Last Friday marked the first chill of the fall and although it proved to be the first Friday night without heat timeouts, Independence and Strayhorn made up for it with scorching hot offensive performances.
In Independence’s Region 2-3A opening win against Holly Springs, the Wildcats put up 53 points and could have registered more on the board if the starters were not pulled. IHS needed just five plays to find the end zone, as senior tailback Lundon Sandridge scampered from 23 yards out, followed by a successful PAT from Yahir Villafana, giving the ‘Cats a 7-0 lead less than two minutes in.
Holly Springs fumbled its first possession at midfield, setting up a short field for the Wildcats. Four plays later, senior quarterback Kylan Garrett made the Hawks pay, pushing the lead to 13-0 with a 35-yard touchdown run.
Independence would intercept a Hawks’ pass on the next possession and once again, the Wildcats would come out with a score, as Garrett connected with his younger brother, Keon, on a 14-yard touchdown pass, giving the Wildcats a 20-0 lead as the first quarter expired.
Defense became the driving force for both teams for a majority of the second quarter, as neither offense was able to find the end zone. Penalties also proved to be costly for both teams, but the Wildcats finally broke the silence with 3:31 left in the first half, as Sandridge scored from four yards out, making it a 27-0 advantage.
Holly Springs’ attempt to make it on the scoreboard before halftime proved to be unsuccessful, giving the Wildcats one last chance before the break. Working with a minute left on the clock, Independence marched downfield with two big passes from Garrett to Sandridge, setting up a short keeper from Garrett with 10 seconds left that made it a 33-0 halftime lead.
Holly Springs spoiled the shutout early in the third quarter however, as Hawks’ quarterback Dylan King scored himself from 60 yards out, cutting the Wildcats’ lead to 33-6.
From there, things got a little wacky for both teams, trading possessions and touchdowns. Sandridge responded for the Wildcats with a 47-yard rush, but the Hawks returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, making the contest a 39-12 lead for Independence.
A botched kickoff on the next possession allowed Holly Springs to recover and start from midfield, as the Hawks threatened to carve into the Wildcats’ advantage. However, the Independence defense held firm, denying any serious scoring effort from the Hawks.
Independence would effectively seal the contest on the next two possessions, as Garrett scored from 75 yards out before hitting Keon Mays on a 23-yard passing touchdown on the next Wildcats’ possession, pushing the Independence lead to 53-12 with 5:25 left in the third quarter.
King would add one final score for the Hawks late in the fourth quarter, connecting on a shovel pass to an unlisted Holly Springs player for a 70-yard touchdown, punctuating the final score at 53-20.
Garrett was responsible for four of the Wildcats’ touchdowns, two on the ground and two through the air, lifting Independence to a 1-0 start in Region 2-3A.
Across the county, Strayhorn also got the offense going in its Region 1-2A opener against Potts Camp, although it took a little more time to get on the board.
Defense was the story for both teams in the first half as neither team was able to score in the first half, setting up a 0-0 deadlock at the break.
Strayhorn quickly got on the board to open the second half and after converting a two-point attempt, the Mustangs regained possession after a Potts Camp fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Although the Mustangs came up empty-handed, the Cardinals were also unable to make anything happen, sending a punt back to Strayhorn midway through the third quarter.
With less than a minute remaining in the first quarter, Strayhorn scored yet again and hit the PAT, pushing its lead to 16-0. The Mustangs would score again midway through the fourth quarter to take a comfortable 24-0 lead with 7:15 left to go.
Potts Camp denied the Mustangs a shutout by scoring on its next possession but Strayhorn returned the favor with a touchdown on its next drive, solidifying the final score at 30-6.
Stats were not available for Strayhorn at press time.
With the victories, Independence improved to 2-2 overall and Strayhorn jumped to 2-3 on the season. Independence will travel to Water Valley this Friday night, while the Mustangs will enjoy a week off before facing a road test at Mantachie on October 16.
