JASON EPP
• Leader & Times
The Turpin Cardinals have played the toughest schedule possible over the past two weeks taking on the number 1 and number 2 ranked teams in the state. And after a close loss to Laverne last week, the Cardinals answered big with a 44-22 over the Garber Wolverines.
Things didn’t start out so well for the Cardinals with Garber getting on the board on their opening drive with a 52-yard touchdown run to go up 8-0. But Turpin answered back with a touchdown drive of their own capped by a 7-yard run by Carson Peters to tie the game at 8-8.
Turpin took the lead on Garber’s next possession when Jaxon Lehnert and Ryder Ireland sacked the Wolverine quarterback for a safety. Turpin the ensuing drive for a second touchdown by Peters from 27 yards out to give the Cardinals an 18-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Jhett Huffman scored on a seven-yard run to extend the Turpin led to 24-8, early in the second quarter. Garber answered with a 43-yard touchdown run to cut the Cardinal lead back to ten. Peters connected with Saul Alvarado from 24 yards out to put Turpin up 30-14 at the half.
The Turpin defense stepped up big throughout the game, and in the third quarter held Garber scoreless. Huffman scored his second and third TDs on runs of 20 and 8 yards to put the Cardinals in command 44-14 midway through the fourth quarter.
Turpin outgained Garber 447-363. The Cardinals rushed for 214 yards and five touchdowns on 32 carries and passed for 233 yards and a touchdown.
Carson Peters finished the game 18 of 23 passing for 233 yards and a touchdown. Peters also rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Jhett Huffman rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries and caught seven passes for 91 yards. Saul Alvarado caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown and Ryder Ireland caught four passes for 51 yards.
Defensively, Riley Fowler led the team with 18 tackles; Saul Alvarado made 11, Jhett Huffman 9, Jaxon Lehnert with 8 and a sack (safety), Angel Moreno with 7, and Ryder Ireland with four and a sack (safety).
No.5 Turpin (6-1;2-1) will host Pioneer, Friday.
