Sports
Wharton Football Falls to Dr. Phillips 35-14
The Wharton Wildcats battled Dr. Phillips in the regional quarterfinals, but came up short. It was a bitter end to an otherwise good season.
Wharton High School's Wildcats (5-6) had been riding a hot streak into the playoffs, beating rival Alonso and winning four games in a row down the last half of the season. However, they ran into a Dr. Phillips team that smothered them.
"We didn't move the ball," said Wildcat head coach David Mitchell. "Penalties killed us, too."
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The Panthers were up 21-7 before Wharton closed it to 21-14 at the half on a run by junior Vernon "Creed" Hargeaves.
The Wildcats were within 14 points at certain points in the second half but the Panthers slammed the door on a 52-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and a nine-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
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"They ran a zone read and got plenty of yards on the ground," said Mitchell. "We missed some tackles and it cost us a couple of touchdowns."
The lopsided loss cannot diminish what the Wildcats have done in 2011.
"The kids played hard 'till the end, they never quit," said Mitchell.