Lemoore’s partner in this “rendezvous” did its part Friday night as Hanford easily dispatched visiting Redwood High School 35-21. Two weeks ago the Tigers also beat Redwood, by a 28-14 margin. The way both teams are playing, Hanford and Lemoore could very well meet as undefeated teams when the Bullpups come visiting on Nov. 7.
The Tigers still have to get past Mt. Whitney this Friday night in Mineral King Bowl and El Diamante the following week, at Golden West High School.
For the Tigers, quarterback Cort Groathouse cemented his statistics accounting for five touchdowns, passing for three and running for two. He got the Tigers on the board first, connecting with speedster Allen Perryman on a 65-yard pass play that resulted in a touchdown and a 6-0 lead. Lemoore missed the extra point.
The Tigers are indeed riding high following a season that has seen them beat both Division I and II opponents, on their way to a perfect season. “This is exciting,” said Zack Frazier, one of the Tigers’ defensive stars. “It’s the momentum, if you go 1-0, then you have to go 2-0, then 3-0; you just have to keep going with it. And the Milk Can game, hopefully we’ll both go undefeated and it will be the best game I’ve ever had.”
Frazier said the team is excited about this season. “We always keep level-headed,” he said. “We’re always told not to be too cocky or anything. We’re always so excited for practice to begin. We want to hit the next guy we see who is not our own player. We just want to go out there and win.”
And win is just what they did Friday night. After Golden West scored its only first half touchdown, Lemoore responded with two more TDs in the first half including a 38-yard touchdown pass from Groathouse to Perryman again. The Tigers went for the 2-point PAT and led 14-6.
They scored one more time in the half when Groathouse took it in on a keeper for a 21-6 halftime lead.
Darnell Foster didn’t waste any time as he scored early in the third quarter on a 40-yard run as the Tigers took a commanding 28-6 lead. The Blazers scored twice in the third period to narrow the Tiger advantage to 28-19, but Marquis Love scored on a TD pass, and Groathouse took off on a 60-yard jaunt for his fifth TD of the night as Lemoore went up 42-19.
Tim Johnson and Jerald Campbell completed the scoring with touchdowns, Campbell’s coming on a 45-yard pass from Roger Wilson.