Tigers put wraps on 10-0 season

By: Montley Franks
Miami News Record

COMMERCE - Sophomore fullback James Sullivan rushed for 181 yards on 12 carries and scored four touchdowns to lead the sixth-ranked Commerce Tigers to a 39-0 shutout over the Quapaw Wildcats Thursday night, in the regular season finale at Tiger Field.

Champions of District A-5 for the fourth consecutive season, coach Rick Trimble's Tigers finish 7-0 in the district and 10-0 on the season.

The loss drop coach James Dawson's Wildcats to 3-4 in the district and 4-6 on the year.

Commerce remains at home next Friday to host Newkirk at 7:30 p.m. in the first round of the state Class A playoffs.

Sullivan (5-10, 205) electrified the partisan crowd on the first play from scrimmage by getting to the outside and racing 67 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. The extra point by Logan Cawyer into a stiff 28-mph southeast wind blew the kick wide left with 11:38 left in the first quarter.

After stopping the Wildcats on their first possession, the Tigers drove 60 yards in only four plays to increase their lead to a 12-0 margin.

A 28-yard run by Sullivan and a 21-yard pass play from Klint Reading to Micah Littlejohn sustained the Commerce drive.

Reading hit Littlejohn over the middle for a 2-yard touchdown pass with 8:16 left in the first quarter. The two-point conversion pass by Reading fell short as the Tigers maintained a 12-0 lead.

Following another staunch defensive stand by Commerce, the Tigers mounted a 72-yard, six-play drive. Reading ended the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run and Cawyer's extra point gave the Tigers a 19-0 cushion with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter.

A 2-yard punt into the stiff wind by Quapaw's Levi Prewitt gave Commerce the ball at the Wildcat 10 yard line midway through the second quarter.

Reading connected with Cawyer on a 9-yard pass play before Sullivan crashed over from the 1-yard line with 4:11 until halftime. Cawyer's PAT fluttered wide right at the Tigers built a 25-0 cushion.

Commerce defensive tackle Chad Trease made the first of two fumble recoveries to give the Tigers the ball at the Wildcat 42-yard line.

After a 29-yard run by Sullivan and an 11-yard run by Tim Osborn, Commerce received a 2-yard touchdown plunge by Sullivan with 35 seconds before halftime. The extra point by Cawyer created a 32-0 Commerce lead at intermission.

Trease recovered another Quapaw fumble at the Wildcat 34-yard line with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

Relying on five carries for 33 yards by Sullivan, the Tigers scored the final points of the game as Sullivan plunged over from 1-yard out. The PAT by Cawyer gave Commerce a 39-0 lead with 8:56 left in the third quarter.

The Tigers generated 375 yards in total offense, which included 291 yards on the ground. Along with Sullivan's 181 yards, the Tigers received 51 yards on nine carries by Osborn and 33 yards on nine carries by Josh Pilkinton.

Reading completed 8 of 11 passes for 84 yards and one TD without an interception.

Littlejohn led the Tiger receiving corps with four catches for 37 yards along with two receptions for Cawyer for 20 yards.

Quapaw's offense was limited to 84 total yards, all on the ground. Trey Dawson rushed for 33 yards on 15 carries to lead the Wildcats.