Wink falls to Sundown

ANDREWS All year long the Wink Wildcats hadn’t had any problems on special teams.

But in the Class 1A Division II bi-district playoffs Saturday, the special teams cost Wink a victory.

No. 3 Sundown (11-0 overall) hung on for a wild 28-26 victory over Wink (6-5) at Andrews’ Mustang Bowl.

Sundown will play Ralls in the area round at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Wolfforth Frenship’s Tiger Stadium.

A missed field goal, a kickoff return for a touchdown and a fumbled kickoff all combined to keep the Wildcats from a big-time upset.

“The real big swing was on the kick return and dropping the fair catch,” Wink head coach Max McGehee said. “That two-play swing cost us the game.”

Wink had taken a 20-14 lead with 1 minute, 12 seconds left in the third quarter when Sundown’s Tommy Serna took the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and a 21-20 lead.

Sundown then kicked a high, short kick that was dropped by a Wink player and Sundown recovered at midfield.

John Heffley scored from 47 yards out on the next play to put Sundown on top 28-20.

“Tommy has made some big plays all year for us,” Sundown head coach Chad Terry said. “We have had good special teams.”

At the end of the first half, Wink’s Tyler Thomas made a 24-yard field goal, but it was waved off because of a false start. Thomas missed the 29-yard attempt that came next. Wink also went for two after its second touchdown and failed, leaving the Wildcats a point down the rest of the way.

Wink still had a chance to tie the game up, as Sawyer McGuire scored from 24 yards out, but the ensuing two-point conversion try was stopped.

Wink also moved down the field with 5 minutes left, before having a drive stall out and being forced to punt. Sundown put the game away with a fourth-down conversion with 1:38 remaining.

“I’m saying we are a little better than our record shows,” McGehee said. “I couldn’t be prouder than I am of these guys.”

The Wildcats moved the ball at will on the Roughnecks throughout the game, finishing with 21 first downs and 357 yards rushing, but the missed field goal and a Corey Lujan interception in the end zone proved costly.

McGuire finished with 93 yards rushing on nine carries, while Lujan rushed for 71 yards, threw for 65 and had an interception on defense. Logan Tipping returned a fumble for a score in the first half.

“That was our worst game of the season,” Terry said, “but that is entirely because of Wink.”

Sundown 28, Wink 26

Wink 13 0 7 6 — 26

Sundown 14 0 14 0 — 28

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

Sundown — Chris Gilliam 32 pass from Jason Durham (John Heffley kick), 9:54.

Wink — Adrian Galindo 5 run (Tyler Thomas kick), 5:44.

Wink — Logan Tipping 40 fumble return (run failed), 3:50.

Sundown — John Heffley 10 run (John Heffley kick), 1:37.

Third Quarter

Wink — Trevor Casteel 10 pass from Corey Lujan (Tyler Thomas kick), 1:12.

Sundown — Tommy Serna 90 kickoff return (John Heffley kick), :58.

Sundown — John Heffley 47 run (John Heffley kick), :43.

Fourth Quarter

Wink — Logan Tipping 24 run (run failed), 10:33.

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TEAM STATISTICS

Wink Sundown

First downs 21 13

Total yards 422 344

Rushes-yards 54-357 40-260

Passing 65 82

Comp.-att.-int. 3-6-1 6-8-1

Punts-avg. 1-27 3-39.3

Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0

Penalties-yards 3-15 8-83

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

Wink

Sawyer McGuire 9-93, Logan Tipping 14-74, Corey Lujan 14-71, Adrian Galindo 9-51, Travis Thomas 6-45, Kevin McGehee 1-17, Mark Chaves 1-6.

Sundown

John Heffley 24-224, Ryan Waygood 4-40, Jason Durham 9-0, Ryan Sanford 1-(-2), team 2-(-2).

PASSING

Wink

Corey Lujan 3-6-1—65.

Sundown

Jason Durham 6-8-1—82.

RECEIVING

Wink

Kevin McGehee 2-55, Trevor Casteel 1-10.

Sundown

Ryan Sanford 2-39, Tommy Serna 2-9, Chris Gilliam 1-32, Brentz Britton 1-2.

INTERCEPTIONS

Wink

Corey Lujan 1-0.

Sundown

Chris Gilliam 1-0.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES

Wink

Logan Tipping 1-40.

Sundown

Ryan Waygood 1-0.

MISSED FIELD GOALS

Wink

Tyler Thomas 29-yard field goal (short), :00 second quarter.