ARCOLA — The Deer Creek Warriors gave the visiting Lee Academy Cougars quite a fight in their Homecoming game winning 38-28.
After the Warriors opened up the first series of the game with a three and out, The Cougars responded swiftly with a 42-yard touchdown run and a successful 2-point attempt.
In the following possession, the Warriors orchestrated a 68-yard drive down the field in large parts due to an explosive 33-yard run by freshman running back, Jack Hughes. Quarterback Jarod Satterfield ran in it into the endzone for the one yard touchdown.
The Warriors were just getting warmed up as they took advantage of the Cougars’ turnover on downs. On a quarterback keeper, Satterfield began the ensuing drive with a 24-yard run and ended it with a 14-yard run right before junior runningback, Noah Allegrezza rushed 10 yards for a Warriors touchdown.
The Cougars finally answered with a 4-yard rushing touchdown, but unsuccessful 2-point attempt, tying the game 14-14.
With the ball on the Cougars’ 44, it wouldn’t be long before the Warriors answered with a 33-yard rushing touchdown from the speedy Allegrezza.
In their turn on offense, the Cougars struggled to move the ball and failed to convert on downs with the quarterback throwing two straight incompletions and therefore having to punt on 4th down.
With less than a minute left in the half, in the very first play of the series, Satterfield rushed 72 yards down the field for a touchdown. A successful 2-point conversion run by Hughes made the score 30-14 going into halftime.
The Deer Creek Warriors would score only once more in the second half, but enough to hold off the Lee Academy Cougars.
Two minutes into the 3rd quarter, Cougars’ running back Trey Hartman rushed 44 yards for a touchdown and a 2-point conversion making the score 30-22, Warriors.
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, in a ground-pounding 53-yard drive down the field by the offense, the Warriors answered with a 7-yard rushing touchdown from the freshman, Hughes, and a successful 2-point attempt.
Not giving up, the Cougars approached the next possession with a consistent rushing attack starting from the Warriors’ 48 yard line, converting on every down, and finishing the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run from Hartman. The 2-point attempt thereafter failed.
In the last six minutes of the second half, neither team advanced the ball well enough to record a score.
A sack by Warrior’s freshman defensive end, Tripp Brackeen, would be the nail in the coffin of the Cougars and a final score of 38-28, Warriors.
Head Coach Benny McLendon did not relish in the victory too much, aware of the competitiveness that Lee Academy displayed. “They played hard I’m proud of them. We made some mistakes, but they played hard and did what we asked them to do so that’s all I can ask of them,” he said.
Collectively, Satterfied, Allegrezza and Hughes credited the offensive line for their victory and ability to consistently keep the ball moving positively.
“Everybody played their heart out tonight none stop, from kick off, to the last play,” the senior Satterfield said. “The O-line stepped up and did amazing for us backs so credit to them.”
Hughes said thanks to the O-line, he had plenty of holes to run through.
Satterfield finished with roughly 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Allegrezza finished with north of 90 yards rushing with two rushing touchdowns.
Hughes finished just shy of 80 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
Greenville Christian 49, Canton Academy 7
CANTON — The Greenville Christian School football team won its third-straight football game Friday night in a game Coach Jon Reed McLendon said was perhaps their best game of the season.
GCS’s Marcus Anderson threw four touchdowns in the victory for the Saints and also rushed in a score. Lawson Stokes caught two touchdowns for Greenville Christian, while Mike Mohead and Jamichael Short each caught one touchdown. T.D. McClinton had a rushing touchdown as well for the Saints.
On the defensive side of the ball, Will Riley returned a fumble for a touchdown and JaMichael Short had an interception.
“We started tonight better than we had a all year,” Coach McLendon said. “The great thing about this team is they have come to work everyday, and they have worked hard. They are kids that care about what they are doing and have a desire to be good.”
The Saints will be at home next Friday when they take on Porter’s Chapel Academy.
