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BYRN’d

Champs torch Jo Byrns for third-straight shutout

By CHRIS SIERS ~ sports@t-g.com
Posted 10/8/22

CEDAR HILL — Cascade coach Jake Tyre told his team to approach each week with a one-game mentality, with the goal of being 1-0 each week.Whether it’s been the focus of a one-game season …

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BYRN’d

Champs torch Jo Byrns for third-straight shutout

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CEDAR HILL — Cascade coach Jake Tyre told his team to approach each week with a one-game mentality, with the goal of being 1-0 each week.
Whether it’s been the focus of a one-game season each week, moving key players around on the defensive side of the ball, big production from senior running back Connor Huie, or the sheer depth the Champs are able to rotate into the game, the
recipe is working.
Cascade (5-3, 1-2) steamrolled Jo Byrns (2-6, 1-2) on Friday night, 34-0, notching it’s third-straight shutout.
Huie terrorized the Jo Byrns defense and led the way on the ground for the Champs, rushing for 173 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns.
“He’s done it all year. He’s been our alpha. He’s been the hard-nosed kid on the field every night we’ve played. He’s not going to juke you, he’s going to run you over,” Tyre said.
While there was never truly any question as to Friday night’s outcome, Cascade did get off to a bit of a sluggish start in the first half.
After forcing the Red Devils to a punt away their first possession, Cascade marched 74 yards over two minutes before senior Chance Brown broke loose on a 10-yard touchdown run for the first score of the night.
After Brown’s score broke the stalemate, Cascade was able to move the ball at will, but a slew of first-quarter penalties hampered the Champs’ offense.
It wasn’t until the 2:29 mark of the second quarter did Cascade rattle loose again, this time on a two-yard strike by Huie.
The ensuing two-point conversion, however, failed, leaving the Champs with a 13-0 lead at the half.
With the first half being sluggish at points with penalties and a handful of Cascade miscues, after the half, Cascade went into attack mode and needed just 54 seconds of game time in the second half to pad the lead.
An onside kick recovery set the Champs up with first down on their own 49-yard line and three plays later, Huie struck again for his second score of the night—a 26-yard scoring jaunt to jump the Champs’ lead to 20-0.
With Huie pounding the Red Devils’ defense, Cascade was able to liberally substitute along the defensive front and the game skewed even more out of hand in the quarter.
“That’s the luxury we have. We’re rotating so many guys, not really the skill guys, but we’re rotating so many linemen—especially on defense. We’re rotating close to nine guys on the defensive line. That helps us as the game goes on,” Tyre said.
On the next score, quarterback Xamarion Dixon went to the air and connected with Hayden Dowell on a 43-yard strike, with Taylor Dowell adding a successful two-point conversion after, with just under eight minutes left in the quarter.
After forcing a turnover on downs with 5:17 left in the third, it was Huie who found the end zone for his third score of the night on a five-yard run to cap the scoring action.
In total, the Champs piled on 349 yards of offense, with Huie’s night leading the way.
Dixon also settled into the game and completed 3-of-9 attempts for 65 yards and a touchdown.
“Xamarion got off to a slow start. Once he found his rhythm, he did a good job. He threw a couple of really good deep balls,” Tyre said.
Jo Byrns managed just 104 yards against the stingy Champion defense.
The win marks the third-straight for Cascade and the fourth in the last five games for a Champion squad that seems to have found its footing as the schedule nears the end of the regular season.
Just how good have the Champs been as of late?
After Friday night’s 34-0 win over Jo Byrns, the Champions have claimed three-straight shutouts and have out-scored their opponents in that win-streak, 129-0.
That number is even more impressive adding in Cascade’s last four wins, as Cascade claimed a 31-0 win over Huntland on September 9.
In their last four victories, the Champions have outscored their opponents 160-0.
“We’re just getting it. We’re doing the right things at the right time of the year right now. The guys have settled in, they’re doing the scheme we want on defense. Coach (Glenn) Tidwell has made a couple of moves around on defense that’s helped us a lot. Offensively, it’s kind of the same way. We’re kind of hitting our stride. We had a bunch of kids coming back, but we lost 98% of our offense from last year. Finding that mix, run, pass, whatever it is, it’s just hitting right now,” Tyre said.
“It’s fun to watch and it’s fun to be part of.”
During this run, Tyre and the Champions have focused on being 1-0 at the end of each week.
“We’ve taken the mentality we have to be 1-0 every week. We don’t talk about the week before and we don’t talk about the week after. We talk about the week we’re on. The kinds have bought into that. We just have to be 1-0 every week,” he said.
With the playoff race heating up, Cascade will host Loretto in a key Region 5-AA matchup on Senior Night on Friday night.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Stable.

Cascade 7 6 21 0 — 34
Jo Byrns 0 0 0 0 — 0

First Quarter
C — Chance Brown 10 run, (Isaac Chapa kick), 6:52.
Second Quarter
C — Conner Huie 2 run, (2pt. conv. failed), 2:29.
Third Quarter
C — Huie 26 run, (Chapa kick), 11:06.
C — Hayden Dowell 43 pass from Xamarion Dixon, (Taylor Dowell 2pt. run), 7:58.
C — Huie 5 run, (Kick failed), 2:23.