Blue Devils Challenged Strong Class 6A Opponent
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SALTILLO – For the first time in its 80-plus year history, the Water Valley High School Blue Devils took on an MHSAA Class 6A Opponent as they traveled to Lee County to take on the homestanding Saltillo Tigers last Friday, Sept. 29. The outmanned Blue Devils illustrated fight and heart and were only down 12 to seven late in the third quarter of play, but ultimately fell to the Tigers, 27 to 7.
The first quarter illustrated early fireworks as the Tigers took their opening possession and scored on a on-yard run set up by a 28-rush the play prior. The Tigers curiously elected to go for the two-point conversion out of the swinging gate or “pole cat” formation. Sophomore linebacker J.D. Gooch batted down the direct snap and ended that scoring threat.
The Blue Devils would quickly answer as senior running back Jaden Morgan took the handoff around right end and threw an 89-yard touchdown pass to fellow senior Taylen Johnson on the trick play. Johnson would go on to have a career night with five receptions for 174 yards. Sophomore place kicker Gabe Butler added the Point After Touchdown out of the hold of Tyler Richardson and snap of Reid Burress. The early fireworks continued as the Tigers converted a trick play of their own on the ensuing kickoff return. They pulled off the “Music City Miracle” throwback across the field for a score. The two-point conversion again failed out of the swinging gate formation. That score of 12 to seven remained for the rest of the first half of play and most of the third quarter.
The much deeper Tigers finally broke the stalemate with a few minutes to go in the third quarter for another touchdown rush and added the two-point conversion to go up 20 to 7. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers would strip-sack the Blue Devils quarterback and return the fumble for a 27-yard defensive touchdown to ice the game.
Offensively, the Blue Devils put up their best passing performance of the season with 200 total passing yards. Defensively, the Blue Devils were paced by Gooch with 12 total tackles, three for loss, 1.5 Sacks, two forced fumbles and three hurries. Richardson had his best night punting the football on the season with seven punts for 214 yards and one downed on the one-yard line.
“We had nothing to lose playing a larger opponent. Playing these bigger schools will make our life better in Division and Playoff Games in Class 2A,” Head Coach Clint Faust said in the postgame huddle. “Our practice habits and habits outside of football must improve if we want to get to where we want to be this season.”
With the aforementioned “bigger schools,” Water Valley will host Class 4A foe Shannon Red Raiders (3-3) at Bobby Clark Field on Friday, October 6. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. and the theme is “Black Out” the Raiders.
