Cisco Welcomes Taylor, Bulldogs For Homecoming

Posted: Oct 28, 2022

NAVARRO FOOTBALL GAMEDAY

Week 10

OPPONENTS: Navarro (4-3/3-2) at Cisco (3-5/1-5)

VENUE: Chesley Field, Cisco, Tx

GAMEDAY WEATHER: Partly sunny and pleasant conditions are forecast for Cisco's Homecoming 2022. Temperatures are expected to reach the middle 60s. Southwest winds at 9 mph may have gusts to 20 mph. Humidity will be about 59 percent and dewpoint near 47. On Friday, Cisco expected a 90 percent chance of thundershowers with highs only near 56.

KICKOFF: 3 pm CDT Saturday, Oct. 29

LIVESTREAM COVERAGE: No video streaming is available. Live audio stream coverage on KATX 97.7 FM Eastland and on www.katxradio.com

RANKINGS: Navarro remains ranked No. 11 in the NJCAA's latest Division I poll after its week off.

THE SERIES: Saturday/s meeting will be the 72nd in the series dating back to 1947. Navarro has a whopping 51-19-1 advantage. Navarro rallied tp win the 2021 game at Corsicana, 35-30. Cisco won the first meeting between the programs, 12-0.

STREAKS: Navarro's won four of its last five games, but is coming off a 29-23 loss at home to rival TVCC that knocked the Bulldogs from the No. 6 ranking. Cisco has lost four of its last five, including two in a row. The Wranglers' only conference win came in a 7-6 decision over NEO A&M at Miami, Ok.

THE COACHES: NAVARRO -- Ryan Taylor is in his third year of coaching (17-8), his first as Navarro's 16th head coach. The Denison, Tx, native played offensive line for the Yellow Jackets, Tyler Junior College and UCLA. He has 10 years of coaching experience in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference highlighted by leading Cisco to first undefeated conference championship in spring, 2021. CISCO – Veteran John O'Mera (143-91) was hired in February to replace Ryan Taylor. O'Mera ranks third on victories among active coaches and 21st all time. O'Mera coached 14 seasons at Eastern Arizona in Thatcher where he compiled a 105-52 record. Before that, he was head coach of another Western States Football League program – New Mexico Military Institute – and spent six seasons at Roswell with his brother, Bob O'Mera, serving as defensive coordinator.

LAST MEETING: Back-up quarterback Jack Turner replaced injured Qua Gray and guided the Bulldogs' furious second-half comeback, but Louis Moore stripped the football from a Cisco receiver and raced 39 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 1:14 left. Turner completed 13-of-29 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns – including a four-yarder to himself that pulled NC within 21-14. Later, trailing 30-21, Turner's 38-yard touchdown pass to Karl Reynolds brought Navarro within three to set up Moore's heroics.

LAST WEEK: CISCO – O'Mera's veer and triple-option offense tested Tyler's patience, but the Apaches escaped with a 21-17 homecoming win. Tyler had not allowed more than 205 yards rushing all season, but surrendered that to the Wranglers in the first half. Quarterback To'a Maumau steered Cisco's 389-yard offense that was highlighted by a 57-carry, 325-yard, fumble-free rushing effort. Jadarrius Thomas (16-110), Jalen Davis (11-84) and super-utility Brenden Shipp (8-53) led the ground effort. Oddly, Maumau threw Cisco's first two touchdown passes in a 4-for-12 effort that doubled his completion total for the year. Cisco rarely throws as its 15-for-61, 343-yard worksheet attests. In fact, CJC had no passing yardage from a combined 0-for-11 in three of its last four conference games (TVCC, NEO and NMMI).

TEAM STATS: NAVARRO averages 30.3 points and 426.3 yards with percentage splits of 59.5 passing (253.7 yards) and 40.5 rushing (172.6 yards). Defensively, the 'Dogs yield 23.7 points and 304 yards. NC's defense allows 133 on the ground and 171 through the air. CISCO averages 19.6 points and 176 yards with percentage splits of 24 passing (42.9 yards) and 76 rushing (133.5 yards). Defensively. the Wranglers allow 23.1 points and 280 yards (159 on the ground and 121 through the air).

INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS: NAVARRO – QB Dane Jentsch (90-130-1395-10-6 passing and 44-180-1 rushing); RBs TJ Snowden (95-545-2), Tim Collins (37-177-3) and DeAnthony Gatson (38-123-3); WRs Brandon Hawkins (27-526-4), Jay Wilkerson (18-229-2), Eli Martinez (17-286-1), LBs CJ Johnson (45 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 INT-TD); Caimyn Layne (41 tackles, 7 sacks, 6.5 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles); and Marcus Tillman (33 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery, 2 PBU); DB Ty Wilson (28 tackles) and Tyrecus Davis (24 tackles, 4 PBU, 2 INT); PK Axel Robertson (31 points). CISCO – QB To'a Maumau (6-32-116-2-1); RBs Jadarrius Thomas (51-409-3); Jalen Davis (24-137-0); Brenden Shipp (50-215-1 rush and 7-74-2 receiving); DB Bobby Crosby (87 tackles); LB James Thomas ((83 tackles, 4.5 sac ks); DL Darnell Preston (80 tackles, 2 sacks, 11 TFLs); DE Isaiah Pedack (72 tackles, 8 TFLs).

AROUND THE LEAGUE: Conference leader Trinity Valley (5-0) hosts reigning SWJCFC and NJCAA Champion New Mexico Military Institute (5-1) with rankings, league leadership and post-season seeding up for grabs at Bruce Field in Athens. The deep East Texas rivalry between Tyler (4-1) and Kilgore (2-3) renews Saturday at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler. When these teams met to open the 2022 season, Kilgore belted the Apaches, 42-10. Finally, Blinn welcomes Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to Brenham.

NEXT WEEK: Navarro hosts Tyler in its final regular-season game at 3 pm Saturday, Nov. 5.

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NAVARRO'S TWO-DEEP VS CISCO

OFFENSE

LT – (78) Lysander Moeolo, (74) Isaiah Maumalanga

LG – (70) Kamon Bradford, (54) Turner Hilburn

C – (52) Justin Rogers, (63) Tim Metevia

RG – (53) Anthony Drumgoole, (64) Lennard Medrano

RT -- (71) Welson Lual, (73) Michael Eneh

QB – (