By John Morgan, Sports Editor
Collinsville 27-Ider 6
Both teams needed the win. Both teams played their game. The rain came down. And in the end, Collinsville beat Ider 27-6 Friday night.
Ider took the opening kick-off and moved down the field with their ball control running – ten straight rushes. Five minutes off the clock. About to grab a lead. And then they fumbled on the four.
Collinsville took over and played their game – big plays, getting the ball to their speedy players. Seven plays and 96 yards. Three passes, four runs. Touchdown and 7-0 lead. And it only took them two minutes.
Ider responded well, taking a short kickoff and moving down the field for its only touchdown. Then they onside kicked and recovered it moving to the seven. And they fumbled again.
The hard night for Ider began before the game. “We lost our quarterback this morning,” said Hornet Coach Brent Tinker. “We were banged up and playing a bunch of tenth graders. Not scoring those two times we were way down there didn’t help us any. But I thought we played hard.”
Collinsville would score two more quick TDs before the half when they had a 21-6 lead. After the half the rain came down – an inch and a half by the end of the game. Collinsville was able to add another TD on a short field when Ider had to gamble on a fourth down trying to stay in the game.
Panther Coach Ernie Willingham said, “We spread the field at the start and were able to break a couple of big ones. In the second half, with the rain coming down so hard, we slowed down and ran more. I thought our defense really stood up and hit them in the eye, especially in the second half.”
Defensive stars for Collinsville – the two fumbles ending Ider drives were made by Nicholas Orr and Jon Barkley. Hornet drives were also ended by big sacks on fourth down, one by Demetrie Hill in the first half and one by Mason McKinney in the second half that ended Ider’s hopes as it set up that last TD that pushed the score to 27-6.
Ider was led in rushing by Jacob Higdon and Dylan McMahon. Braxton Lassetter stepped into the QB role and played well under that pressure throwing an eleven yard pass for the Hornets’ only score. Tinker said, “We are just young – trying to learn to play.” He paused, and with a look down the field he added, “I am excited that we played so hard.”
Collinsville was led on offense by another steady game from QB Grant Jones – seven of nine for 127 yards and two TDs. The big plays to score – Trenton Nash a 17 yard run, Gerald Blakely a 14 yard run, and Dallas Reed had 67 yards rushing and 104 yards in pass receptions for two TDs, one of them on a 61 yard pass.
Willingham said, “They played their game and we only got the ball three times in the first half, but we did score TDs all three times.”
As the game ended and the rain increased, Ider made the drive back up Sand Mountain wondering how many of their hopes were washed away. Collinsville, who celebrated homecoming just as the rain was beginning, dried off realizing that their hopes are very much intact. Three region wins as they travel to Gaston this week.
“Gaston is a dangerous place to play. This win helped us, but there still may be a tie for the playoffs and we have to worry about tie breakers. We need to go down there and win”, said Willingham. As the rain came down. And lightning flashed as if in warning about the games ahead.
