A tough loss that must be forgotten.
Such is the case for the Indianola Academy Colonels football team following last Friday’s 14-13 defeat at the hands of Benton Academy.
In this District 2-3A contest, the now 0-3, 0-1 Colonels saw a 13-6 lead disappear with 8:40 in the game when the visiting Raiders put together a long, sustained drive.
The trek down the field ended when the Raiders found the endzone with a 1-yard touchdown run.
The Raiders then took a game-clinching lead with a successful two-point conversion run to paydirt.
Despite threatening to respond with a score of their own, a pair of promising IA drives would die with pass interceptions, events which aided the Raiders to escape Legion Field with the victory.
With that game in the books, the Colonels now begin a three-game string of road trips tonight by traveling to Winona Christian School for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
This non-district clash will find the Colonels doing battle with a 2-2 Stars squad which also suffered a narrow loss last Friday night.
The Stars fell to Manchester Academy of Yazoo City that night by a 31-28 margin.
Benton Academy has been the only common opponent to the Colonels and the Stars thus far this year.
A District 1-3A member, the Winona squad would claim a 35-6 victory in their season-opener against the Benton Academy Raiders.
Historically, IA owns a 9-1 series advantage over Winona Christian School with the 2020 season being the last time these two teams met on a football field.
Last season, Winona completed their campaign with a 4-7 record and a second round playoff appearance.
In their game with Benton Academy, the Colonels would score all their points in the first quarter.
The Colonels’ scoring began with 9:02 remaining in that first frame when Abel Williamson burst through the Raiders’ defense en route to a 62-yard touchdown run.
Haygon Sheedy’s PAT kick split the uprights and the Colonels owned an early lead.
IA’s final TD occurred less than five minutes later when a Lawson Zepponi bubble pass to wide receiver EJ Hall turned into a 50-yard TD run by the senior.
With what proved to be a pivotal play, the PAT kick was blocked and the Colonels owned their 13-6 lead until almost midway through the fourth quarter.
Offensively in this contest, the Colonels’ ground game hit the line 48 times and picked up 170 total yards.
This rushing attack was led by Williamson’s 66 yards on nine carries.
Through the air, Zepponi completed 10 of his 21 pass attempts for 145 yards and one touchdown.
Hall served as his primary receiver by catching six passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Colonels were led by Carson Miller’s seven solo tackles and three assists.
Matthew Gary also recorded seven solos to go along with his one assist and one tackle for loss.
Walker Perkins turned in a very active night of play as well as he added 10 assists to his six solo tackles and fumble recovery.
Other defensive leaders include Weston Farmer (6 solos, 1 assist) and Graham Howard (5 solos, 1 assist).
