By John Morgan,
Sports Writer
Collinsville 28-Horseshoe Bend 14
It wasn’t a complete game, but it was closer. Collinsville had two long drives in the first half for touchdowns and two quick drives in the second half aided by turnovers for two more TDs to defeat Horseshoe Bend 28-14 Friday night. The offense was overseen by another steady Grant Jones job at quarterback – 12 of 15 passes for 135 yards and two TDs. Dallas Reed gained 68 yards rushing and Gerald Blakely had 65 yards rushing and receiving.
On defense, the Panthers knew that they had to at least slow down running back Joseph Hill. He was described by Collinsville Coach Ernie Willingham as “as good a back as anyone we will play against this year.” Hill rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns, but it took him 27 rushes to get those yards. And he only had one run over ten yards until halfway through the third quarter. Horseshoe Bend did score two touchdowns, one aided by a Panther penalty on fourth down and the other coming on two long Hill runs after Jones’ only mistake of the night, an interception.
Willingham also said that “the kicking team really came through. We recovered two onside kicks.” The first of those kicks set up the Panthers TD in the third quarter, giving them a short 42 yard field covered by two Jones’ passes. The rest of the kicking game also played well -- punter Dominic Brockitt, kickoff s including the onside kicks by Edgar Morales, and extra points by Elijah Avila.
So Collinsville made the long over-two hour drive back home with a win. A win that they hope prepares them for the rest of the season. It was not a complete game, but it was closer.
After the game, Coach Willingham said, “I’m proud of how you played. You came back and sucked it up after they tied us up. I thought we had a lapse in the third quarter, and we can’t do that and beat the teams we have coming up. We will play this team again or another one from this region when we get in the playoffs. That’s when we get in, not if.”
Collinsville travels to Section for the first of four straight region foes Friday night.
