Pictured is Joesph Welsh, picture courtesy of Brad Anderson 

The payback tour continued for the Abilene Cowboy football team.  They defeated Circle 41-8 on Abilene’s Homecoming night.  The Thunderbirds beat the Cowboys 40-0 last season.  Abilene improved to 5-1 with the victory, while Circle dropped to 1-5.  Last year, the Thunderbirds were  8-3 and reached the 4A quarterfinals.

Abilene got on the board first with a 7 yard run by Senior, Zach Miller, with 8:26 to play in the opening quarter, to give the Cowboys a 7-0 lead.  On Abilene’s second possession, Senior, Stocton Timbrook connected with Junior, Weston Rock on 4th and 8 play, for a 25 yard touchdown.  The score increased the Cowboy lead to 14-0 with 5:08 to play in the 1st quarter.

Circle made it interesting in the 2nd quarter.  The Thunderbirds pressured Timbrook and stripped the ball from him and took possession at the Abilene 5 yard line.  Circle scored 3 plays later on a 3 yard touchdown run by Quarterback, Connor Chadwell.  Nick Ahles added the 2 point conversion to cut the Cowboy lead to 14-8 with 9:25 to play before halftime.

Abilene retook control of the game with 20 unanswered points to end the  first half.  Timbrook found Senior, Keaton Hargrave for a 13 yard score with 5:54 to play in the 2nd quarter, to make the score 21-8.  The Cowboys then scored a defensive touchdown for a second straight week.  Junior, Joesph Welsh scooped up a fumble and returned it 45 yards for a score to increase the lead to 27-8 with 4:58 to play in the half.  Welsh had 2 fumble recoveries and was the Nex-Tech Wireless Defensive Player of the Game.  Taygen Funston would finish off the scoring in the 2nd quarter on a 63 yard touchdown reception with 1:36 to play in the half.

The Cowboys scored their final points in dramatic style.  Timbrook connected with Hargrave on a 99 yard pass play to finish the scoring on the night.  Timbrook finished with 287 yards passing and 4 touchdowns.  He was the Nex-Tech Wireless P.O.G.  Timbrook now has 21 touchdown passes and only 1 interception on the season.

Abilene will travel to Augusta next Friday.  The Cowboys defeated the Orioles 35-14 last season.  Augusta is 2-4 and lost at Buhler 47-0.