THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Weatherford High School Athletics

BURLESON – A week after freshman quarterback C.J. Thornton went down with an AC joint injury in his shoulder, freshman quarterback Cutter Kennedy stepped in and stepped up for the Weatherford Kangaroos as they faced off against the Burleson Elks in search of their first win of the season. The Roos and Elks battled it out in an entertaining contest at Burleson ISD Stadium and, in the end, Weatherford was able to hold off the young Burleson squad by a final score of 35-21. The Weatherford defense forced Burleson to turn the ball over on downs on its opening drive after the Elks were able to drive into Weatherford territory, and the Kennedy-led offense capitalized. Kennedy marched the Roos down the field, converted a fourth-and-four play in the red zone and then took it in himself from a yard out to put the visitors ahead 7-0 with 4:39 left in the opening quarter. The lead did not last long, though, as Elk running back Nate Jackson knifed through the Weatherford defense for a 51-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with only one minute and six seconds off the clock from the previous drive. However, the Roos were able to drive the length of the field and scored on the first play of the second quarter to regain the lead at 14-7 after junior Colton McClure found paydirt on a 6-yard jet sweep. After the Weatherford defense forced a Burleson fumble, the Roos extended their lead to 21-7 after senior running back Joseph Polk capped off the scoring drive with a 1-yard rushing score. The Roo defense got another stop and seemed poised to score again after senior tight end Will Jordan put the Roos at the Elk eight yard line following his 41-yard catch-and-run play in the second quarter’s waning moments, but the Burleson defense came up with a big play. Kennedy was looking to throw a fade to the corner of the end zone, but the pass was underthrown and intercepted by Burleson defensive back Tre Cushionberry. Then, the sophomore dazzled Burleson ISD Stadium with a 104-yard pick-six that cut the halftime deficit to 21-14. Each team failed to score on their respective opening drives to open the third, but Polk broke through for the visitors with a 15-yard rushing touchdown with 5:47 to go in the quarter to increase Weatherford’s lead to 28-14. The home team showed not quit as quarterback Kaden Ward led his team to the end zone by sneaking across the goal line from a yard out with 7:11 left in regulation to trim the deficit to 28-21. The Roos then milked the clock on a long scoring drive. McClure converted two big third downs on the march down the field and Kennedy found Jordan in the end zone from 13 yards out to put the game on ice with 2:12 left and a 35-21 lead. A few moments later, inclement weather put a stop to the action as the teams mutually agreed to end the contest. The Roos (2-1) will play at home against Crowley at 7:30 p.m. Friday on homecoming night while the Elks (0-3) search for their first win at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against Midlothian Heritage to open up district play.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Weatherford High School Athletics

WEATHERFORD BESTS BURLESON

GEOFF HEPPES

Weatherford Democrat | 9/9/2023

PHOTO CREDIT: Staff