Fast start triggers Senators rout
FOUNTAIN LAKE — Averaging 48 points per game in a 4-0 start, Joe T. Robinson boasts one Class 4A’s most prolific offenses.
Facing Fountain Lake Friday night in the 4A-7 opener for both teams, Robinson’s defense staked its claim for the same recognition.
The Senators held Fountain Lake to 131 yards and forced two turnovers in a 49-14 romp on Allen Tillery Field at Beckham Memorial Stadium.
“I think the speed of our defense, they haven’t faced yet,” Robinson coach Todd Eskola said. “Their nonconference games, they didn’t play anybody with the speed we have and we felt like that would be difficult for them to adjust to real quick. I’m glad we don’t face them next week because now that they’ve seen that speed, they’ll adjust to it and be a whole lot better moving forward.”
Robinson set the tone in the first two minutes of the game. After winning the opening coin toss and deferring their option until the second half, the Senators surprised the Cobras with an onside kick. Caezar Warren raced for a 39-yard touchdown three plays later.
“We just never could get out of our own way in the first quarter,” Fountain Lake coach J.D. Plumlee said. “Hats off to them; they were throwing and making some catches and making some plays. We just never could seem to get anything going and we dug ourselves a hole.”
Holding Fountain Lake to one first down on its first two offensive possessions, the Senators extended their lead on a one-yard run by Zaytron Waits and a 37-yard touchdown pass from Greyson Tackett to Noah Taylor.
Waits and Warren each had a touchdown run in the second quarter, pushing the lead to 35-0 by halftime. Robinson did most of its damage on the ground with seven players combining for 290 yards on 28 carries.
“It’s the first time in 24 years of coaching that I really believe we have six tailbacks that could play for most teams in the state,” said Eskola. “They’re all big, fast and really physical, and then we’ve got a big offensive line. We’re capable of throwing the football, but when we got up a little bit we decided to keep it on the ground. We feel very blessed this year; we think we’ve got a good football team both offensively and defensively.”
Tyler Jones stretched the lead to
42-0 with a 56-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage of the second half. Fountain Lake got on the board as Parion Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards, but the Senators answered right back with a
68-yard return.
“They were athletic and they were downhill, but we dropped some footballs and when you drop footballs, you get behind the chains,” Plumlee said. “I’m going to get in there and watch some film. We had some miscues up front that we’ll get fixed. We don’t have a choice; we have to get those cleaned up and move forward.”
Trailing 49-7 in the fourth quarter,
Fountain Lake recovered a fumble inside the 25 and Stephen Turner connected with Kyle Johler for a three-yard touchdown pass to set the final margin with 5:56 to play.
“I told them at halftime we had two choices, we can go out and fight and work on some stuff or we can fold in the tent and let them score 60,” said Plumlee. “We came out and competed and worked on what we do. I’m proud of our kids and I’m proud of where we’re at. We’re going to get in here and work tonight, and then we’re going to wake up tomorrow and get ready for Nashville.”
Dylan Wasson paced the Cobras with 49 yards rushing on six carries while Andrew Roberson was held to 25 on eight attempts. Turner completed six of 24 attempts for 43 yards.
Robinson had five runners notch at least 40 yards, Andre Bradley leading the way with 67 yards on five carries. Tackett completed five of seven passes for 161 yards.
Colson Simpson had a team-high nine tackles for Fountain Lake and Kyle Fortner finished with two stops and one interception. Ben Chaney and Joe Murphy each had one sack for the Cobras.
With Nashville losing its conference opener to Arkadelpha last week, the Scrappers and Fountain Lake are both 2-2 overall.
“We just have to fix us,” Plumlee said. “They’re a very good football team, but we have to fix us and continue to be efficient with what we’re doing.”