By Travis Chapman
In week 3 of the regular season, the Glenbrook Apaches hopped on the big white bus and travelled 4-hours one way to soar over the Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy Eagles in their homecoming game by a score of 46-33. After finding out the rules for visitors attending, once they signed over their kidney, figured out which campus to park, then figured which shuttle you had to thumb down just to attend, I believe a more fitting moniker would’ve been “ARCA Divas.” In all reality, ARCA had a great facility that resembled that of a college stadium and the fans were very welcoming hosts.
The Apaches were set to receive the opening kickoff, but a muffed kick gave the Eagles the ball on the Apache 25. The Apaches’ defense answered the call in a tough situation and forced a field goal attempt that the Apaches would block! The offense took over on their own 35-yard line and went straight to work. The rifle arm of Senior Easton Sanders found the hands of Freshman speedster CP Carson Powell for a 47-yard touchdown. The Apaches took the early lead, 6-0.
The Eagles received the next kickoff and returned it great with their big-time speedster that will be playing at the next level and had a melodical short field drive. The Apaches’ defense forced a 4th and 5. The Eagles then got away with big time false start where the receiver was 3 yards past the line of scrimmage before the ball was snapped, and the Apaches’ corner expected the flag with how obvious it was, but no laundry littered the field which let the Eagle WR stand all by his lonesome in the end zone the very second the Eagle QB received the snap for an easy Eagle TD. The score knotted at 6-6 with tons of time left in the first.
The Apaches’ offense came back out reinvigorated from a lack luster performance a week ago at Bossier, to putting on an execution clinic. Sanders dropped a dime over the defenders with a beautiful touch to #2 Action Jackson Waller for a gain of 35-yards. The very next play, Waller took the hand off and followed his blockers for another gain of 35-yards. It set the Apaches up inside the 5-yard line where the outstanding offensive line literally pushed the Eagle D-Line through the back of the end zone where Vicious Cade Vining waltzed into the end zone untouched. The score widened 12-6 Apaches, and they wouldn’t look back the rest of the contest.
The Apaches’ defense stepped up big time, forced a fumble where it found the hands of Senior standout Jonathon Big Bad Bryant for the recovery to set the absolutely on-fire offense up at the 10 yard line of the Eagles. Two plays later, Sanders found Action Jackson on a swing pass for an untouched Apache TD. Slaid Lawler busted his way across the goal line for the 2-pt conversion to give the Apaches a further lead, 20-6 with inside a minute left in the first.
Big D-Boy Daivari Jackson led the defense to force a 3 and out by the Eagles and after the punt the Apache offense went back to moving the ball at will against a big and talented ARCA team. Now it was time for Silk Sonic Seth Mangrum to get his paws on the rock, and boy did he have himself a night. Seth took the first handoff 48 yards and nearly housed it but was tackled from behind by the Eagles speedy Corner/WR. Mangrum carved up the Eagle secondary mirroring Christian McCaffery as he bobbed and weaved like a Singer Sewing Machine to set up the big 3-back Vicious Vining that scored his second Tuddy of the night from 6 yards out as he left cleat prints up the Eagle LB’s chest. The Apaches furthered their lead 26-6 with 9:05 left in the first half.
Big D-Boy and Big Bad Bryant pushed the Eagles backward, each garnering a tackle-for-loss and forced another punt after only giving up one first down. The Apaches took over on the 20 and went to work moving the football with a great balanced attack. After moving the chains twice, the Apaches found themselves on a 4th and long. The rifle arm of Sanders found a perfect route run by the sure-handed freshman “The Dime” Darron Hollingsworth to pick up a first down and kept the drive alive. Sanders continued his passing dominance as he found Rage-Gage White for a gain of 17-yards. Sanders and Waller continued their connection as a dart was released from Sanders well before the break in the route from Waller and perfectly found the sticky hands of Waller for his second Tuddy of the night from 25-yards out. The Apaches grew the lead 32-6 with 1:13 left in the first half.
The Eagles’ extremely talented running back found a seam around the right edge on their first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff and housed it 60-yards. Ladies and gentlemen, this kid is one of the fastest players in the state. When he crossed the goal line, there wasn’t a soul within 25 yards of him. He was THAT explosive. Nonetheless, the score narrowed 32-12. Silk Sonic Seth took us to the half by nearly housing another run of 40 yards.
The second half showed the Apaches’ defense with a little softness in the secondary coverage. The Eagles found a few plays that worked and converted after being behind the chains on 3rd and 20 and scored from a 3rd and 18 after huge plays from D-Boy who had multiple sacks on the night, and great open field tackling by Mangrum to back the Eagles way up, but busted coverage led to an uncontested score from 40 yards out by the Eagles’ speedy WR to narrow the score 32-18 in favor of the Apaches.
Mangrum received the ensuing kick and nearly housed it as well with a great return of 48 yards with T-Bubba Edwards in front trying to pave the way. The Apaches’ outstanding offense put it in the end zone after only 3 plays. Two of which added another 33 yards to Vining’s rushing total. Sanders and Waller stayed in sync as another pitch and catch from 27 yards out put Waller in the end zone for his THIRD score of the night. Apaches’ lead moved to 38-18. The Apaches’ defense continued to push the Eagles WAY behind the sticks, but as I mentioned earlier, they found a few plays that fooled the Apaches’ secondary and executed a perfect middle screen pass from 2nd and 18 to score again from 65-yards out. The score moved to 38-26 with 5:06 left in the third.
The Apaches’ offense looked to eat up the clock with a balanced running attack from Vicious Vining, Silk Sonic Seth, and Rage Gage. Sonic Seth reeled off another huge run of 30 yards, then sure handed Hollingsworth moved the chains on a beautiful curl route that setup The Rage-Gage White to follow Waller and Mangrum to the corner of the end zone for another TD. The play worked so well from 6 yards out, they decided to run it again for the 2-pt try and walked in the end zone to widen the gap, 46-26 Apaches. The Apaches’ defense continued to play great up front, but struggled mightily in the secondary as they gave up another huge pass play for an Eagle touchdown, but still led big 46-33. The defense got coached up and came up big toward the end of regulation with the Eagles threatening again, but Vicious Vining picked up his third sack of the night with D-Boy in pursuit on a key 4th down to turn the ball over to the Apaches. From there the offensive line dominated the Eagles D-Line as Vicious Vining and Sonic Seth crushed the homecoming comeback dreams of the Eagles as Vining picked up another 18 yards to his total and another 38 yards to Mangrum’s total as he averaged 8 yards a carry on the last drive where the Apaches entered victory formation inside the Eagle 25 yard line to secure the major road victory against a very big, athletic and fast 3A ARCA team, 46-33.
Your Apaches played great all night on both sides of the ball with a drastically improved offense that put up 550 yards of offense and 7 total TD’s that blew out a really good south LA team that will be a force to be reckoned with as they enter the LHSAA in the coming years, just as Glenbrook was short time ago! This was a huge team win for the Apaches as they were without several key players from injury and the youngsters stepped up and executed well all night. Your Apaches improved to 2-1 on the season and look to add another to the win column as they face off against the rivals of Cedar Creek next week at The Brook at 7 p.m. Let’s fill the stands for this outstanding group of young men and cheer them on to 3-1.
IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE AN APACHE!!
