Otis High School’s football team is moving up toward a top seeding for the playoffs.
The Bulldogs, 6-1, now are No. 4 in the 6-Man CHSAA Seeding & Selection Index, following last Friday’s rain-soaked win, 33-20, last Friday at Idalia. The Wolves, 5-2, dropped to No. 5.
Otis now hosts Peetz at 1 p.m. Saturday. Peetz is 3-5 and No. 19 in the Index. This will be the last game for the regular season for Peetz, which lost 55-14 at Prairie last Friday.
It was a sloppy, wet game at Idalia last Friday night.
A downpour hit just as the players were being introduced. It quickly tapered off into a light rain, which remained throughout the first half, making it difficult to gain traction as well as hold on to the ball.
Just as Idalia’s Homecoming halftime was about to end, a 30-minute lightning delay was implemented.
The teams and the referees stuck it out and finally got the game finished.
Otis struck first with a touchdown in the opening quarter. The 2-point kick made it 8-0. The Bulldogs Charlie Kendrick then kicked a field goal for a 12-0 lead.
Idalia cut it to 12-7 in the second but Otis tacked on another score for a 19-8 halftime lead.
When the game finally resumed, Idalia cut the deficit to five, 19-14. However, the Bulldogs outscored the Wolves 14-6 in the fourth to hold on for the win.
Austin Hornung completed seven of 11 passes for 114 yards and one touchdown, and Tayte Smith completed one pass for nine yards. Kendrick caught six passes for 79 yards and a a touchdown, Jacob Perry one catch for 22 yards, and Grady Bechtle one for 22 yards. Smith ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, Mitchell Stivers 51 yards on 13 carries, and Kendrick 39 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Defensively, Cambric Klinzmann returned a fumble 31 yards. Kendrick was in on 13 total tackles, Smith 10, Klinzmann nine, Perry six, Hornung five, and Emiliano Varela and Malakye Reese one each.
Otis fumbled four times, losing two. Idalia fumbled twice but recovered both.
ARICKAREE FOOTBALL
Arickaree’s football team has a bye this week with one game remaining in the regular season next Saturday at home against Cheraw.
The Bison are solidly in the playoff picture, sitting at No. 8 in the 6-man Selection & Seeding Index, after a 70-14 win at Genoa-Hugo, last Thursday, October 17.
They raced out to a 22-8 lead in the first quarter, and led 44-8 at halftime. They outscored the Pirates 26-6 in the second half.
Arickaree leaned on the rushing game, gaining 481 yards and nine touchdowns on 30 carries. The Bison averaged 16 yards per rush.
Austin Wright had a huge game on the ground, finishing with 337 yards and five touchdowns on 15 carries. Jorge Ramos ran for 83 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries, Colton Sperry 52 yards on two carries, and Austin Fields a seven-yard touchdown run. Wright completed one pass for 35 yards to Ramos, and Jaxson Cordell one pass for 26 yards to Zarron Skubal.
Dillon Noletubby had an interception, and Skubal recovered a fumble. Skubal was in on 12 tackles, Noletubby 10, Ramos eight, Keith Page seven, Wright six, Luis Machado five, Cordell five, Austin Fields four, Sperry four, Daniel Goff two, and Colton Sperry, Angel Palomo and Levi Kalcevic one each.