Colonels win district opener vs Bayou

By Watson Cook

For the third straight week, the IA Colonels used a potent rushing attack to wear down an opponent. Ashton Knight, Michael Sykes, and Dalton Sykes each rushed for over 100 yards as the Colonels topped Bayou Academy 48-21 Friday night in Cleveland in the district opener for both teams.

The Colonels took the opening kick and drove 63 yards on 11 plays. Ashton Knight put IA on the board at the 7:37 mark in the first quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run, his first of four on the night. Wheeler Timbs added the PAT to give the Colonels a 7-0 lead.

Chandler Danna then recovered a Colt fumble on Bayou’s third play from scrimmage and the Colonels took over at the Colt 41. Five plays later, Knight punched it in again, this time from 10 yards out. Timbs added the PAT to put IA up 14-0 with 4:37 to play in the quarter.

Two plays into Bayou’s next drive, Carey Marshall picked off a Colt pass at midfield and returned it to the Bayou 47. The Colonels needed only one play for Jonathan Holland to connect with a wide open Hunter Vance on a 47-yard strike to extend the Colonel lead to 20-0 (missed PAT).

Much to their credit, the Colts did not go away. After converting on a fake punt, the Colts used a reverse to set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Kitchings to Weber Herbison. Herbison added the PAT to cut the Colonel lead to 20-7 with 1:30 to play in the quarter.

The Colonels, following a Bayou punt, started their first possession of the second quarter at their own 13. With 7:25 to play before halftime, Michael Sykes capped a 12-play, 87-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run. Will Lang added the PAT to give the Colonels a 27-7 lead.

Bayou answered on their next drive as Kitchings threw his second touchdown pass, this one to Davis Dalton on a 32-yard screen pass. Herbison added the PAT to bring the Colts within 13 points of the Colonels. Fortunately for IA, that would be as close as the Colts would get as Knight struck again on the following Colonel drive with a 10-yard touchdown run at the 3:32 mark to cap a 7-play, 65-yard drive. Lang added the PAT to give IA a 20-point lead, 34-14.

Dalton Sykes (pictured below, #23) put an exclamation point on the first half after the Colonel defense forced the third Bayou punt of the half. Sykes ended a 3-play, 68-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with just over a minute remaining in the half. Michael Sykes added the 2-point run to give the Colonels a 42-14 cushion at halftime.

After combining for 56 points in the first half, the Colonels and Colts managed only a touchdown apiece in the second half. Knight provided the score for IA with a 3-yard touchdown run on the Colonels’ first drive of the third quarter. His fourth touchdown of the night gave the Colonels a 48-14 lead (missed PAT). The Colts put their final points on the board in the fourth quarter on a John Thomas Davis touchdown pass to Herbison (Herbison PAT).

The Colonels improved to 3-0 (1-0) with the win. Winona Christian comes to Indianola next Friday for a battle of 3-0 teams. The Stars have notched wins over JZ George, Immanuel Christian, and Kirk Academy. Kickoff from Legion Field is set for 7:00.

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Photo by Theresa Spealman