Defense dominates as Wildcats shut out the Pirates in Friday afternoon game

By Ray Hamill — Playing what is believed to be the program’s first-ever game on a Friday afternoon, it took the Ferndale Wildcats a little while to get going.

But after breaking the deadlock late in the first half, the Cats took control of the game with a big third quarter on the way to a comfortable 27-0 win over Santa Ynez of the Central Section.

The win lifts Ferndale to 2-0 on the season and was the program’s ninth shutout in the last 12 regular season games.

The Wildcats struggled to find much rhythm on offense early and were held without a first down on their opening four possessions of the game.

But they would close out the first half strong, when junior running back Preston Killingsworth broke free for a 30-yard touchdown to put the home team up 6-0 with just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter.

And with the Ferndale defense playing well — the Cats held the visitors to just three first downs from play for the opening three quarters — that was enough to give them the halftime lead.

The Wildcats would quickly add to their tally after the break, putting up points on all four of their third-quarter drives to end the game as a contest before the fourth.

On the third play from scrimmage of the half, senior running back Garyn McClurg took a direct snap and ran 35 yards to the end zone to double the home team’s advantage.

That drive started at the Santa Ynez 37 after a big kickoff return by Cade Renner.

The Ferndale defense then held the visitors to a quick three-and-out, and the Cats scored a third TD on the ensuing punt return, when Killingsworth received the ball and handed off to Liam Bishop, who took it 80 yards to the end zone.

Cash Mobley had a big block on the play.

Check out all four of Ferndale’s touchdowns above …

If there was a criticism of the Cats, it was their kicking game, with the normally sure-footed Christian Enriquez missing on all four of his PATs.

However, the senior kicker would make amends with a 29-yard field goal on the home team’s next drive to put the Cats up 21-0.

That score was set up on a Rigel Hahner fumble recovery on a Pirates kick return, one of three takeaways on the afternoon for  Ferndale.

The Wildcats continued to dominate on defense in the second half, holding the visitors to just one first down in the third quarter.

Shortly after Enriquez’s field goal, Ferndale took over possession again on downs and the offense went back to work.

Just four plays later, Bishop closed out the scoring on a two-yard TD run, a score that was set up on a long run by Bishop to the Santa Ynez two-yard line.

The Pirates to their credit kept battling and pieced together their best drive of the second half on their ensuing possession, but it stalled inside the Ferndale 30 and the Cats took over again on downs.

The Wildcats all but ended the game on their next possession, a drive that was kept alive on a Bishop fumble recovery on a return after the Pirates had forced a punt.

The drive, which featured some nice runs by Mobley, would eventually end on a field goal attempt in the final minute of the game.

Ferndale senior Brandon Bailey also had a first-half fumble recovery as well as half a sack with McClurg, with Hahner also finishing with a sack.

The Cats enjoyed good field possession for most of the afternoon, in part because of some poor punting by the visitors, with five of Ferndale’s first seven drives starting in Santa Ynez territory and the eighth starting at midfield.

The game also featured a matchup between head coaches and first cousins Clint McClurg of Ferndale and Josh McClurg of Santa Ynez, with the longtime Cats coach earning bragging rights.

The loss dropped the Pirates to 1-3 on the season.

The Pirates won the JV game, dropping the Cats to 1-1.

Next up, the Wildcats will play at Fall River next Friday night.