BY RICHIE HALL
SHERIDAN – As usual, the Sheridan football team kept its feet on the ground for most of Friday night.
That’s been the Blackhawks’ strategy over the years, and it almost always results in victory. Sheridan got another one of those when it defeated Tindley 34-6 at Bud Wright Stadium in first-round action at Class 1A Sectional 46.
The Blackhawks slowly but surely extended their lead throughout the game. Sheridan scored twice in the first quarter, both on 14-yard touchdown runs from Cameron Hovey, who also made a two-point conversion run after his second touchdown.
During his first touchdown run, Hovey bulldozed his way through the last couple yards to get into the end zone, setting the tone for the game.
“I thought we played a pretty good ball game,” said Wright.
The ‘Hawks added two more touchdowns in the second period. Hovey added his third score of the night on a two-yard run as the quarter reached its middle stages, then Silas DeVaney ran the ball in for a two-point conversion.
Sheridan had 24 first downs during the game, and 23 of them were by rushing. The lone passing first down also resulted in a touchdown for the ‘Hawks: DeVaney tossed a 13-yard throw to Collin McNair, who got into the end zone.
That was the exception to the trend of the game, which was run and run some more. The Blackhawks totaled 360 yards of rushing offense.
“I thought we did a nice job blocking,” said Wright. “I thought they did a nice job of running the football.”
Sheridan had more touchdown to score, and the ‘Hawks got it in the middle of the third quarter, when Gavin Reners punched the ball in from the one-yard line. Tindley scored a fourth-quarter touchdown, but the Blackhawks had clinched the game long before then.
“I thought the defense played real good,” said Wright. “We contained their speed and I felt real good.”
Hovey finished the game with 210 yards rushing. Peyton Cross added 51 yards and DeVaney ran for 47 yards.
Sheridan improved to 5-4 with the win and will host Indianapolis Lutheran next Friday in the semi-finals of Sectional 46.
SHERIDAN 34, TINDLEY 6
Score by Quarters
Tindley 0 0 0 6 – 6
Sheridan 14 14 6 0 – 34
Team Stats TI SH
First Downs 7 24
By Rush 3 23
By Pass 3 1
By Penalty 1 0
Rushes-Yards 20-11 62-360
Yards Passing 97 23
Comp-Att-Int-TD 8-19-0-1 2-4-0-1
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-0
Penalties-Yards 0-0 5-31
Punts-Average 4-21.8 1-34.0
Sheridan Scoring
First Quarter
6:09 – Cameron Hovey 14-yard run (kick failed)
0:23 – Hovey 14-yard run (Hovey run)
Second Quarter
7:54 – Hovey 2-yard run (Silas DeVaney run)
3:15 – Collin McNair 13-yard pass from DeVaney (run failed)
Third Quarter
6:39 – Gavin Reners 1-yard run (kick failed)
Sheridan individual stats
Rushing: Hovey 27-210, Peyton Cross 10-51, DeVaney 10-47, Jacob Jones 4-18, Reners 3-18, Zach Bales 2-7, Brenden Killion 3-6, Jaylan Herron 3-3.
Passing: DeVaney 2-4-23.
Receiving: McNair 1-13, Hovey 1-10.