By Watson Cook
A storybook season came to an end last Friday night as Indianola fell to Simpson Academy 34-6 in the AA semifinals. IA finished the
season with an 11-2 record, the most wins for a Colonel team since 1975.
The Colonels, a heavy underdog on the road, could not have
asked for a better start to the game. Taking the opening possession, Jonathan
Holland connected with Wheeler Timbs on the fourth play of the drive for a
58-yard touchdown. Will Lang's PAT was missed and left the Colonels up 6-0 with
10:24 to play in the first quarter.
Simpson answered on its first series. Quarterback Mason Herrin
capped a 46-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run at the 6:04 mark. Andrew
Berry's PAT gave the Cougars a 7-6 lead. After a Colonel three-and-out and an
excellent punt return, the Cougars only needed two plays to go 7 yards and
extend their lead to 13-6 on Herrin's 1-yard touchdown plunge. Berry's PAT was
missed and left Simpson with a 7-point lead with 3:46 to play in the quarter.
The Colonels were forced to punt again on their following
possession but pinned Simpson deep in their own territory at the 10. On the
second play of the drive a Cougar fumble was recovered by the Colonels at the 8
yard line. However, the Colonels would not take advantage of the gift they were
given, turning the ball back over with a fumble after a 3-yard gain on 1st
down.
Simpson then drove 90 yards on 9 plays. Daniel Taylor's 11-yard touchdown run put the Cougars up 19-6 (2-point run failed) with 9:00 to play in the first half. Following the kickoff, the Colonels started their drive from their own 20. Three plays into the drive, Holland's pass was picked off at the IA 46. Twelve plays and six minutes later, Herrin added his third touchdown of the night, a 3-yard run with 0:15 to play in the half. A 2-point pass from Herrin to Taylor put the Cougars up 27-6 heading into halftime.
IA was handed another gift to open the second half as the Cougars
fumbled the kick return. The Colonels recovered at the Simpson 38. On 4th and 1
from the 29, the Colonels came up just inches short and turned the ball over on
downs. IA would have one more crack at cutting into the Cougar lead as Hunter
Vance intercepted a Herrin pass on the following Simpson possession. The Colonels
took over at their own 41. After picking up a 1st down thanks to a personal
foul penalty, the drive stalled with another turnover on downs at the Cougar
33.
The Cougars added their final touchdown two possessions later
on their first series of the fourth quarter. Herrin's fourth touchdown of
the night, a 2-yard run with 9:17 to play gave the Cougars a 34-6 lead (Taylor
PAT), which would hold to be the final score. With the win, the Cougars
advanced to the AA state championship game November 22.
Nine Colonel seniors wore the blue and white for the final time;
Reed Downs, Andrew Garrett, Ashton Knight, Tristan Knight, Carey Marshall,
Dalton Sykes, Michael Sykes, Wilson Reed, and Hunter Vance.
