Cowboys top Vikings, 43-6; Taylor scores three TDs, Banos two
Canyon Cowboys football improved to 2-0 with a 43-6 road victory at Hueneme on Saturday despite multiple starters missing due to injury.
The Cowboys (2-0) used a balanced offense to get the win along with a couple of key defensive plays. Senior Jeremiah Taylor was responsible for three scores, two of them on receptions and one on a pick-six.
Junior Sebastian Martinez took over quarterback duties with senior Caleb Sparks still recovering from an injury suffered in last week’s game.
“He got the start tonight and made some big plays for us, especially with Jeremiah Taylor,” Canyon head coach Ken Holsenbeck said in a phone interview with The Signal. “Jeremiah had a very good game.”
Junior Keston Banos added two rushing touchdowns and sophomore Keyshawn Wooten had one score on the ground.
Junior Evan Watts was immense on special teams, blocking two punts. Holsenbeck credited him and the rest of the Cowboys defense for limiting Hueneme (0-2) to only one scoring drive.
“Our defense and special teams really stole the show today,” Holsenbeck said. “They only had one drive, got those six points, and we had two blocked punts and at least a couple of turnovers on defense as well.”
Senior running back Ganisten Turner left the game early on with an injury, according to Holsenbeck, but the rest of the backfield corps was able to pick up the slack.
The game was originally scheduled to be played on Friday but on Thursday it was moved to Saturday due to a shortage of officials in the Citrus Coast League, according to Holsenbeck.
Last-minute changes such as this are not a problem that Holsenbeck foresees happening again, especially once Foothill League play begins. He was proud of his players, and everyone else involved with the program, for fighting through the adversity to still pull out the victory.
“Not in our league. I think this was something that the Citrus Coast League was having problems with officials, but out here where we are, we’re fine,” Holsenbeck said. “We were very frustrated over the situation, obviously … Of course, it causes disruption. All the logistics, both for families as well as the team, to have to make last-minute changes like that. But, you know, learning how to overcome adversity is one of the things we have to do in football.”
Hueneme will travel to the San Fernando Valley on Saturday to take on Heritage Christian at 7 p.m.
Canyon will return home to host Harvard-Westlake on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Holsenbeck expects Sparks to return to action in that one while Turner’s status is still up in the air.
