With a 34-0 Homecoming football victory to their credit, the Indianola Academy Colonels made an emphatic return to the win column last Friday night on Legion Field.
While the IA defense was delivering its first shutout of the season, the now 3-4, 2-2 Colonels’ offense was successful on the ground and through the air against the now 2-6 Raiders.
Turning in a three touchdown night of play, two by ground and one by air, was Ashton Powell. The bruising running back scored on runs of 34 and 38 yards while turning a pass reception into a 22-yard score.
On the strength of this shutout of Benton Academy, the Colonels will now travel to Clarksdale this Friday night to take on a tough Lee Academy squad.
This non-district clash with the 4A member Colts is set to kickoff at 7 p.m.
Bringing a 4-2 record, as well as a four game win streak into this week’s contest, according to IA Head Coach Tommy Nester the Colts “are a physical team with a balanced offensive attack. They do not give up many points defensively. This should be a good game.”
The Colts, off to their best start in years, are led by a defense which has given up more than one touchdown in a game only once this season. That statistic occurred in Lee Academy’s season-opening 21-6 loss to Magnolia Heights School of Senatobia.
In their most recent play last Friday night, the Colts handed Kirk Academy of Grenada a 21-3 loss.
In last season’s match-up, the Colonels prevailed by a 40-20 margin; a year which saw Lee Academy post a 3-7 record.
Meanwhile, in last Friday’s Homecoming win over Benton Academy, the Colonels set the tone early by scoring on their first possession of the night.
Establishing their run game in that initial series, the Colonels only needed four plays to cover the 72 yards to the end zone.
The drive was aided immensely by a pair of long runs by Woods Toler and ended with Powell’s 34 -yard sprint to the end zone.
Spencer Roberson then kicked the first of his four successful PAT attempts to give IA a 7-0 lead.
Almost five minutes later, the IA offense struck again as a seven play, 55-yard drive was completed when Leland Selby found the end zone with his five yard run.
The IA lead then moved to a 20-0 margin as the first period came to an end when Powell’s 38-yard run to paydirt capped a three play, 51-yard drive.
The Colonels posted additional points on the scoreboard in the second quarter which were earned with a pair of successful drives. These marches down the field began midway through the second period as a seven play, 79 yard drive ended with a 22 yard scoring pass from quarterback Thomas Putnam to Powell.
Putnam would then record the game’s final touchdown exactly four minutes later. The senior’s seven yard quarterback draw run covered the seven yards to the end zone and ended an eight play, 64 yard drive.
This 34-0 score then stood throughout the game as the Colonels’ defense continued to render the Raiders scoreless while many IA players received extended and quality playing time.
It was a very productive night for the Colonels offensively as the offensive line paced a ground game which chewed up 265 yards on 44 rushes.
Powell’s 89 yards on only three carries led this attack which featured many running backs carrying the football. Pacing the balance of the Colonels in this portion of the offense was Selby, who completed his night’s play with 44 yards on six rushes.
Through the air, Putnam completed six of his nine pass attempts for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Serving as his leading receivers was Toler with two catches for 57 yards while Selby gathered in a pass which covered 47 yards.
Defensively, the Colonels limited the Raiders’ running game to 101 yards on 29 attempts into the line.
Leading this resistance was Brayden Kimble with seven solo tackles and two assists.
While Walker Zepponi was highly productive with his fumble recovery and pass interception to go along with two solo tackles and two assists, Houstin Danna turned in a four solo, two assist night of play.
Also picking up a pass interception to add to his three solo tackles and one assist was Toler, while Grant Coleman made his presence known once again with a three solo, two assist performance.
