That’s three in a row for Sheridan

Coach Bud Wright: “One of our better ball games of the year”

The REPORTER

Friday night at Sheridan’s Bud Wright Stadium, the Blackhawks played what their Hall of Fame coach said was one of “our better ball games of the year.”

Sheridan’s reward was its third consecutive sectional championship. The Hawks cruised past Cloverdale 42-14 to claim the Class 1A Sectional 46 crown.

“We’ve been playing the last two weeks like we should’ve been playing all year,” said Wright.

Sheridan’s Dayne Voege caught two touchdown passes in the second half. (Allison Waitt)

Jacob Hall made a five-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter to get Sheridan on the board. The Clovers came back to tie things up with a 64-yard passing touchdown, making the score 7-7.

But the Blackhawks took back control right away thanks to Jon Barnes; he took a 26-yard run into the end zone to put Sheridan back on top. The Hawks intercepted Cloverdale later in the quarter, and that led to a seven-yard TD run for Barnes.

“Defense did a heck of a good job,” said Wright. After Sheridan gave up the long pass in the first quarter, Wright said the team got that corrected.

“We made a couple adjustments and they picked up on it and did a nice job with it,” said Wright.

The Blackhawks led 21-7 after the first quarter and added a touchdown in each of the next three quarters. Barnes took another touchdown trip in the second period, scoring on a seven-yard run. Owen Bell and Dayne Voege then teamed up for two passing touchdowns in the second half, starting with a 29-yard TD throw from Bell to Voege in the third period.

Early in the fourth quarter, Bell sent a 34-yard pass to Voege, who turned it into Sheridan’s sixth touchdown of the game. Bell kicked the extra point, as he had for all the previous TDs, to go a perfect 6-of-6 on the night.

Barnes led the rushing with 116 yards, while Alex Cravens ran for 106 yards.

Sheridan won its 22^nd sectional title in program history. The Blackhawks are 7-5 and play at South Putnam next Friday for the Regional 23 championship.