Bushland Falcons 2009

Coach David Flowers has built a top program at Bushland in just three years of competing at the varsity level. The Falcons, under Flower’s tutelage, have gone 23-9 in those three years and reached the playoffs every year but the first. The only problem for the 2008 district champion team was the same as 2007, drawing the state champion in the first round of the playoffs.  After losing to defending champion Stratford in bi-district in 2007, the Falcons again bowed out in the first round to an eventual state champion, Muleshoe.

The Falcons, led by the school’s first Division I signee, Andrew Hudson, who will  attend Oklahoma State, went undefeated in the regular season and won their first outright district championship.

Bushland began the season with victories over three Class 3-A teams and improved to 4-0 by avenging the 2007 loss to now Class 1-A, Stratford, 39-21.  A 32 – 6 thumping of Floydada gave the Falcons a perfect record entering district play.

The Falcons made a strong statement of their ability to win the title in the very first district game as they defeated Sanford Fritch 34-0.  A 23-13 win over Spearman and convincing 48-27 victory over Panhandle put the team at 3-0 in district with the two bottom teams, Amarillo River Road and Amarillo Highland Park to play.  42-3 and 44-0 victories gave the Falcons the 5-0 district record and perfect 10-0 regular season.

Muleshoe, ranked in the top 10 all season, dominated with its strong passing game and sent Bushland home 34-20 and still looking for the first playoff win in school history.

Fourteen lettermen graduated, but Flowers has already built a tradition-laden team and returns eight starters on both defense and offense.

Seniors Crockett Gillmore, Michael Mathews, and linemen Colton Blessen and Caleb Mendoza will each start on both sides of the ball during the 2009 season. Mendoza led the defense with 74 tackles, 42 assists, three sacks and two fumble recoveries on his way to being selected to all-district second team along with Blessen, a second team offensive line awardee. Gillmore and Mathews both received first team all-district honors as juniors and will lead the receiving corps where Flowers consider them to be all-state potential athletes.  Gilmore returns with 35 receptions for 614 yards and 14 touchdowns. Mathews, the second leading rusher behind Sawyer Cornelius, ran for 606 yards and nine touchdowns.  The double threat also caught four touchdowns.  “He is a threat running or receiving,” Flowers said.

Cornelius, an all-district three-sport athlete, will again guide the offense at quarterback.  The senior threw for 1,377 yards and 17 touchdowns en route to being named to the all-district first team. “He is smart and has great touch on the ball,” Flowers said of the signal caller who completed over 50 percent of his pass attempts.

With three first team offensive players returning, the Falcons also have the luxury of a first team all-district defensive player who mans the punting duties where he received second team honors. Defensive back, punter Caleb McGuire accounted for 67 solo tackles and averaged 34 yards per punt.

Mason Harris, a second team all-district honoree, leads the junior class at running back.

Underclassmen also expected to contribute are lineman Brett Sickles and quarterback heir apparent, Brett Wilhelm.

Seniors, linebacker Tyler Moore, receiver Rawley Gomez and Gary Walsmith complete the list of returning starters for the Falcons as they prepare for what they hope is another chance at the school’s first playoff victory.

The season begins, as it did last season, with three Class 3A opponents as Flowers looks to give his team strong pre-district competition.

The Falcons open the season with two home games against Lubbock Cooper on August 28 and Perryton on September 4 before traveling to Borger the following Friday. A trip to defending state 1-A champion Stratford on September 18 will prepare the team for its final pre-district encounter against Floydada on September 25.

After a bye week, the Falcons travel to Fritch before entertaining Spearman. Panhandle, the team expected to give Bushland the most difficulty in repeating as district champion, will host the Falcons on October 23. The season ends with River Road at home and then on the road at Highland Park.