Wildcats find new life after halftime

Talk about a reversal of fortune for Las Vegas.

Displaying its lack of experience early against visiting Cimarron-Memorial on Friday night, the Wildcats' offense was without rhythm, the defense without recognition.

Las Vegas quarterback Marvin Campbell was 2 of 11 for 63 yards in the first half and the Spartans consistently had the Wildcats off balance, fooling them with a variety of hand-off plays.

Then the second half started and a new team emerged from the Las Vegas locker room, one that erupted for 191 yards in the third quarter that resulted in a 34-26 victory.

Must have been one heck of a halftime speech.

"We were right there in the first half," Campbell said of the Wildcats (2-2). "We had a couple plays that could've broken it open. But we got on the same page at halftime.

"They came out ready to play, really aggressive off the ball."

Added Wildcats coach Chris Faircloth: "(Cimarron) just came out and got after us, no doubt about it. They were more ready to play the game than we were. But our kids kinda settled down and understood the intensity Cimarron played with. The halftime atmosphere was really bad, and I think they just got tired of just letting things slide away."

After Zerrick Pryor opened the Wildcats' second-half offensive explosion with a 56-yard touchdown reception on a perfectly executed screen pass, things went from bad to worse for the Spartans (2-1).

In order: fumbled kickoff return, ensuing 15-yard Robert Hackett touchdown run for the Wildcats, interception, ensuing 7-yard Emery Schexnayder TD run for Las Vegas.

In just more than 12 minutes -- with a fourth touchdown early in the final quarter -- the Wildcats turned a 12-point deficit into a 15-point lead.

"We connected and made plays when we needed to," Campbell said. "This was a big growing experience for our young guys. Now they know that we can come from behind and compete."

Added Faircloth: "We recognized what was going on. We've been in games and they've turned out bad, but tonight I think we just jelled. This will really get something going. We can definitely use what we learned tonight in the future."

What truly aided the Wildcats was their ability to adjust, on the field and on the sidelines.

While the Las Vegas coaches solved a problem with the defense -- after yielding chunks of yards up the middle in the first quarter, the Wildcats' defensive line started to recognize Cimarron's quick dive and shut it down -- the team's wide receivers adjusted to passes in midair, and that made the difference in the third quarter.

"They did a great job of competing for the ball," Campbell said of his receiving corps. "Cimarron started bringing pressure in the second half, but in the first half we were just a little off on our timing routes."

Said Las Vegas wideout Michael Alexander, who finished with 127 yards on six receptions: "I knew they would try to press me, but I kept beating them and shaking them and getting downfield as fast as I could. I trust Marvin to put the ball where it needs to be, all day.

"I like being physical a lot more. Better highlights. Better tapes to send to colleges."