By Travis Chapman
It’s time for some football, everyone. We kicked off the tough 6-week season for our Elementary Apaches this past Tuesday, way over in the metropolitan area of Rayville, LA where the Riverfield Academy Raiders hosted our Apaches. Both Apache Teams sealed hard fought victories in the contest by scores of 13-6, and 13-7, respectively.
We kicked off with 2/3/4 grade Apaches. The evening started with your returning Apache 4th graders, QB/LB-Skyler Malone, OL/DE/DL- Waylon Chapman, RB/LB-Tate Mandino, TE/DL-John O’Donnell were your team captains. These boys have hung with and fought with the team since they were 2nd Graders and have molded into fine leaders for their team. The Apaches defense started the game and proved to be a problem the entire game for the Raiders. The defense forced a quick punt with big time tackles made by 3rd-graders Zaine Knight and Austin Ramsey. When the Apache offense came onto the field they set the tone early with great blocking by the offensive line, that propelled Tate Mandino around the right end for a first down. The offense continued to move the football and chewed up the clock, but the Raider defense gang tackled The Knight Train, Zaine Knight, and were able to strip the ball before the play was blown dead and returned it for a touchdown. The Apache defense stood strong on the PAT and made a huge tackle for loss, but the Raiders took the lead midway through the 2nd quarter, 6-0. On the ensuing possession, the Apaches offense clicked. The Knight Train picked up some hard-fought yards and setup a perfectly executed reverse to Awesome Austin Ramsey around the left side for a HUGE gain of 35-yards and an Apache first down. On the very next play, the Field General-Skyler Malone followed his blockers around the edge sealed by The Wrecking Crew- Waylon Chapman and Liam Hurley and with one man to beat, Malone dropped the hammer on the Raider safety with a textbook Leonard Fournette-like stiff arm and scurried 60-yards for the Apache TD. The Apaches converted on the PAT and took the lead at halftime by a score of 7-6. In the second half the Apache offense took the field and tried to expand the field. Hammering Tate Mandino moved the ball well, but an errant pitch by Malone was picked off by the Raider defense. With the momentum on their side, the Raiders tried to move the ball, but the Apache defense had NONE OF IT! On a third down and manageable, the Raiders tried to reverse the field and 2nd-Grader, BK, Brooks Ingles, ran in like his hair was on fire and his tail was smoking, and accompanied 4th grade wrecker, DE-Waylon Chapman on a huge tackle for loss that forced a punt as the 3rd quarter expired. The Apache offense went back to work and moved the ball at will with improved downfield blocking and General Malone dropped a dime over the defense to WR-Austin Ramsey for a massive gain. The very next play, Malone took it to the house to expand the lead 13-6 in favor of the Apaches. The Apache defense did not allow a single first down in the second half. The Apaches offense punched it into the endzone two more times, but costly penalties took them off the board as time expired. The Apaches won the first contest of the season by a score of 13-6. These little Apaches fought hard and worked through numerous miscues to come out on top!
In the 5/6th grade contest, defense and big key plays helped propel the Apaches to the win, 13-7. The Apache defense played outstanding the entire first quarter, and early into the 2nd, 6th– grader Cade Smith laid a massive hit on the Raider RB that forced a fumble and 5th grade stand-out, Everett Tucker pounced on the ball giving the Apache Offense new life midways through the 2nd quarter. The Apaches lulled the Raiders to sleep by running the ball up the middle, and on 3rd down QB-Rylan “The Rocket” Rainey executed a beautiful play-action pass that found 5th grade WR-Ryder “Hollywood” Hollingsworth up the seam behind the defense with a 35-yard in the air DIME that Hollywood took 77-yards to the house. Hollingsworth ran like a dog was chasing him to give the Apaches the first lead of the contest, 6-0. The ensuing Apache defense stands held strong with the Blonde Bullet-Brandt Bridges, Hollywood Hollingsworth, Hammering Hank Rowton making outstanding open field tackles that forced a Raider punt. The Apaches looked to close out the half with the lead but offensive miscues gave the ball back to the Raiders with 7 secs left in the half. Another great tackle by the Apaches seemed to have closed out the half, but 2 seconds remained. The Raiders attempted a deep pass and with Apaches in position, the interception was just missed, but the pass completed to the WR sent him to the endzone and the Raiders took the lead as the half expired 7-6. The entire third quarter was an outstanding defensive battle, but late in the 4th quarter, the Apaches offense found their rhythm and moved the down the field with multiple key plays. One of which that stood out was Hammering Hank Rowton followed his blocks up the left side and made an NFL cut upfield to move the chains for a gain of 8-yards. The Rocket Rainey had a deep pitch and catch to the Blonde Bullet to move into the red zone of the Raiders. As the clock was ticking down with a 4th and goal, and the game on the line, The Rocket Rainey called his own number around the left side breaking 2 tackles to get into the endzone with inside of 2 mins left in the contest. The Apahces took the lead 13-7. The Apache defense stiffened up and Jackson Lee busted through the line and sacked the Raider QB for a loss to force a crucial 4th down. On that 4th down, Brandt Bridges made the game saving tackle behind the line to gain to send the Apache offense back to the field in the victory formation to seal the win, 13-7.
Both teams had several first game miscues on Tuesday night, but your Apaches never gave up and fought hard to secure great wins!! Join us next Tuesday at 6pm as we travel to OCS to take on the Eagles in a week two powerhouse matchup. As our awesome Coach Jesse Smith says, “better tomorrow than we were today” and as we all scream every week…..
IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE AN APACHE!!
