Cross sends message with 38-14 win over Scott’s Branch
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By Neill Kirkpatrick
Special to the HSSR
Cross – Friday night at A.E. Ravenel Stadium aka “The House of Blue” but if you were a Scott’s Branch Eagle you may have called it the “House the of Pain” as the 4th ranked (HSSR) Cross Trojan’s led by their “Blue Steel Defense” beat down the 13th ranked (HSSR) Eagles 38-14 to move to 4-0 in region 5A play.
The Trojan’s defense was so suffocating that they held the Eagles to minus five yards in the first half. Counting the first two drives in the second half the Eagles had a grand total of 11 yards. Leading the charge for the Trojans were Touchstone Energy North/ South All Star Michael Bennett, William Grant, Jailyn Broughton, and Khalil Levine to name a few.
“The defense was relentless in their attack all night. We knew coming in that Scott’s Branch had a potent, quick strike offense so challenged our guys to give their all, play with a lot of effort and dominate up front. They did just that,” said Cross head coach Shaun Wright.
Scott’s Branch head coach Patrick Fleming said, “When you play a great team like Cross, you have to make some plays on offense to help out your defense. They did not allow us to do anything.”
The win moved Cross to 7-1 overall with two region games left against Bethune Bowman (3-5/3-1) and rival Baptist Hill (5-2/3-0). The battle with the Bobcat’s to end the regular season could also be for the Region 5A championship.
The loss by the Eagles snapped a five-winning streak and was their first loss in the region. The Eagles can still get a home play off game if they can win out and finish in second in the region.
The Blue Steel defense showed the Eagles that it was a going to be a long night on the Eagles opening possession. Pressure from Bennett and Broughton up the middle on all three pass attempts forced a quick punt.
The Trojans would score on their first possession as they went 60 yards in 5-plays to take a 8-0 lead. After the Trojans reached the Eagles 31, the Eagles defense stiffened and forced the Trojan offense into a 4th and 18 at their 39. Quarterback Tyler Harris dropped back to pass looking hit something over the middle for the first down, but no one was open so he looked right, saw Mah'ky Green and hit him with the pass. Green caught the ball and took off down the right side and outran everyone to the end zone.
The Eagles defense led by Nyren Bowman and Ty Quan Williams forced the Trojan’s to go three and out on their next possession.
The Eagles last three possessions of the ended with negative 8 yards gained. The Trojans’ Jimmy Smith had a sack.
Meanwhile, the Trojan offense would extend the lead to 14-0 when Levine burst up the gut for 22-yard touchdown run, his first of the night. The ended a 52-yard, 11-play drive. Green had three carries for 22 yards on the drive.
The biggest play of the night for the Eagles happened on the ensuing kickoff. Quintin Jackson received the kick at his 20 and went up the middle. He saw some day light to the right. Made a cut and ran down the sideline for an 80-yard return for a touchdown cutting the Trojan lead to 14-6.
The Eagle defense made a stop giving the offense the ball at their own 20 with 2:44 to go on the half . They moved the ball out to their 47 before a sack by Levine and Bennett forced the Eagles into a third and 20. On the next play Eagle quarterback Jaiven Conyers was forced to scramble around. He went left and then came back right and ran right into the Referee and lost the ball. Levine picked it up at the 15 and ran the ball into the end zone for a Trojan touchdown with no time on the clock The team’s went to the half with the Trojan’s up 22-6.
Despite scoring 22 points in the first half the Trojan offense sputtered for most of the half but in the second half they ran the ball at will against a tiring Eagle defense.
“I wasn’t happy with way the offense performed in the first half. We told the guys that we were going to run the wedge play and establish the line of scrimmage. The Trojan’s running backs would get behind the line and rush for 230 yards and two more touchdowns.
The first was on an 8-yard run by Levine to cap a 47-yard drive. He had the last three carries on the drive. The second score came on a 58-yard run by Green. The touchdown run put Green over the 100-yard mark as he finished the game with 129 yards and two touchdowns.
The Eagles Conyers would connect with Christian Green from three yards out for the final score of 38-14.
“This was a big win for us but we have a lot to clean up. I’m proud of how hard we played and fought all night,” said coach Wright.
Fleming said, “ we have to go back to the lab and fix the things we did wrong and get better before next week. We take it one week at a time.”
