The Junior High Coyotes opened their season with a convincing victory against the Blanket JH in Blanket last Thursday night. The mercy rule was envoked on the second play in the fourth quarter on Jordan Burkharts’ determined run on a busted play to make the score 53-6 with 5:43 left in the game. Brian Salinas, was the spearhead in the Coyotes multi-faceted offense, running for two scores and passing for another and kicking three extra points. Jordan Burkhart, coming off a Super Bowl winning Pee-Wee Football season, showed his experience, by running for a touchdown and passing for another and turning another busted play into a score on a PAT attempt. Jacob Coleman, the lanky receiver, made two great catches for touchdowns. Brandon Tharp had a nice 17 yard touchdown run and Chandler Lusty scored from 45 yards out to complete the offensive scoring line for the Coyotes. Hutton Lustys’ nice TD run was negated by a phantom penalty in the third period.

Defensively, the Junior Coyotes, had the Tigers stuck in the mud(it was raining), scoring twice on safeties with Jordan Burkhart and Hutton Lusty getting credit for the tackles. Lusty also recorded an interception that led to a Coyote touchdown. The Coyote Pack was swarming, with big plays made by an assortment of Coyote defenders, Brian and Jonathan Salinas, Jordan Burkhart, Hutton Lusty, Jacob Coleman, Reid Blodgett, Michael McElvain. Special teams support was provided by Matthew Bivins, Cody Pardy, Brandon Tharp, Jeremy Martin, Traven Day and Justin Patino.

Coaches Jerry Burkhart and Michael Brand fielded 8 sixth graders on their 13 man squad, but they were not lacking in experience due to the extensive Pee-Wee and Flag Football program in Richland Springs. The Junior Coyotes exhibited superior fundamental skills in blocking, tackling, containment, and offensive execution against the much bigger Blanket Tigers JH. The Richland Springs JH are now 1-0 and are scheduled to host Olfen at Coyote Field on Thursday at 6:00 PM.