Elgin, OK – After a year of Covid and no Cache versus Elgin game, the 2021 Battle of the Wichita’s did not disappoint.
The Elgin Owls, 3-6 (2-4), have seen some flashes of greatness this year. The Owls beat Anadarko and Weatherford earlier this season but have also struggled. Heading into Friday night’s game Elgin had lost three straight. The Bulldogs, 2-7 (0-7), have also been on a downhill slope after starting the year off with two wins over 5A schools, but losing seven in a row since that point.
The game began with a blocked punt in the end zone as Cache would take an early 6-0 lead with 9:05 left in the first quarter. Defense would be a factor for both teams throughout the game.
Elgin would later score after a solid four-minute drive courtesy of quarterback Tres Lorah. The Owls took a 7-6 lead late in the first. Lorah, in the second quarter, launched a 43-yard pass to receiver Michael Adesola, a sophomore from the Bahamas who has only played football for two years, to take a 14-6 lead with 9:55 remaining in the first half.
The Cache defense would bounce back and create a turnover on downs on a fourth and eight, but that victory was short lived as Elgin Owl C.J. Underwood dropped a Cache ball carrier in the end zone with 1:45 to go in the half and take a 16-6 lead. Lorah would throw another touchdown with less than a minute to go to receiver Treyvon Crabtree to make it a 23-6 ball game at halftime.
Head Coach of the Owls, Chalmer Wyatt, had this to say about his defense.
“We built some steam defensively last week, and our kids play so hard. Defensively, that is part of it.”
Wyatt continued to praise his team saying they played complimentary football.
“Sometimes it is the offense’s turn, other times it is the defense that makes plays. Our kids played well.”
The second half was a defensive battle. Both teams not allowing a single point in the third quarter. Cache was able to finally crack that Owl defense with a touchdown pass from Tyler Miles to Jaylen Niedo. The bulldogs would cut the lead to eleven points with 11:16 remaining in the fourth.
The Bulldogs would get within a score as they kicked a field goal with just over six minutes remaining in the game.
The Bulldog defense came up clutch when they forced an interception with 2:30 remaining in the game. The Owls defense also stepped up in a big spot and forced a turnover on downs to give Lorah and the offense a chance to seal the game… and he delivered. Lorah scored with less than two minutes to go and extended the Owls’ lead to 15-points at 30-15.
The Elgin defense had the final word of the night. Cache was deep in their own territory and trying to get a quick score. Michael Asedola, you read that right, would intercept a pass and take it to the house with 1:19 remaining and put his mark on a historic rivalry.
The jersey that is being held up reads “Beat Cache”. It is an old uniform from the 1990’s that Elgin wore against their rival.
