Klein Oak vs. Klein Forest

Freshman Gold

September 25, 2008

Freshman Gold improves to 3-0 with home win over Klein Forest

By Russ Goodall

When the Klein Oak Freshman Gold needed running back Blake Ashford the most, he delivered.

Ashford carried the ball 12 times for 90 yards, but it was his 63-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for the Panthers, 25-6, over Klein Forest on Thursday at Klein Oak High School.

Behind a stout offensive line – consisting of Derrick Downing, Seth Borderion, Samuel Vela, Luke Emerson and Braden Bielefeldt – the Panthers (3-0) racked up 197 yards of total offense en route to the 19-point win.

Quarterback Conner McQueen led the Klein Oak Freshman Gold’s air attack, completing seven of 13 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

After a slow start to the first quarter for both teams, the Panthers would strike first. Ernest Davis would provide the initial spark with a 30-yard punt return to deep in Klein Forest territory.

On the first play of the drive, McQueen would find a wide open Matthew McBride behind the defense for a 17-yard TD pass. Eduardo Plascencia would add the extra-point to put the Panthers up 7-0 with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter.

The teams would then trade miscues, with defensive back Joshua Barnett hauling in an interception, but neither team would capitalize.

That is when the Oak Gold defense would again make its presence felt.

Behind the play in the trenches by Dominique Levarity, Luis Avelino, Joseph Alvarez and Adam Walker, the Panthers would strike again.

On a second and 16 from their own four, the Klein Forest offensive line could not block Avelino who stopped the running back deep in the end zone for the safety and a 9-0 lead for the Panthers.

That is the way the game would stay until early in the fourth quarter when the Klein Oak Freshman Gold would strike again.

After recovering a fumble the Panthers’ offense would go to work from the Klein Forest 23.

Just four plays later, McQueen would hit Lance Fegan for a 9-yard TD pass with 7:44 to play in the game. The Panthers went for two and McQueen connected with Andrew Medina through the air to put the Klein Oak Freshman Gold up 17-0.

After allowing Klein Forest to break up the shutout on a touchdown with 4:38 to play, the Panthers went to the ground game to run out the clock.

On the fifth straight run from scrimmage to start the drive, Ashford took the handoff and carved up the Klein Forest defense for a 63-yard TD run to put away the Eagles.

The Klein Oak Freshman Gold Panthers will put their unbeaten record on the line at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 2 when they hit the road to take on the Klein Bearkats over at Klein High School.

Klein Oak Freshman Gold 25, Klein Forest 6

Score by quarter

Klein Forest                0          0          0            6        --          6

Klein Oak Gold          7          2          0          16        --          25

Scoring summary

First quarter

OAK – Matthew McBride 17 pass from Conner McQueen (Eduardo Plascencia kick), 2:08

Second quarter

OAK – Luis Avelino safety, 4:08

Fourth quarter

OAK – Lance Fegan 9 pass from McQueen (McQueen pass to Andrew Medina), 7:44

FOREST – No. 38 5 pass from No. 14 (kick failed), 4:38

OAK – Blake Ashford 63 run (McQueen to Fegan), 2:05

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Oak – Blake Ashford 12-90, Conner McQueen 2-0, Rock Stevens 5-(-13), Darrius Calicutt 1-5.

PASSING: Oak – Conner McQueen 7-13-0-107-2; Zachary Gebhart 1-2-0-8-0.

RECEIVING: Oak – Matthew McBride 3-44, Lance Fegan 3-32, Blake Ashford 1-31, Travis Minikus 1-8.