Nearly 10 minutes rolled off the clock in the first quarter as the Soddy Daisy Trojans trudged their way down the field on their opening drive of the game. And their relentless trudge showed no signs of stopping.
Run after run, and two fourth down conversions lead Soddy Daisy all the way down inside of Red Bank’s 15 yard line. And with a play call that worked night and day on the opening drive, Head Coach of the Trojans, Carter Cardwell, went right back to it.
The play call was a handoff down the middle that was then bounced outside after being met by the Lion’s defensive front. And when the ball made its way to the outside the ball was poked free by a Red Bank player and was then scooped up by Lion’s linebacker, Logan McGinnis. McGinnis would then take off down the field.
Running and maneuvering past Soddy Daisy players he would eventually fly past the white line of the endzone and put an end to a just under 10-minute drive from the Trojans.
The Lions defense would go on to dominate the night racking up six total turnovers which helped them on their way to a 14-0 win over the Trojans.
McGinnis believes his team forcing fumbles was a huge key to their shutout win.
“I think the best thing we did on defense is you know fumbles. It changed the whole game, because they were going real well until we did that,” said McGinnis.
Red Bank forced three fumbles on the night and would recover all three. And like McGinnis’s fumble recovery touchdown they all came in key moments and were after lengthier drives from Soddy Daisy.
The Lion’s defense simply controlled this game through and through, and nobody was happier about it than their Head Coach, Ted Gatewood.
Coach Gatewood commented on why his defense played so well after the game.
“They play great as a unit. They play great together and they play great assignment football. Ted Lockerby (Redbank Defensive Coordinator) does a fantastic job with that defensive staff, of giving defenses things that are difficult. He did a good job of that, and our kids did a good job of executing that plan.”
It surely was a plan executed to perfection.
On another note, the Lion’s continue to have bad luck at the QB position. Original starter Eric Hill has been ruled out for the season with a leg injury, and in this contest the new starter, Sean Brune is now out with an injury. So, the Lion’s faithful will now lay their fate in the hands of third string freshman, Mario Willis.
Coach Gatewood talked about what Willis brings to this team after the game.
“Well, Mario is a young freshman, a young man that is a tough kid. He’s really got a good football intellect, and he’s been working hard ever since he’s been with us this summer. And then, you know he throws a good ball, but it’s just one of those things, you know when you get under those lights and give him his opportunity, he’s gonna make some plays, but he’s gonna grow up also.”
Willis in this contest showed some flashes of how he can continue to help his Redbank team secure wins. And he hopes to do that exact thing in their game next week.
Red Bank will take their undefeated division record back home and put it on the line next Friday night against the Sequoyah Chiefs.
SUMMARY
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SODDY DAISY
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0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
-- 0
|
|
RED BANK
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
-- 14
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RB Logan McGinnis 86 fumble return (Malachi Stephensen kick) (2:02, 1st)
RB Oliver Merritt 2 run (Stephensen kick) (11:05, 2nd)
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STATS
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SD
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RB
|
|
First Downs
|
13
|
6
|
|
Rushes-Yards
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45-155
|
20-57
|
|
Passing Yards
|
108
|
75
|
|
Total yards
|
263
|
132
|
|
Passing (Comp-Att-Int)
|
7-16-3
|
8-13-0
|
|
Penalties-Yards
|
9-80
|
8-85
|
|
Punts-Average
|
2-35.5
|
4-39.3
|
|
Fumbles-Lost
|
3-3
|
1-1
|
Individual Stats
Rushing: Gage Welch 18-60; Sean Collison 8-38; Tucker Ross 11-35; Corbin York 7-19; Tyler Eddy 1-3 (SD); Caden Loveless 1-20; Mario Willis 6-15; Oliver Merritt 8-12; Cordell Howard 5-10 (RB).
Passing: Tucker Ross 7-16-3 for 108 yards (SD); Sean Brune 3-5-0 for 47 yards; Mario Willis 5-8-0 for 28 yards (RB).
Receiving: Blake Castelin 1-57; Tyler Eddy 3-27; Gage Welch 1-9; Keagan Hickman 2-5 (SD); Cordell Howard 3-43; Turner Humphrey 1-20; Caden Loveless 2-16; Drayden Collier 2-2 (RB).
Records: Soddy Daisy 2-5 (Region 3-4A 1-3); Red Bank 4-2 (Region 3-4A 3-0)
(Contact Gray Deyo at sports@chattanoogan.com)