The middle school Cyclones for the second straight season completed the football schedule with an unblemished record and another league championship at 7-0 (Patton game makes record 8-0). Our boys only needed the first half against the ACCMS Tigers to do it with a 50-0 victory. This also was the second game with a split squad due to having that extra Patton match-up earlier.
Charles Hewins started the scoring by taking the opening kickoff 55-yards for a return touchdown. Braylon Cary powered in the PAT run, 8-0. On the Tigers first series, we pushed them back into the end zone, off of a good Hewins kick-off, for a safety with a tackle by Barrett Miller, 10-0. Soon after, Oliver Cluck hit Jude Gaither for a 44-yard, Hewins escorting, tunnel screen touchdown. Barrett Miller ran in the PAT, 18-0. The next series saw ACCMS fumble and Bryston Cross covered it. On the next play, Cross took the handoff around the left side for a 13-yard score with Cary finishing the PAT run, 26-0. A Tiger turnover on downs got us the ball back, and Cluck immediately hit Nathan Pérez for a 31-yard TD pass and run. It was Daley Garland’s turn to run the PAT in for a 34-0 first quarter score. Cross got his second score of the evening when he scooped up a Tiger fumble and returned it from 6 yards out. Jude Gaither ran in the PAT on a play we called “Rhino 6 7,” 42-0. Gaither recovered another Tiger fumble, which led to Oliver scoring on an 11-yard run. Dayson Cowden had his turn running in the PAT conversion for our final points of the night, 50-0. This eighth grade group has set some lofty standards for groups behind them to follow, but good goals to try to strive for. They never encountered a loss in league play as the two year record was 14 wins, 0 losses. This season we had a point differential to our opponents of 314 to 32 with four shutouts. That’s an average of 44.9 points for us to 4.6 for our opposition. That’s pretty good, and our B team got huge minutes throughout many games.
Our coaches wish the eighth graders much success in high school. They will need to push themselves and continue to get better as everyone will be out to “knock them off the top of the mountain.” Our seventh grade will be asked to keep the ball rolling through the NEK schedule next year. Many had experience during games this season so they should know what is expected of them. We have confidence that they will keep it chugging along.
The coaches also want to thank everyone who took the time to bring in the food and drinks for the boys before games. It was greatly appreciated by all of the players, managers, and coaches. We don’t want to forget Henry Foley and Callon McVey who were the team managers all season. You two did a great job!!
-Coach Dave Keller