Sports

Outlaws ground Eagles in first round of playoffs November 17, 2008 - No reporter cited

Dewayne Holloway
Sports Editor

DIERKS — The Dierks Outlaws took care of business early against the Conway Christian Eagles Friday night, scoring 28 unanswered points in the first quarter and went on to win their first round matchup 48-22.

Dierks played host to the Eagles, Friday, November 14, in opening round action of the 2A state playoffs.

The Eagles were hoping to continue their storybook ride in their first year of AAA sanctioned football with a win over the Dierks Outlaws, but Dierks’ experience proved to be too much for Conway Christian.

Coach David Bennett was excited about the victory and was pleased with the intensity that Dierks had in the first half.

The early lead allowed everyone to gain some playoff experience. “We were able to get everyone in the game tonight and I hope that everyone left with a good feeling,” Bennett stated after the game.

In fact, backup running back Nick Moore led all Outlaw ball carriers in yardage with 64 yards on 11 carries and one touchdown. Moore entered the game in the second quarter and saw action throughout the second half as well.

David Bray led the starters with six carries for 60 yards, a ten yard per carry average, and one TD in just over one quarter of action. Drew Walston ran 31 yards on three trips and a score.

John Alvarado added 28 yards on two carries and Chase Mitchell had one carry for 11 yards and a score.

Drew Walston went 9 for 15 in the air for 178 yards and two touchdowns with four recievers catching two passes each.

Mitchell had 75 yards and a touchdown on two catches, while Bray had two for 24 yards and a score. Justin Simmons and Alvarado also

Shaye Gilbert led the defense with 6.5 tackles followed by Ryne Shelton with four, Walston with 3.5 and Cody Stapp and Jesse Edge with three each.

Dierks started the game with the ball after a David Bray kickoff return spotted the ball on the Outlaw 34 yard line.

Conway Christian was given a rude welcome to the 2A state playoffs when Walston and Mitchell connected on a pass on the first play of the game that went 66 yards for the opening score.

The wind was to be a factor throughout the night and reared its ugly head when Walston’s first extra point attempt missed the mark.

Conway got their first opportunity on offense with just 18 seconds missing off the clock. The Dierks defense was stifling and forced a punt after only three plays.
Dierks took the ball from their own 44 yard line and drove the ball to the Eagle’s 15 yard line on runs by Bray and Alvarado, but the Outlaws took to the air for
the score and turned the ball over on downs.

Conway Christian took over on their own 20 yard line and moved the chains this time on just their second play from scrimmage.

Mitchell brought their offensive threat to a screaching halt when he intercepted a pass in the middle of the field, giving Dierks the ball on the Eagle 45 yard line. with 5:33 left in the quarter.

Bennett put the ball in the capable hands of Bray who went 45 yards on three three successive plays, scoring on an 18 yard run.

Dierks took a 14-0 lead after Walston crossed the goal line for the two point conversion with 4:52 left in the quarter.

Conway Christian started their next possession deep in their own territory after a stellar kick by Walston that pinned them on their own 11 yard line.

The Outlaws reclaimed the ball after only two plays when Edge recovered a fumble on the Eagle’s ten yard line.

Mitchell would get the call on the ground this time, scoring his second touchdown of the night on a ten yard sweep on first down for the Outlaws.

Conway Christian looked shell shocked after giving up two touchdowns in less that a minute and a half, and were unable to find any offense on their next offensive series.

The Eagles were forced into a punting situation once again, gave the Dierks offense great field posititon once again after fumbling the snap on the punt.

Dierks took over on Conway Christian’s 28 yard line and moved to the two yard line on a pass to Justin Simmons, who was stopped just shy of the goal line.

Gilbert blasted through the middle of the defense for the score, giving Dierks the 28-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The wind was in Walston’s favor on the ensuing kickoff as the ball sailed deep into the endzone for the touchback. Conway Christian tried to find some offense, moving the ball to the 27 yard line before being forced to punt into the wind.

Dierks took over on the Eagle’s 30 yard line and scored six seconds after the start of the second quarter on a 13 yard run by Walston.

Bray would add one more touchdown four minutes into the second quarter, before Bennett started giving the backups an oppurtunity at some much needed playoff experience.

On the Outlaw’s next possession, Moore took over the tailback position and showed the Dierks fans what they have to look forward to for the next two years, moving the ball 48 yards down field and scoring his first playoff touchdown on a 15 yard run up the middle of the field.

The half ended with Dierks firmly in the lead by a score of 48-0, but the Eagles tried to make the most of their first taste of the playoffs, scoring three times in the second half.

The Eagles took the kickoff to start the second half and found success against the younger Outlaws who took the field in the second half, mounting a 12 play drive that culminated in a score on a six yard run by #5.

The Eagles gave Dierks some of their own medicine on their next possession in the third quarter, when #1 broke loose on the first play from scrimmage and went 80 yards for the second Eagle touchdown of the half.

Conway Christian recovered the ensuing onside kick and sensing a momentum shift, Bennett put many of the starting defense back in the game to prevent any further surprises.

The Eagles added one more touchdown in the fourth quarter on a reverse, but it was too little, too late.

Dierks was able to hang on for a 48-22 victory and a ticket to Junction City next week to face the number one 2A school in the second round of the state playoffs.

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