Mustangs crush Sylvania
It’s a long trip to Sylvania, but for Madison Academy, it is a game that could mean the difference in a playoff appearance and being a spectator.
The game started fast as a bad snap on fourth down resulted in a safety giving the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.
Following the kickoff, a play action pass from Hunter Olive to Nick Haas put the score at 9-0. A long Sylvania drive took the game to the end of the first quarter with the score remaining at 9-0. Sylvania would score in the opening 30 seconds of the second quarter on a 17-yard touchdown run, but would then miss the extra point to make the score 9-6.
The Mustangs would then embark on their own extended drive, going 84 yards and ending with a fourth down stand by the Ram defense. The Mustang defense would hold, and got the ball back after a Ram punt only traveled 14 yards.
This much shorter drive would prove successful, as Kerryon Johnson would punch the ball in from the two to push the lead to 17-6. The defense for Madison Academy would hold again and Sylvania punted it back to the Mustangs with just under one minute remaining in the first half. A quick Mustang three and out would give Sylvania the ball back, but Hunter Olive’s interception with seven seconds remaining would take the game to the half with the score 16-6.
Madison Academy began the second half with the ball. Another 60-plus yard drive would lead to Haas’s second touchdown reception from Olive. The Mustangs would fail to convert on the two-point try, leaving the score at 22-6. A prolonged Mustang drive after a fourth down stand would carry the game into the final quarter. Both defenses were not giving yards away easily, creating limited opportunities for the playmakers on both sides. However, some big scramble yards by Olive down the stretch would keep the ball under Mustang control.
That drive would be punctuated by a Logan Hamlett touchdown run. A missed extra point would leave the score at 28-6 with just under six minutes remaining in the game. The Mustang defense continued to prove a tough challenge for any offense they played. Another fourth down stop gave the Mustangs the ball with under five minutes to go.
The anomaly that sticks out in this game is the lack of penalties called on the home team while no less than eight flags were thrown resulting in numerous extra opportunities for the Rams.
Unfortunately for Sylvania, they could not capitalize. The Mustangs would methodically push the ball into the red zone, running precious seconds away from any comeback attempt. Chandler Trach would add a touchdown catch late in the fourth, and out of Justin Wimberly’s hold and Ben McCafferty’s snap, he would add the extra point to bring the score to 35-6. The scoreboard would read the same as the final horn sounded. The Mustangs improve to 4-2 and continue their recent streak of dominance in their area.
BY SCOTT WRIGHT / SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
