CACHE — If you happened to tune-in to Sunday Night Football on NBC over the weekend, you would’ve spotted the Cache Bulldogs high school football team on the halftime highlight reel.
CACHE, AMERICA WAS ON NATIONAL TELEVISION!
Did you have to blink to make sure your eyes weren’t deceiving you?
Yes, Cache did in fact make national television and deservingly so thanks to running back Arthur McDonald’s 72-yard bulldozing touchdown run when he ran roughshod over, through and around Newcastle defenders last Thursday night.
“This run represents everything that the Bulldogs are this year — hence our season motto #CodeofthePack,” McDonald said.
The video — taken by wide receiver Brandon Pauley’s mother and given to older brother and Cache alum Devin to distribute on social media — went viral.
Soon, outlets across the country began picking it up and asking for permission to show the clip. Even SportsCenter’s Twitter page tweeted out the video with the caption, ‘CAN’T. BE. TACKLED. #SCtop10”.
“I had a little hope that they would see it, but I didn’t expect it to get this huge,” said Devin Pauley, a freshman at the University of Oklahoma who played for the Bulldogs last year. “I knew it was worthy of the attention though because that was a Marshawn Lynch-type run.”
McDonald’s magnificent run really was “Beast Mode” worthy.
While showing the viral video taken by the Pauley’s — intertwined with clippings from KSWO’s great highlight angle courtesy of the talented Kyle Weatherly — the Sunday Night Football halftime crew of Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison all applauded McDonald for his inspiring run.
Keep in mind that trio includes one of the best sports broadcasters in the country, one of the NFL’s most iconic former coaches and a former All-Pro safety who is also a two-time Super Bowl champion.
If you get praise from that trio, you better believe you earned it.
That moment in the national limelight can do wonders to team, school and community morale.
“It was amazing to see how a video in Cache, Oklahoma would go crazy viral over the whole country,” Cache Athletic Director Lonnie Nunley said. “It was and still is neat to see the response and recognition to Arthur, our entire football team, school and community. Simply amazing and fun to watch.
“As always, it’s a ‘great day to be a Bulldog.’”
Cache head coach Faron Griffin also realizes how impactful this is across the board.
“It was good for our program, our school and our community to get positive national attention,” Griffin said. “I am proud of our entire team and their efforts this season.”
As for McDonald himself, he was shocked his highlight picked up so much steam, but he credits the big play to his offensive line, which made several great downfield blocks to assist his gladiator-like tackle breaking.
“It was amazing to see myself on national TV. My family from all over the country was able to see the results of all the hard work I put in over the offseason in preparation for this season,” McDonald said. “I am grateful and humbled by all the support from the Cache community and my fellow teammates. They were a big part of this win and the run.”
NBC Sports PR released data from the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots broadcast which revealed the matchup was the highest rated SNF showing since Week 1 of 2017 and the top rating for a Week 6 SNF game in 13 seasons.
You can bet thousands of extra eye balls caught McDonald’s highlight reel at halftime.
Here’s how the run unfolded.
Bulldozing his way up the middle, McDonald shook off one tackler he dragged for five yards before he kept steamrolling ahead.
Whichever or however many Racers got in his way, none stood a chance at stopping him.
As he made his way past midfield, another pair of Newcastle defenders tried to bottle him up.
Both failed.
McDonald kept plowing ahead before trucking and spin moving his way past a defender at the 35. At that point, there were seven Racers around him but McDonald somehow broke free down the sideline home free the remaining 30 yards for the emphatic score which gave Cache a 36-0 lead in the Bulldogs’ dominating 45-13 road win over Newcastle.
“Arthur made a great run,” Griffin said. “He hit the hole hard and refused to go down.”
Rylan Stiles, who does the play-by-play for Cache on the Oklahoma Sports Network, had a fantastic call on McDonald’s touchdown run which he capped off with “Ba da ba ba ba, I’m lovin’ it!” stealing the McDonald’s catchy slogan.
Every diehard football fan was loving Arthur’s run.
McDonald finished with 140 yards on 11 carries and in the last two weeks, the senior has racked up 289 rushing yards and three touchdowns — two of which have come from 70-plus yards out — all while averaging an absurd 17 yards per carry.
“As long as he’s running like that, I’m gonna feed him the football,” Griffin had said after McDonald’s eruption against Elk City.
McDonald has been a talented running back for quite some time, but there seems to be something in the Cache water these past few weeks.
Just call every day #MotivationMonday because that’s what is really fueling McDonald and the 10th-ranked Bulldogs, who are now 6-1.
For McDonald, the national attention is great but now it’s time to get back to business as the Bulldogs hunt down a district title in 4A-1.
“As for the national attention for Cache, it’s good and all, but we are focused on the task at hand and that is to have a complete season and make it to the championship,” McDonald said. “We are working hard for our next opponent (Weatherford) and I’m sure we will have our hands full.”
Pauley attends most Cache games to support his former teammates and his brother Brandon, who scored two touchdowns against Newcastle and two more against Elk City the week prior.
His unwavering support is a given, but the former Bulldog is thrilled to see his team receiving national recognition because they deserve it.
“It’s pretty exciting seeing my school get this national attention,” Pauley said. “It just goes to show the hard work that my old coaches and my old teammates have been putting in. They have playmakers all over the field that are capable of making huge plays that just ‘wow’ the crowd.”
Arthur McDonald and the Cache Bulldogs wowed not only the crowd but also America.