Sheridan prevails in Hoosier Heartland Conference play
By RICHIE HALL
SHERIDAN – After three straight shutouts, the Blackhawks finally had someone score on them Friday when Sheridan hosted Eastern in an important Hoosier Heartland Conference game.
Not that the ‘Hawks were complaining afterwards. First of all, they won. Sheridan held off a comeback by the Comets in the second half to get out of Bud Wright Stadium on Senior Night with a 35-27 win, keeping the Blackhawks unbeaten in conference play at 6-0.
Secondly, Sheridan got a good test by a good Eastern team. The ‘Hawks also have a chance to play for the conference championship, which Sheridan will do next week when it travels to Carroll. The Cougars beat Clinton Prairie 42-6 on Friday and is also perfect in the HHC at 6-0.
“It’s been good to have a defense score on us to show a reality check of what we need to work on,” said Jacob Jones, one of the seniors on Sheridan’s team.
Jacob Jones had a solid game on both
offense and defense for the Blackhawks. (Si DeVaney III)
The Comets scored first, using a short pass to go up 6-0 midway through the first quarter. The Blackhawks got their first score with 26.7 seconds left in the period, when senior Peyton Cross punched the ball in from the one-yard line.
Cross was just getting started. Early in the second quarter, he took off on a 69-yard run for another touchdown. Cross then delivered Sheridan’s third touchdown of the game with no time left in the second period, scoring from the three-yard line. Owen Bell made all three extra-point kicks.
“I think it was pretty good, but I couldn’t have done it without my line,” said Cross. “My wings and my tight ends, couldn’t have done it without them. They blocked really hard for me and I fed up behind them.”
The ‘Hawks led 21-6 at halftime, and Cross made a four-yard touchdown run with 6:40 left in the third quarter to expand Sheridan’s lead. Bell made the kick that put the Blackhawks up 28-6.
Then Eastern began to come back. Jayden Eagle took off on a 67-yard run to cut Sheridan’s lead to 28-13.
“When they go wide out and they got that speed, it’s hard to stop sometimes,” said ‘Hawks coach Bud Wright. “He broke through a couple times and then they threw a couple passes, and they threw a couple picks that got in there.”
The Comets scored again on a six-yard catch by Gabe Monize to get within eight points, 28-20. But Sheridan responded right away, as Eli Kolb zoomed down the field on a 92-yard kickoff return. Bell made the kick – he was 5-of-5 for the game – and Sheridan led 35-20.
Eastern scored the only points of the fourth quarter, when Monize caught a 16-yard touchdown throw with 5:24 to go. The Comets made one last drive, but Sheridan’s defense stopped them with under a minute to go.
“I think the young guys really rallied together,” said senior Keegan Hampton. “We’ve had a lot of young’uns step up this year. It’s been rough, but we’re coming along really good and I think we needed a pass-dominant, heavy team to really test us.”
Cross totaled 367 yards in 49 carries.
“We came back, we fought, we held our cool and we won the ball game,” said Wright.
Sheridan is 7-1 for the season.
SHERIDAN 35, EASTERN 27
Score by Quarters
Eastern 6 0 14 7 – 27
Sheridan 7 14 14 0 – 35
Team Stats EAST SHER
First Downs 16 21
By Rush 4 21
By Pass 10 0
By Penalty 2 0
Rushes-Yards 24-115 61-409
Yards Passing 280 0
Comp-Att-Int-TD 23-35-2-3 0-1-0-0
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 3-2
Penalties-Yards 6-45 12-103
Punts-Average 2-31.5 3-47.3
Sheridan Scoring
First Quarter
0:26 – Peyton Cross 1-yard run (Owen Bell kick)
Second Quarter
10:12 – Cross 69-yard run (Bell kick)
0:00 – Cross 3-yard run (Bell kick)
Third Quarter
6:40 – Cross 4-yard run (Bell kick)
2:20 – Eli Kolb 92-yard kickoff return (Bell kick)
Sheridan individual stats
Rushing: Cross 49-367, Caleb Alexander 5-19, Jacob Jones 3-15, Zach Bales 4-8.
Passing: Alexander 0-1-0.
Receiving: none.