CAT TRACKS: Cats get No. 4 seed in 5A playoffs

The state seeding committee went by records, and 8-2 Clovis got what it wanted.

The Wildcats will have an open week to start the Class 5A playoffs, and will host either fifth-seeded Onate or No. 12 Carlsbad Nov. 20 at Leon Williams Stadium.

Mayfield, at 9-1, claims the top spot, followed by 9-1 Manzano and 9-1 La Cueva.

There was some concern Las Cruces’ Friday win over Mayfield could cause havoc for Clovis, but the Bulldawgs ended up as the seventh seed.

“Las Cruces didn’t throw a wrench in much of anything,” Clovis assistant Darren Kelley said. “Mayfield still won the district out of the tiebreaker system, and you had three teams with 9-1 records.

“(In our case) I think the biggest thing they were looking at was records. We were 8-2 and Onate was 8-2, but we won a district championship.”

Assuming top seeds win, Clovis will be doing a lot of traveling. Clovis owes playoff home games to Mayfield, La Cueva and Manzano.

Wrecking season: A 14-yard carry for Clovis wasn’t that unusual, with the Cats gaining 318 yards on the ground. But senior Kenny Davis’ lone carry for that amount set off a chant from the Clovis sidelines of “Young Wreck.”

That, Davis said, is his performing name as a rap artist. He’s been doing it since freshman year and got his name from friends telling him that he “wrecked” when he rapped.

Wherever Davis goes, he brings a small bag with a Wildcats logo. Inside that bag are copies of his CD, “Wrecking Season.”

Davis is hopeful that the playoffs will be a wrecking season for the Wildcats, winners of five straight.

“I think we’re playing a lot better than in the beginning of they season,” Davis said. “I think we have a shot at taking state.”

That notion has more universal appeal among teammates than his album, however.

“He’s selling his CD, $7 apiece,” senior lineman Jared Burns joked. “(Worst) music you can buy.”

Best drive: Leading just 10-0 at the half, the Wildcats opened the third quarter by taking away any notions of a Hobbs comeback. Wiggins had a 9-yard run to convert a third-and-3, then added a 32-yarder two plays later to get the ball inside the red zone. Travis Davis, who had 102 yards on 13 carries, punched it in from 3 yards out for the score.

Worst drive: Clovis had one three-and-out in the fourth, but already led 30-0 by that point. So the winner/loser is the second drive of the first quarter. The Wildcats got a first down on Jordan Hill’s 11-yard keeper, but lost two yards on the next three runs and were forced to punt for the first time since Oct. 9 against Eldorado. Punter/kicker Andrew North averaged averaged 32 yards on three punts, and split the uprights on a second-half kickoff (which equates to a 70-yard field goal).

Best defensive series: Hobbs opted to receive, but the Wildcats turned out to be the recipients. Tanner Wilson’s third-down pass was intercepted by junior linebacker Kevin Armstrong. His return to the Hobbs 26 was negated by a hold on the play, but Clovis scored easily on a 36-yard field to take control early.

Worst defensive series: Hobbs never got inside the Clovis 20, but the Eagles got to it once on an eight-play drive. A false start gave Hobbs a first and 15 at their own 15, but Patrick Smith busted open a screen pass for 41 yards. Hobbs got to the Wildcat 20 on a 5-yard run on a third-and-7 play later in the drive, but Pablo De La Rosa knocked down a fourth-down pass in the end zone. De La Rosa added two interceptions on jump ball plays later, and Emery Sierra added his fourth interception of the year.