New Deal punishes Olton QB, dominates Mustangs

NEW DEAL, Oct 10, 2009 (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CEILF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Olton arrived at Faubion Field on Friday night hoping to knock New Deal off its District 6-1A throne.

By the time the Mustangs headed home, however, they were battered, bruised and blanked.

The sixth-ranked Lions, who have lost only one district game since dropping down to Class 1A in 2004, began their 6-1A title defense in dominating fashion. Their defense posted its fourth shutout of the season, and their clock-consuming offense churned out 432 rushing yards in a 33-0 victory.

"I jokingly told coach (Ron) Mayo I'm calling child protective services in the morning and turning him in for child abuse for what they did to us," said Olton coach Joel Baker, who added that he'd never been involved in such a mismatch in terms of power and size. "They manhandled us."

The abuse started on the game's second play from scrimmage, when a ferocious hit by New Deal's defense sent Olton quarterback Bobby Wayne Workman to the sideline with what Baker described as an upper neck/jaw injury. Workman missed the next two series and was mostly ineffective when he returned to finish the first half, and he didn't even come out for the second half.

Baker said losing the senior and two-way starter -- who has passed for 1,064 yards and 11 touchdowns this season -- put the rest of the Mustangs in a "lull." But he said a healthy Workman wouldn't have changed the outcome.

"We're probably not going to beat these guys tonight, regardless," said Baker, who called Workman questionable for next week's home game against Hale Center. "We would have put points on the board had he quarterbacked, but it would have been an uphill battle."

The Lions (6-0, 1-0 in 6-1A), who were allowing only 59 total yards per game coming in, allowed Olton (4-2, 0-1) to gain just 110 yards and eight first downs. The Mustangs got as close at the New Deal 10-yard line early in the third quarter, but the Lions turned them away on fourth down and then put the game away with an 18-play, 90-yard touchdown drive that chewed more than nine minutes off the clock.

New Deal's offense, meanwhile, ran the ball at will. The Lions averaged 9.4 yards per rushing attempt and tried to throw it only four times, with three players doing most of the damage on the ground.

Quarterback Stephen Bryant and running back Larry Dennis rushed for a combined 313 yards on 31 carries -- both seniors had 100-plus yards in the first half -- with Dennis scoring twice. Junior Juan Calderon added 72 yards and three touchdowns on only five rushing attempts.

"We've got some people that can run the ball, and we've got a line that can block," Bryant said. "That's it. If you've got the backs and got the line, you're able to do that."

Bryant, who was recovering from a high ankle sprain suffered against Tahoka two weeks earlier, also led the way on defense. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound TCU commitment put the big hit on Workman early in the game and intercepted him later from his safety position, and he added a 32-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.

New Deal coach Ron Mayo said Bryant hasn't fully recovered from his ankle injury, but it was hard to tell on Friday.

"He makes things happen -- offensively, defensively, special teams-wise," Mayo said. "He's the bell cow."

Despite blowing out Olton, which finished second to New Deal last year, Mayo said the Lions must continue to play well and can't afford to become overconfident.

Baker, meanwhile, said his Mustangs must bounce back and focus on the rest of the season.

"Maybe somebody will beat them in district, but I don't think they will," Baker said. "I think these guys are the real deal, and they can manhandle people. So our job is to go win the next four, still make the playoffs, be the big school, go out and win a playoff game. Those goals are still intact."

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NEW DEAL 33, OLTON 0

Olton 0 0 0 0 -- 0

New Deal 7 13 7 6 -- 33

First Quarter

ND-Larry Dennis 8 run (Ricardo Nunez kick); 8:25

Second Quarter

ND-Juan Calderon 12 run (Nunez kick); 9:44

ND-Dennis 16 run (kick failed); 4:34

Third Quarter

ND-Calderon 46 run (Shane Gillman kick); 11:48

Fourth Quarter

ND-Calderon 4 run (kick blocked); 10:57

TEAM STATISTICS

OLT ND

First downs 8 20

Rushes-yards 27-41 46-432

Passing yards 69 10

Comp.-att.-int. 6-14-1 1-4-0

Punts-avg. 5-29.2 0-0

Fumbles-lost 1-0 3-1

Penalties-yards 6-23 5-55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Olton, Eli Perez 12-41, Billy Ross 10-28, Bobby Wayne Workman 1-1, Pecos Martin 4-(-29); New Deal, Stephen Bryant 13-165, Larry Dennis 18-148, Juan Calderon 5-72, Morgan Gonzales 4-20, Robert Uballe 3-13, Isaac Chavez 2-13, Freddy Briseno 1-1.

PASSING: Olton, Martin 3-5-0-39, Workman 3-9-1-30; New Deal, Bryant 1-2-0-10, Chavez 0-2-0-0.

RECEIVING: Olton, Ryan Nieto 3-68, Martin 1-6, Perez 1-(-2), Torey Jimenez 1-(-3); New Deal, Abraham Valdez 1-10.

RECORDS: Olton 4-2, 0-1; New Deal 6-0, 1-0.

HIGH SCHOOLS/Lions pull off rout in key District 6-1A game

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