JASON EPP
• Leader & Times
TURPIN, Okla.—It was a happy homecoming as the Turpin Cardinals broke into the win column with a dominating 58-20 win over the Buffalo Bison.
Homecoming king Riley Fowler was a perfect 8 for 8 passing for 157 yards and 4 TDs. Fowler also rushed for another score and 44 yards in less than a half of work, all in his first start at quarterback. Fowler started the season at tight end but was moved to QB because of injuries. Cesar Quintana caught three of those TD passes for 80 yards in his first action of the season. Quintana is one of two players from Beaver playing for the Cardinals after their season was cancelled due to a lack of players. The OSSAA cleared them to play the day before.
“We’re still not completely healthy but having the bye week last week certainly helped,” Cardinals Head Coach Justin Hannah said. “It was good that our transfer kids got to play. They’ve been practicing for a couple of weeks”.
Turpin put up four touchdowns in the first quarter to take a 28-0 lead. Fowler threw his fourth touchdown pass to Aaron Gandarilla from 47 yards out on the first drive of the second quarter to push the lead to 36-0, to end the game for the offensive starters.
“I thought we came out with more intensity than we have in the first two games,” Hanna said. “We really played well defensively, with not as many penalties and missed assignments.”
Even with the backups in the game, Turpin added another score as Mason Barnett, the other Beaver transfer, scored on a 44-yard scamper to make the score 44-0 at the half.
The Cardinals starting defensive held stout not only with a first half shutout but also held Buffalo to just 10 yards of offense.
Turpin backups got plenty of reps throughout the rest of the game with Barnett scoring a second TD on a 50-yard run and Omar Parra scoring on a 40-yard scoop and score.
“It was good to have our second team come in and play as well as they did,” Hannah said. “You can’t substitute for varsity reps.”
Turpin totaled 405 yards of offense on just 34 plays, just shy of 12 yards per play. The Cardinals ran for 3 touchdowns and 248 yards on 26 carries, and 157 yards passing.
Beyond Fowler and Quintana’s offensive production, Barnett rushed for 141 yards on just 7 carries, and Carlos Rodriguez rushed 10 times for 59 yards. Aaron Gandarilla caught two passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Cesar Quintana had two sacks, and six tackles; Daniel Ponce had eight tackles and a tackle for loss, Riley Fowler had seven tackles and a tackle for loss, Alex Alvarado tallied seven tackles, Omar Parra had eight tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown, Remington Lozar had 11 tackles and two tackles for loss, Blaine Johnson had nine tackles, Aaron Gandarilla had four tackles and an interception, and Mason Barnett had seven tackles.
Turpin (1-2) will travel to undefeated Boise City, Friday.
