By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
SHERIDAN – Senior Night is always an upbeat occasion where the team’s seniors are celebrated for all of their hard work and dedication to the program. The atmosphere was festive prior to kickoff as the eight senior players for Sheridan were recognized.
The game itself was unfortunately one that the Blackhawks would gladly like to play over again. The middle two quarters would ultimately be what decided the game, keeping it out of reach for Sheridan. Carroll was able to keep the ‘Hawks off of the scoreboard in a 24-0 shutout.
On the first drive, the Cougars drove all the way down to the Sheridan 17 before turning the ball over on downs. The Blackhawks weren’t able to capitalize, punting back to Carroll.
After a Carroll punt, Sheridan had a scoring opportunity that came up empty. On the third play of the series, Owen Bell connected with Nolan Page on a 62-yard pass play for a first down all the way to the Cougar 15. After tough defense for three plays, the Blackhawks were looking at a fourth and eight at the 14. Bell lined up for a 31-yard field goal attempt. The snap was high and they had to fall and weren’t able to attempt the kick, giving the ball back to Carroll.
“We should’ve taken the lead right from the start when we got down there. We made too many mistakes. We’re playing 160-pound kids against their 280 to 305 pounds. We knew with a wet ground, we wouldn’t be able to move them and we just searched and tried to find something that wasn’t going to go,” said 58th-year Sheridan head coach Bud Wright.
On the Cougars’ next drive, they would punt, but were able to keep the ball. Returner Nolan Page fumbled the return and Carroll recovered it at the Sheridan 15. Carroll kicker Eli Falkenberg nailed a 27-yard field goal with 7:07 left in the second for the first points of the night and a 3-0 lead for the visitors.
Carroll forced another Sheridan punt and the Cougars started at its own 11. They would go up 10-0 at halftime. Griffin Viney busted through the line untouched for a 17 yard score, putting the Blackhawks on their heels for the rest of the night.
“They’re a fine football team and their record shows it,” Wright stated. “We just couldn’t get anything going. We would make certain plays, we make a couple of good plays, then we would make mistakes and stop ourselves. We had three different times we stopped ourselves, because we screwed up what we were supposed to be doing and you can’t do that against good football teams,” continued Wright.
Receiving the third quarter kickoff, the anticipation was there for a Blackhawk comeback. Carroll had other ideas, forcing three plays and then a punt.
Starting the next drive at its own 46, the Cougars looked to create more space. On the first play, Keegan Ellis sprinted 54-yards right past the Sheridan defense, putting Carroll up 17-0 early in the period.
Then, on consecutive plays, Sheridan quarterback Owen Bell threw an interception to Trent Metzger. The next play, the Cougars fumbled, giving the Blackhawks prime field position at the Carroll 45.
Eli Kolb rushed for 47 yards. (Joshua Herd)
After driving down the field, Bell would again line up for a field goal, this time from 37-yards out. His attempt would have been long enough, but was wide left.
“He had only missed one extra point all year long and he missed two field goals tonight,” Wright stated.
Sustaining a drive that started at their own 30, Carroll ate as much clock up as possible. Ellis would run in his second touchdown, this time from four yards, pushing the Carroll lead to what wound up the final score of 24-0.
Keegan Ellis led with a game-high 168 yards rushing on 26 carries and his two scores. Griffin Viney also ran well with five rushes and 59 yards and a TD. Quarterback Luke Tanner didn’t have to throw much, but when he did he was accurate. Tanner went 4-of-6 for 70 yards.
Carroll (9-0, 7-0 HHC) finished the regular season as outright Hoosier Heartland Conference champions. The Cougars will be on the road in the first round of the 1A Sectional 43, visiting the Tri-County Cavaliers (5-3).
When things just couldn’t go right offensively, statistically Sheridan didn’t have a lot to show. Zach Bales was the leading rusher with 14 carries and 51 yards, while Eli Kolb had 43 on 11 runs.
Sheridan (6-3, 5-2 HHC) gets to stay home for its first-round game in 1A Sectional 45. The Blackhawks will host the Hagerstown Tigers (6-3).
“Hopefully Hagerstown is not near the ballclub that Carroll is, but if we eliminate mistakes, we will be ok. Plain and simple,” said Bud Wright.
CARROLL 24, SHERIDAN 0
Score by Quarters
Carroll 0 10 7 7 – 24
Sheridan 0 0 0 0 – 0
Team stats CAR SHER
First Downs 14 7
By Rush 10 4
By Pass 3 2
By Penalty 1 1
Rushes-Yards 46-254 34-95
Passing Yards 82 77
Comp-Att-Int-TD 5-7-1-0 2-8-1-0
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-1
Penalties-Yards 6-54 2-20
Punts-Average 3-41.3 5-45.0
Sheridan individual stats
Rushing: Zach Bales 14-57, Eli Kolb 11-47, Nolan Page 4-2, Owen Bell 5-minus 11.
Passing: Bell 2-7-76, Kolb 0-1-0.
Receiving: Page 1-61, Trent DeCraene 1-16.