Colonels score 26 unanswered, Top Pillow 26-16

By Watson Cook

Everything that could go wrong went wrong early for the Colonels Friday night as they played host to the Pillow Academy Mustangs. Muffed punt return, check. Fumble at the Mustang 2, check. Interception in Mustang territory, check. Fumble inside the Mustang 20, check, all before the 9:00 mark in the second quarter.

Despite all the early miscues offensively, the Colonel defense held Pillow to only 10 points in the first half and allowed the offense opportunities to shake off a horrendous start.

Trailing 10-0 with 7:59 to play in the first half, the Colonels took possession following a Mustang punt at their own 42. Eight plays later, facing 4th and 2 from the Pillow 14, junior RB Wheeler Timbs (pictured below, #22) took a toss around the left side and scampered to the endzone to put IA on the board. Timbs added the PAT to close the gap to 10-7.

On the first play of the ensuing Mustang drive, senior safety Hunter Vance scooped up a fumble and raced 34 yards for a touchdown. Timbs added the PAT to give the Colonels a 14-10 lead and the momentum going into the locker room at halftime.

The Colonels got rolling again in the third quarter as they took the opening possession and drove 83 yards on 12 plays. Senior RB Dalton Sykes capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to put the Colonels up 20-10 (missed PAT).

Meanwhile, IA's defense continued to dominate Pillow, not allowing the Mustangs into Colonel territory until their final drive of the game.

The offense added some insurance with 9:22 to play in the game. Sykes highlighted a 3-play, 58-yard drive with a 32-yard touchdown run to extend the Colonel lead to 26-10 (missed PAT) and put a lid on what seemed early-on to be an improbable comeback.

Pillow got back on the board with a touchdown with only 0:23 remaining. However, the 2-point try failed and the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful, securing the 26-16 win for the Colonels.

With the win, IA moved to 2-0 on the season. The Colonels open district play next Friday at Bayou Academy. Kickoff is set for 7:00.
Photo by Leigh Hargett