Patrick Ervin
Special to the DD-T
The Washington School Generals (2-4) lost a physical contest Friday night at home against the Leake Academy Rebels 20-0.
It was inevitable that after the Rebels (3-3) offensive line had been pushing the Generals defenders backward in the first half that there would be a breakthrough for the Rebels’ offense. Behind the blocking of sophomore Reed Young and the physical running of senior tail back Wyatt Estep, the Rebels notched the first points of the game with a 3-yard Estep run with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked, and the Rebels led 6-0.
“They have a very experienced line and Coach Pickens does a great job coaching his team,” said Washington School head coach Greg Wallace. “They not only have a couple of great backs; the quarterback is a great runner as well.”
After the Generals turned the ball over on downs, the Rebels ground game struck again. Three plays into the drive, senior tailback Garrett Martin took a handoff and sprinted pass the Generals defense for a 36-yard touchdown. The extra point was good, and the Rebels led 13-0 with 1:43 remaining in the third quarter.
The Generals tried to respond late in the third and sporadically in the fourth with a couple of sizeable gains in the passing game between senior quarterback Caleb Janous and senior wide receiver John Bentley Suares. But, the Generals failed to reach the end zone and the Rebels offense continued to pound the ball at the Generals defensive front.
“We were getting the ball to our best guys tonight, but we had a couple of dropped balls that should have gone for touchdown,” Wallace said. “I think we were snake-bit tonight. We moved the ball well and our quarterback play was a little unsteady tonight as well.”
Sophomore running back Cannon Parks sealed the deal with a 42-yard touchdown run midway through the final frame. The extra point pushed the visitors to a commanding 20-0 lead with 6:38 remaining in the game.
Both teams went three and out three times each on offense in the first quarter. On the Rebels third punt of the quarter the ball went a net of seven yards positioning the Generals offense at the Rebels 25-yard-line. On the second play of the Generals drive, Suares caught a Janous pass as a Rebels defender grabbed his face mask attempting to make a tackle. The penalty yards gave Washington School the ball at the Rebels 10-yard-line. However, the Rebels defense stiffened, and the Generals had to settle for a field goal attempt which sailed wide right.
Leake Academy’s offense possessed the ball all but three minutes of the second quarter featuring two long drives that both ended at the Generals 36-yard-line. Rebels running backs chewed up chunks of yardage on the ground. The Rebels last drive of first half ended when Generals sophomore defensive back Joseph Smith picked off a pass and returned it just past midfield bringing the crowd to its feet in an otherwise lackluster first half. The game was a scoreless tie at halftime.
The Generals will host Jackson Prep Friday at 7 p.m. for senior night.
