Here is a photo gallery from the Wildcats v. Aucs game.
PHOTOS BY CRAIG BROWN/THE DILLON HERALD
Click once on a photo to bring it into a single screen, and then again to enlarge.
By Lonnie Turner
Introducing junior quarterback Breyden Hawkins, a 6’3, 215 pound transfer from York High School.
The youngster completed four of his first five attempts against Mullins Friday night to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead after just four minutes of play. He would throw four more six pointers over the course of the evening and finish the game with 270 yards on 17 completions out of of 22 attempts.
Where was he last week when the Cats locked horns with the Mallard Creek Mavericks, which came to Dillon as the number 10 high school football team in the country? There is such a thing as an eligibility rule that the Wildcat coaching staff had to deal with. Now with all the requirements in place, Hawkins is Dillon’s starting quarterback.
Hawkins wasted little time getting his receivers down field in the opening drive for the Cats. After failing to hit wide-out Ty Rogers on his first attempt, he completed his next four to get into the end zone with a 48-yard toss to Kanore McKinnon, who would finish the game with nine catches for 159 yards and three touchdowns.
Following a 52-yard kick off by senior kicker Drew Covington and a 33-yard return, the Auctioneers bounced right back with a 59- yard drive that ended with Auc quarterback, Riyan Gore sneaking in from a yard out to pull within one of a tie. The Mullins head coach opted to run for the two-point conversion with Gore and running back Willie Nelson taking the hand off and going in for an 8-7 lead. Hawkins wasted little time putting the Wildcats back in front with a 44-yard pass on second down to go back up, 13-8. Covington picked up where he left off a year ago hitting his second straight PAT and would add five more over the course of the evening.
On the ensuing kick off, Covington kicked the ball high enough to enable Dillon to cover the ball at the 21 yard line before the Auctioneers had a chance to field the kick. Jalen Williams scored his first of two rushing touchdowns and the point after made it 21-8 in favor of the Cats.
That opened the door for six more touchdowns on thet next seven possessions of the Cats. Hawkins scored on a two-yard run with 7:05 remaining in the first half after the Cat defense forced one of three fumbles. Williams followed with his second rushing touchdown at the 4:07 mark of the snd quarter and another fumble recovery for the Cats resulted in a 15-yard pass to McKinnon to make the score 42-8 with 2:48 remainng in the half.
n less than a minute, the Auctioneers scored on the throwing arm of Gore, who hit receiver Xavier Legette in stride down the Mullins side of the field for 61 yards. A two point conversion run by Gore was stopped at the two yard line.
The Wildcats would put seven more points on the board before intermission with Hawkins hitting Johnny Allen for a 21-yard touchdown. Covington’s kick gave the Wildcats a 49-14 bulge at the half.
At the half, game officials told the clock operator to keep the clock running in the third and fourth quarters. After the kick off, Gore fumbled the ball away to the Wildcats at the Auctioneer 14 and after two pass completions by Hawkins netted minus 17 yards, he found McKinnon again and hit him with a 31-yard scoring pass.
The final score came with reserve quarterback RaQuan McKoy hitting JaQuez Manning with a 46-yard scoring toss.
The Cats finishe the game with 402 total yards, 3-16 9in the air and 86 on the ground, while the Auctioneers finished wit 108 total, 97 through the air and 11 on the ground.
Jermaine McDaniel led the tackles for the second straight week with eight take downs and caused and recovered a fumble.
In pre-game ceremonies, long time worker and fan of the Cats, Jimbo McLellan was inducted into the Dillon Wildcats Booster Hall of Fame. He has worked with the Tunnel crew and the Chain Crew for well over 20 years. Also recognized was Charles Lane for 34 years as electric clock operator at home games.
And last but not least, the Hall of Fame welcomed Bobby Lee Thompson and his wife, Kathryn, for providing the Wildcats food each week for 20 years or more!
A tip of the hat to National Transport for getting Bobby Lee to the game for the induction.
Dillon will host Latta this week at 7:30. With Lake View dropping off the Dillon schedule, the Vikings are now the only true rivals to compete with!
