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AHS handles Strayhorn 41-7 in playoff opener |
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Saturday, 07 November 2009 |
By JAMES CARSKADON
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ACKERMAN — The Ackerman Indians will advance to the second round of he MHSAA Class 2A playoffs after a 41-7 victory over Strayhorn on Friday night.
Junior tailback John Cummings only touched the ball twice, but he took advantage of both opportunities, scoring two touchdowns.
Cummings’ only carry of the night was a 16-yard run on the Indians’ first drive to make the score 7-0.
His second touch was a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown. Cummings almost fumbled the punt, but he then regrouped and broke free down the sideline, eluding several defenders along the way.
Cummings gave credit to his special teams teammates for the return.
“I just tried to get the ball back, and I saw my teammates hustling downfield to block for me,” Cummings said. “They could have just gave up but they stuck with me.”
Ackerman’s defense was once again a forced to be reckoned with. The Indians gave up only 89 yards of total offense.
The only negative for the Ackerman defense was a 46-yard touchdown run by Strayhorn’s Jerry Atkinson, which came against Ackerman’s second and third team players with 4:30 left in the game. The touchdown run ended Ackerman’s streak of five consecutive shutouts.
Cummings, who also plays defensive back, was dissappointed to see the streak come to an end.
“Man, I almost cried,” Cummings joked. “They tried, the JV played good. They played their hearts out and I can’t be mad at them.”
Strayhorn head coach Alan Walker viewed scoring and breaking Ackerman’s shutout streak as something to build on in the offseason.
“That’s a milestone for us. That’s something to build on,” Walker said.
The Indians only had their first string offense on the field for four possessions in the first half, but they scored on three of those possessions, and the other ended in a missed field goal.
Andrew Furr completed a 16-yard pass to Nolan Long to make the score 14-0 in the first quarter.
K.J. Woods took a handoff from Furr and ran 50-yards to put another touchdown on the board, and late in the first half Cody Harris scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to give the Indians a 34-0 lead at the break.
Backup quarterback Dakota Brasher hit Mannie Batts on a 45-yard touchdown pass for the Indians only score of the second half.
Ackerman coach Adam Dillinger was pleased with the way his first string played when its in the game.
“We came out pretty fast and were able to get, which is what we were hoping we could,” Dillinger said.
Senior running back Shawn Stricklin made a brief appearance in the lineup tonight before deciding not to test his severely sprained ankle.
Stricklin had one carry for 12 yards, and did come back into the game after that carry.
“He looked like he ran fine, when he got tackled he got kinda sore, but that was to be expected, and we feel like he’ll be fine,” Dillinger said.
Strayhorn, which has only had a football team for three years, was a heavy underdog in this game, but wanted to make a statement.
“I told my guys it’s like a David versus Goliath situation,” coach Walker said. “I was just wanted to make a statement that we’re a three-year-old program but we’ll hit you, and I think our guys did that tonight.”
Ackerman will host their second round playoff game next Friday against Hollandale Simmons, which beat Walnut by a score of 38-6.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 08 November 2009 )
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