Cascade 0 0 0 0 — 0

Watertown 7 21 7 0 — 35

First Quarter

W —Jordan Cason 4 run, (Bret Price kick), 8:43.

Second Quarter

W — Quanterrius Hughes-Malone 39 pass from Brayden Cousino, (Price kick), 10:12.

W — Kaden Seay 70 punt return, (Price kick), 8:18.

W — Hughes-Malone 17 pass from Cousino, (Price kick), :53.

Third Quarter

W — Isaac Finch 25 pass from Cousino, (Price kick), 6:03.