Cross Plains' Hutchins Is Built Ford Tough
By: David Robinett
Updated: October 10, 2012
Things are going well in Cross Plains this year. The Buffaloes have gone from a winless 2010 to three wins and a playoff berth in 2011 to three wins in only five starts this year.
At the center of this revival is senior Blake Hutchins who scored all of Cross Plains' points in a 27-12 district win at Roscoe last week. The 6-1, 200-pounder rushed for four TDs (87, 6, 6, and 3 yards), carrying the ball 33 times for 230 yards. He also kicked three PATs. And if that wasn't enough, he added six tackles on defense. The win was Cross Plains' first on the road in nearly three years, setting up this week's showdown against district rival Roby.
Blake is all-district in football, basketball, and baseball (shortstop and right-handed pitcher) and ran legs on two relay teams that qualified for the regional track meet last spring. He wants to keep playing football after high school (West Texas A&M is most interested to date) and his 3.8 GPA average (top 10% of his class) will be no deterrent. He's heavily involved in FFA and other community projects.
"Winning that first one on the road was a big hurdle and Blake was the guy who got us over the hump," says Coach Daniel Purvis. "When we needed it, Blake gave us his best all-around performance. He's the type of player who gets stronger as the game goes along. We just give him the ball and watch him go!"
At the center of this revival is senior Blake Hutchins who scored all of Cross Plains' points in a 27-12 district win at Roscoe last week. The 6-1, 200-pounder rushed for four TDs (87, 6, 6, and 3 yards), carrying the ball 33 times for 230 yards. He also kicked three PATs. And if that wasn't enough, he added six tackles on defense. The win was Cross Plains' first on the road in nearly three years, setting up this week's showdown against district rival Roby.
Blake is all-district in football, basketball, and baseball (shortstop and right-handed pitcher) and ran legs on two relay teams that qualified for the regional track meet last spring. He wants to keep playing football after high school (West Texas A&M is most interested to date) and his 3.8 GPA average (top 10% of his class) will be no deterrent. He's heavily involved in FFA and other community projects.
"Winning that first one on the road was a big hurdle and Blake was the guy who got us over the hump," says Coach Daniel Purvis. "When we needed it, Blake gave us his best all-around performance. He's the type of player who gets stronger as the game goes along. We just give him the ball and watch him go!"
