The players on the O’Bannon High School football team, like sophomore middle linebacker Marquette Bates, had waited far too long for Friday night.
The Greenwave players had practiced hard all offseason but were unable to play their first two games because of COV-19 issues with their opposing teams.
Good things come to those who wait.
After a slow first quarter, the Greenwaves dominated both sides of the ball Friday night in their 34-8 home victory over West Bolivar High School.
“I am happy for the kids because they worked hard for this,” O’Bannon head coach Lynn Lang said. “We have 16 freshman on this team, and they did well. The talent level is always gonna be here at O’Bannon no matter
O’Bannon freshman quarterback Chandler Wade looked well beyond his years as he zipped home one completion after another. Wade connected with Dontrell Byrd Jr. for a nine-yard score touchdown on the last play of the first quarter. Wade then found Tyler Rhodes for a 10-yard touchdown with 49 seconds left until halftime to put O’Bannon up 14-0.
“I am not surprised that we played well because we have been working hard all week,” Wade said. “My arm felt good, and I just told my coaches to let me loose. We proved tonight that teams can’t take us lightly any more. They took us for a joke last year, but they can’t take us for a joke anymore.”
Said Lang, “Chandler may be a freshman, but he is smart and he is poised.”
O’Bannon used its defense to set up its offense all night.
Greenwave junior Anthony Brooks recovered two fumbles in the game, and his second recovery set up O’Bannon’s third touchdown on the night, an 8-yard score by Jordan Clark. A fumble recovery by Byrd Jr. then set up O’Bannon’s fourth touchdown of the night, a 71-yard touchdown screen pass from Wade to Clark.
The victory by the Greenwaves (3-0) sets up a game next Friday against Simmons High School, a matchup which feature two Washington County teams off to hot starts.
