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March 29th, 2024

turpin cesar buffallo 255Turpin’s Cesar Anchondo (15) carries the ball against Buffalo earlier in the season. Anchondo scored 3 rushing touchdowns, a receiving touchdown, returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, intercepted three passes, including a pick-six, recovered a fumble and completed a 2-point conversion pass in Turpin’s 60-12 win over Canton.Courtesy photoBy JASON EPP

Leader & Times

CANTON, Okla.—Turpin senior Cesar Anchondo scored six touchdowns, four different ways, and the Cardinals dominated the Canton Tigers from the opening kickoff to the final play in a 60-12 mercy-rule district road victory. 

Turpin set the tone from the start as Anchondo returned the opening kick 70 yards for a touchdown. Anchondo also scored three rushing touchdowns, a receiving touchdown, and intercepted three passes, including a pick-six on the game’s final play. 

“We really played well as a team,” Cardinals Head Coach Justin Hannah said, staying on cue with his team-oriented comments.” I thought we came out ready to play. Our senior leadership was big in this important district game. We came out and played intense for four quarters.” 

Turpin’s fast start did not end with the kickoff return. Bailey Boyd and Riley Ratzlaff each recorded sacks on the Tigers’ first two offensive plays, then Anchondo picked off a pass on the next. Anchondo returned it for a TD, but the play was called back for a block in the back. 

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After a holding penalty, Turpin faced a 3rd and 17. Ratzlaff found Brandon Rodriguez who was marked a foot short of the goal line. Ratzlaff scored on the next play. Anchondo showed another of his skills on the 2-point conversion when the ball was moved back to the 8-yard line after a false start when he found Rodriguez in the end zone on an option pass, putting the Cardinals up 16-0 barely two minutes into the game. 

Ratzlaff fumbled after a big gain on the Cardinals' next possession, but Anchondo got it right back when he recovered a Canton fumble on the very next play. Three plays later, Anchondo scored the first of his three rushing touchdowns from 15 yards out and scored the conversion to put Turpin up 24-0 with 6:28 left in the first quarter. 

The Cardinal defense continued to shine, holding Canton to just 27 yards on 23 plays and forced two turnovers in their first five drives. Turpin’s fifth offensive drive covered 62 yards and took 13 plays to put Turpin up 32-0 with just under four minutes left in the half. 

Canton made their move to get back in the game, starting with their next possession. A short slant pass turned into a pair of broken tackles and a 38-yard touchdown. Canton then recovered an onside kick and six plays later were on the board again, cutting Turpin’s lead to 32-12 with only 44 seconds left in the half. 

Turpin made good use of what little time was left as Ratzlaff hit Anchondo in stride for a 41-yard touchdown pass with just seven seconds on the clock to take a 38-12 lead and wrestle back momentum at the half. 

“They caught us with a couple of big plays,” Hannah said. “They got a little momentum right before the half. Our assistant coaches did a good job making adjustments and moving guys around at halftime, and their passing game didn’t hurt as much in the second half.” 

The Cardinal defense got back to dominating Canton, allowing the Tigers just 18 yards of offense on their next 22 plays, and forcing two more turnovers.  

Turpin scored on a 6-play, 63-yard drive to start the second half to go up 46-12 with 7:24 in the third quarter. After sputtering on the next two drives, another Anchondo interception set up Turpin at the Canton 25. Four plays later, Anchondo scored his third rushing touchdown from 10-yards out as the Cardinals took a 54-12 lead with 6:38 to play. 

On the ensuing possession, it was again Anchondo with the interception, this time returning it 62 yards for the pick-six touchdown that ended the game by mercy rule with 4:29 to play. 

Turpin finished the game with 305 yards of offense on 50 plays. Canton was held to just 147 yards on 61 plays.  

Cesar Anchondo ran 11 times for 63 yards and 3 TDs; had two catches for 41 yards and a TD, a kickoff return touchdown, three interceptions that included a pick-six. Riley Ratzlaff carried the ball 28 times for 154 yards and a TD. Ratzlaff was 4 of 7 passing for 82 yards and a TD. 

Turpin (4-3, 1-1) will host Balko-Forgan (3-4, 0-2) in an important B-1 battle as both Beaver County teams fight for playoff positioning.

EARL WATT • Leader & Times

 

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