Friday night’s crosstown showdown at Dick Bivins Stadium had plenty of offense from both sides, but Amarillo High made its yards hurt a whole lot more.
The Sandies struck for five scoring plays of more than 25 yards, forced four turnovers and never trailed on the way to a 45-20 victory over rival Tascosa.
The win kept Amarillo High unbeaten in District 2-5A Division I play at 2-0 and improved the Sandies to 4-1 overall. Tascosa fell to 2-3 and 1-1 in district.
And while the final score looked convincing, the statistics told a much different story.
Tascosa finished with 21 first downs compared to only nine for Amarillo High and actually held a slight 359-357 advantage in total offense. But the Rebels turned the ball over four times while the Sandies didn't give it away once.
That difference, combined with Amarillo High’s ability to produce touchdowns in a hurry, proved too much for Tascosa to overcome.
Sandies strike fast
Amarillo High needed barely two minutes to seize control.
Deuce Patterson took a swing pass from quarterback Callaway Skipworth and raced 46 yards for the game’s first touchdown.
Then things got worse for Tascosa almost immediately.
J’Kavien Moore fumbled on the first play following the kickoff, and Amarillo High’s Gaetan Veazey recovered at the Tascosa 27. On the very next snap, Patterson took a reverse pitch 27 yards for another touchdown.
Just like that, the Sandies were ahead 13-0.
Tascosa responded with an 81-yard drive capped by Cameron Vallejo’s 10-yard touchdown run, but Amarillo High had another big play ready.
Fullback Raider Payne, normally known more for blocking and playing linebacker, took part in a gadget play and found Jeb Grammer for a 68-yard touchdown. Payne then ran in the two-point conversion for a 21-7 lead.
The turnovers soon returned to haunt Tascosa.
A pitch intended for Moore bounced loose and landed in the hands of Amarillo High’s Abram Chico, who returned the fumble all the way to the Tascosa 4. Kingston Bounsing scored on the next play to push the advantage to 28-7.
Tascosa wasn't finished.
Vallejo scored his second touchdown of the half on a 9-yard run with 1:21 remaining, giving the Rebels a chance to head into halftime with some momentum.
Amarillo High needed only about a minute to take it right back.
With 20 seconds remaining, Skipworth connected with Grammer on a 57-yard touchdown strike, sending the Sandies into the locker room with a commanding 35-13 lead.
Grammer delivers the fireworks
Grammer was at the center of Amarillo High’s explosive passing attack, finishing with five catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns.
His two scoring receptions covered a combined 125 yards.
That ability to flip the field in a matter of seconds separated the Sandies from the Rebels. Tascosa could move the chains and put together long drives, but Amarillo High repeatedly found ways to turn one snap into six points.
Tascosa opened the second half with another lengthy drive, using nearly six minutes to cross midfield. But Amarillo High stopped the Rebels on downs, leaving Tascosa with nothing to show for all that time off the clock.
The Sandies responded with another quick strike.
Skipworth found a wide-open Caden Virden for a 32-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 42-13 and effectively putting the rivalry game away.
It was an encouraging return for Skipworth, who had missed three games with an ankle injury after playing in the season opener. He shook off a slow start to complete 8 of 12 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns.
Amarillo High closes it out
With a comfortable lead, the Sandies leaned on Sy Richardson and the running game to drain the clock.
Richardson finished with 115 yards on 23 carries, with much of his damage coming after halftime.
Tascosa quarterback Brayden Lineman continued battling until the end and turned in a productive night despite the loss. He threw for 145 yards and rushed for another 120, finishing as the game’s leading rusher. Lineman scored on a 2-yard run with 37 seconds remaining to close out the scoring.
But this rivalry game belonged to Amarillo High.
Tascosa moved the football and at times found openings in the Sandies defense. The Rebels simply couldn't overcome four turnovers, failed fourth-down attempts and an Amarillo High offense capable of scoring from almost anywhere on the field.
The Sandies didn't need long drives or a pile of first downs.
They needed opportunities.
