-It would have been hard to have scripted a better season-opening performance.
Behind an offense which generated 559 total yards and a defense which turned in a second half shutout performance, the Indianola Academy Colonels opened their 2017 season with an impressive 41-14 victory over visiting Pillow Academy of Greenwood last Friday night at Legion Field.
“Our kids played well”, said IA Head Coach Tommy Nester. “I was proud of how we kept competing. The offensive line did well and defensively we tackled better in the second half of the game.”
With that 33rd consecutive home field win now behind them, the Colonels, who are ranked No. 1 among AAA schools, have turned their attention to this week’s opponent, the Greenville St. Joseph High School Fighting Irish. The Irish enter this week’s game as the top-ranked AA MAIS team.
Playing on the road for the first time this season, the IA squad’s 7 p.m. non-district contest will pit them against a St. Joe squad which opened their own season with a 30-7 victory over Riverside High School of Avon last Friday night.
“St. Joe has a lot of good athletes on the field”, said Nester, “They will have a good football team.”
Thus far in this short series between these two schools, the Colonels have prevailed the past two seasons and last season’s 30-18 loss to IA was one of only three the Irish absorbed in the 2016 season.
As for last Friday’s physical contest against AAAA member Pillow Academy, the Colonels took near-complete control of the game in the second half of play.
Following the first half’s action which ended with IA owning a narrow 21-14 lead, and a lengthy delay due to nearby lightening, the Colonels’ offensive line emphatically began to impose their will at the line of scrimmage; an effort which enabled running backs senior Sebastian Harris and junior Wesley Lester to pick up 181 (three touchdowns) and 126 yards (two touchdowns) respectively in the game. Ultimately, IA would earn 382 rushing yards on 42 carries against the Mustangs’ defense.
The IA defense used the combination of stuffing any running efforts by the Mustangs as well as giving up very little through the air to deny the end zone to the visitors.
The Colonels’ initial scoring in this game began with their very first possession after forcing a Pillow Academy punt.
Using only seven plays to cover 71 yards, the drive was highlighted by a 38 yard run by junior quarterback Will Davis and ended with Harris crashing over from one yard out for the touchdown.
William Barrier then split the uprights with the first of his five successful PAT kicks to give IA a 7-0 lead with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter.
However, it would take Pillow Academy 20 seconds and one play from scrimmage to knot the score as it completed an 85 yard pass play to find the end zone.
Undaunted, the Colonels answered with a five-play, 75-yard drive which traveled quickly down the field with a mix of running plays and pass plays from Davis to wide receiver T.K. Bolden.
Lester would register his first touchdown of the year as he bulled his way into the end zone from five yards out to give IA a first period ending 14-7 lead.
Although Pillow responded with a 76-yard scoring drive in their first possession of the second quarter to tie the game at 14 apiece, it took less than two minutes for the Colonels to take a permanent lead.
Culminating a five play, 79-yard drive, Davis kept the ball on an option play and sprinted 42 yards to the Mustangs’ end zone.
Along with Barrier’s PAT kick, IA went to the dressing room with a 21-14 lead.
The second half, however, was owned by the Indianola Academy Colonels.
Opening the third quarter with Lester scoring from five yards out to cap a nine play, 75-yard drive, the Colonels then opened the fourth period with Harris sliding in from two yards out to give IA a 34-14 lead.
While the IA defense continued to render the Mustangs scoreless in the second half of play, the Colonels posted the final points of the game with 3:28 remaining as Harris ended an eight play, 55-yard drive with a five yard touchdown run.
Statistically, in addition to the 307 rushing yards Harris and Lester combined to earn, Davis added 85 yards and his touchdown to his seven completions in 20 pass attempts, which picked up another 177 yards of offense.
Bolden was a force while on the receiving end of six of those passes, an effort which garnered 159 yards.
Defensively, the Colonels limited the Mustangs to 186 rushing yards on 35 carries. Meanwhile, eight Pillow Academy pass completions in 20 attempts resulted in 137 yards gained and a pass interception by IA junior linebacker Stefon Smith.
Smith added one solo tackle and five assists to his interception while Lester earned three solo tackles and five assists from his defensive end position.
In the secondary, free safety Barrier recorded three solo tackles and an assist while also batting away three pass attempt. Posting strong numbers as well was cornerback Eli Lipsey with his five solo tackles and an assist.
