WH freshman teams bounce back with wins over Hallsville, Mabank

Photo/Jim Jackson Freshman running back Shundrick Beasley gets ready to stiff arm a Mabank defender, as Garret Clark looks on.

After two tough losses on the road at Sulphur Springs, the question before the Whitehouse freshman teams last week was how they would respond to the early season losses.

That question was answered in resounding fashion as the "B" team defeated Hallsville, 20-2, at home, and the "A" team dominated the visiting Mabank Panthers, 41-0.

The "B" game started out slow as an early Hallsville safety led to a 2-0 halftime lead.

However, QB Brendon Hedges connected twice on long TD passes to Charles Bell to put Whitehouse on top.

The first connection was 43 yards, and the PAT by Devin Matthews gave the Cats the lead at 7-2.

The second TD pass to Bell traveled 40 yards, and Matthews' kick extended the lead to 14-2 early in the fourth quarter.

The Wildcat defense had a dominating performance limiting the Panther offense most of the night.

Zach Thompson picked off two passes on the evening, the second leading to a 40-yard TD run by Hedges to give the Cats the 20-2 final score.

The "A" team started out strong, but an early fumble by the Wildcats put Mabank in business early at the Wildcat 20 after the fumble return.

However, the Whitehouse defense rose up to the occasion and stopped the drive on third down and then blocked the field goal try to set the offense back up at their own 25-yard line.

QB Conner Cashion would start the drive out with a 23-yard 'catch and run' to Terrance Franklin to the Whitehouse 48 before he found Johnathan Parker deep down the middle for a 52-yard TD completion. Parker would then hit the PAT to give Whitehouse an early 7-0 lead.

Late in the first quar ter, Shundrick Beasley went to work on the ground for the Cats and finished a strong scoring drive with a 2-yard run. Parker's kick would put the Wildcat lead to 14- 0 headed into the second quar- ter.

Beasley was at it again on the Wildcats' next possession as he picked up a 30-yard gain down to the Panther 31-yard line.

The Cats later faced a 4th down and 12 from the Mabank 22, and Cashion found Dee Brown over the middle for a TD, and the PAT extended the lead to 21-0 at the half.

The second half did not start out good for Mabank as they fumbled on the first play after the kickoff, and Jordan Cantrell returned the recovery to the Mabank 10.

Two plays later, Cashion found Ryan Speake in the back corner of the end zone to push the lead to 27-0.

Whitehouse's next possession was started deep in Mabank territory, and the drive ended on a 2-yard TD run by Cashion, and the PAT by Parker made the lead, 34-0.

The Whitehouse defense continued to dominate throughout the 4th quarter, and Matt Durst ended the scoring for the night with a 7-yard TD run up the middle. Parker's final PAT finished the scoring at 41-0 on the night.

The freshman teams will travel to Kilgore next Thursday to begin district play.