Football is commonly associated with the crisp coolness of autumn evenings, the corn and leaves turning as the last vestiges of summer die. Before we breakout the hoodies, however, summer had one final moment, heating up the past week and Friday night above historical averages. At Art Sanders field, the Senators would overcome both the heat and their opponent, defeating the Mitchell Bluejackets, 73-6.
“We prepare for the heat,” said head football coach Jeremy Lowery. “You do that by practicing in it, embracing it. You have to be smart with hydration and knowing when to push them, but our team was well acclimated, and it showed up tonight.”
The Senators would receive the opening kickoff and waste little time in breaking into the scoring column with a 3 play, 50 yard drive punctuated by junior running back Charlie Armstrong’s 8 yard touchdown run. Armstrong would be the first of 9 different Senators to score touchdowns on the evening.
After a big third down hit from senior linebacker Wyatt Wallace ended the first Bluejacket drive, the Bluejackets would mishandling the ensuing punt, and junior quarterback Jent Tankersley would need just one play to find senior wide receiver Colten Brown behind the defense for a 21 yard scoring strike.
Junior safety Jaedin Warne would end the next Bluejacket drive with an interception, the first of six forced turnovers on the evening. After an errant Senator pass was intercepted, junior defensive tackle Isaac Worley would recover a fumble inside the Bluejacket 5 yard line. Senior running back Iziah Dennis would rush in for the touchdown on the very next play.
Armstrong would strip and recover the ball on the next series from his defensive end position, and 2 plays later Tankersley would find senior wide receiver Holden Russell in the corner of the endzone from 4 yards out.
The next Bluejacket drive would cross midfield, before Worley would pressure the quarterback into throwing to Dennis lined up at his cornerback position. A poor snap exchange would give the ball back to the Bluejackets, but the Senator defense would rise up to force a turnover on downs. Tankersley would flip the ball to Warne on a quick screen, who would find the endzone from 31 yards out.
A Bluejacket punt, 3 plays later, and sophomore running back Nash Washburn would run through and around the defense for a 31 yard scoring jaunt.
The Bluejackets would throw a screen pass backwards on their next scrimmage play, and Wallace would scoop up the errant lateral and rumble into the endzone from 28 yards out.
On the very next play from scrimmage, Warne would strip the Bluejacket receiver with Washburn recovering the fumble. Warne would finish the job, catching Tankersley fourth touchdown pass of the evening from 15 yards out.
A 3 and out, and Dennis would scamper in from 40 yards out. Washburn would then garner an interception, and the Senator offensive line of senior center Gavin Clunie, senior tackle Peyton Mancine, Junior tackle Isaiah Webb, Worley, sophomore guard Layne Stivers, and sophomore tackle Hayden Bowers would grind out first downs the rest of the drive to take a 59-0 advantage into halftime.
The second half would see a running clock and the JV in action from the Senators. The JV defense would end the first Bluejacket drive as sophomore defensive end Braxton Davis and sophomore defensive tackle Wyatte Briles would converge on a tackle for a loss on third down, before sophomore defensive end Hunter McCrary would wrap of the Bluejacket runner short of the line to gain on fourth down.
The Senator offense would move quickly to the red zone before sophomore quarterback Cam Poynter would find junior wide receiver Ira Suvak on a touchdown pass.
Mitchell would break into the scoring column on the ensuing possession, and after a Senator punt, freshman safety Mark Robling would end the next Bluejacket drive by breaking up a pass attempt on 4th down. Poynter would then dash into the endzone from 30 yards out on the quarterback keeper for the final score of the evening.
The Senators are in action next Friday night at Springs Valley. Kickoff is at 7 pm.