Tigers Blank Manzanola 61-0 in South East Conference Rout

The Cheyenne Wells Tigers continue to build momentum as they move deeper into the South East Conference schedule.

Cheyenne Wells improved to 3-1 on the season Friday night, Sept. 18, dominating Manzanola on both sides of the football in route to a 61-0 conference victory at home. The loss dropped the Bobcats to 1-2.

The Tigers once again showed off a dangerous rushing attack led by junior Trevin Smith, while a swarming Cheyenne Wells defense never allowed Manzanola to get anything going offensively.

Smith continued his remarkable start to the season with his fourth consecutive 100-plus yard rushing performance. The junior needed just six carries to pile up 140 yards and three touchdowns, averaging more than 23 yards every time he touched the football.

Freshman Anthony Santiesteban also continued to show why he is quickly becoming another weapon in the Tigers’ backfield. Santiesteban carried three times for 55 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Junior Levi Mayhan added 29 hard-earned yards on three carries, including a touchdown, while junior Caden Muth broke loose for 21 yards and a score on his only rushing attempt.

Through the air, junior quarterback Marcus Bogenhagen was efficient, completing 4-of-6 passes for 36 yards and two touchdowns.

A pair of Tiger seniors were on the receiving end of those scoring strikes. Daryon Campbell caught a 14-yard touchdown pass, while Kooper Brossman hauled in a one-yard scoring toss.

As impressive as the Cheyenne Wells offense was, the Tiger defense was every bit as dominant.

Muth turned in a huge defensive performance, leading Cheyenne Wells with nine tackles while adding two sacks and recovering a fumble. Brossman finished with seven tackles and a sack, while Mayhan recorded six tackles and one sack.

Bogenhagen was also active defensively with five tackles and a sack. Camden Rand contributed four tackles and recovered a fumble, while Kelby Leonard and Santiesteban each collected four tackles. Campbell added another fumble recovery as the Tigers repeatedly shut down Manzanola scoring opportunities.

If there was one area of concern to come out of the lopsided victory, it was the Tigers’ point-after-touchdown kicking game.

Cheyenne Wells was successful on just three of eight PAT attempts. Those five misses represented 10 potential points left on the field under the two-point kicking conversion used in six-man football — points that could become extremely important when the Tigers find themselves in a much tighter contest.

Santiesteban had the best success rate of the night, converting his only PAT kicking opportunity.

The victory gives Cheyenne Wells three wins in its first four games, with the Tigers’ only loss coming in a 40-34 battle against unbeaten Fleming.

Cheyenne Wells will now take its 3-1 record on the road Friday, Sept. 25, when the Tigers travel to Weldon Valley.

Weldon Valley enters the contest with a 1-3 record and will be looking to rebound after suffering a 60-0 loss to Fleming, which improved to 5-0.

For Cheyenne Wells, the formula moving forward appears clear: continue producing explosive plays with a deep rushing attack, keep bringing the defensive pressure that has become a trademark of the Tigers, and clean up the PAT game as the schedule moves toward contests where every point could matter.