Despite season-opening loss, optimism runs high for Indians

The Comanche football team got their season under way at home last Friday against Mangum with the Tigers taking a 33-7 win over the Indians.

Even though his team did not win, coach Gary Robinson still found plenty to be positive about.

“I think we have got a good thing going for sure,” Robinson said. “I felt like the community was behind us. The student section was as loud as they could be; the band was doing the best job they could do and playing hard. I’ve heard it was different in the past. I think there has to be a cultural change and its changing right before my eyes. Once we get that going in the right direction, we’ll be able to start doing some good things as far as the scoreboard goes.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Magnum put three scores on the board to take a 19-0 lead at the half.

After the Tigers missed a field goal to start the second half, Comanche got on the scoreboard. On the second play following the missed field goal, running back Hollister Pollock ran a counter up the middle and scampered 79 yards untouched for the touchdown to cut the lead to 19-7.

That would be as close as they would get as Mangum would add two more touchdowns to put the game away.

“As far as the game goes, as I said before the season, the goal is to play four quarters as hard as we can,” Robinson said. “I felt like I got that out of the boys for the most part. I don’t think they ever stopped. I don’t think they hung their head at any point of the game. I’m very excited to be a part of this. I think the reason we didn’t win the game, for the most part, is because of our youth. I looked out there a couple of times and I have four freshmen in the secondary and for three-quarters of our team, it was probably their first time playing in a high school game.”

Robinson said he even got some encouraging words from Mangum’s coach.

“He said, ‘We were at last year where you are now. Next year, at this time, it’s going to be a lot better for you.’”

Quarterback Colby Shannon was 3-of-9 passing for 19 yards and an interception. He also had seven carries for 58 yards. Pollock had 12 carries for 123 yards and a score. Ayden Reed had two catches for 15 yards and Cooper Dobbins had one catch for four yards.

Kanon Clift and Koble Lewis both totaled 11 tackles to lead Comanche on defense with Lewis picking up a sack. Jaden Trumbo and Jonathan Alvarez were next with nine tackles each. Evan Dodd had eight tackles, Pollock had seven Payton Jones had five, and Brandon Lombard and Ty Lane had three each.

This week

Friday’s game at Marlow marks the beginning of a tough three-week road stretch for the Indians, who have games against Plainview and Lindsay in the following weeks.

“We’ve got three tough ones coming up,” Robinson said. “We all know that and we’re going to do what we did last Friday and fight to the very end no matter the circumstances.”

The Marlow (1-0) game is always a big rivalry game for Stephens County bragging rights regardless of records, but Robinson said they are not going to focus on the rivalry aspect of it.

“I’ve already talked to the coaches about it and we’re really not going to talk about who we’re playing this week,” Robinson said. “The number one goal is focusing on us and who we are. It’s about focusing on our teammates and each other. It’s about us.”

Robinson said it is all about growing and maturing each and every week.

“It’s about becoing a better football team, one day at a time, one practice at a time,” Robinson said. “I don’t know how the community is going to be, I can’t control that, but I can control what is coming out of this fieldhouse right here. We’re not going to make a big hype about this rivalry. We just need to get stronger, get better and focus on who we are and where we are going. We will take the team we’re playing Friday night and we’ll use them to make us better. We will play hard all four quarters.  A win for us coming out of that football game is be healthy and to be a better football team.”