Altavista defense pitches a shutout

Through 10 regular-season games, the Altavista Colonels’ defense allowed just 12.7 points per game, a stingy number by any measure. The one thing missing was a shutout, which the Colonels finally got against the Madison County Mountaineers, forcing three turnovers on their way to a 10-0 win in the opening round of the Region B, Division 1, playoffs.

If the first two plays of the game were any indication, the Mountaineers were going to score plenty of points. First, Logan Terrell gashed the Colonels for 14 yards up the middle. On the following play, Ralph Yates picked up another 11 yards to put the Mountaineers at the 50. Madison County would give the ball to Terrell again but this time he was met in the backfield by Chris Clark. Clark and the rest of the Colonels were a common sight in the Mountaineers’ backfield all night.

“Our defense, I guess the old bend and don’t break, because they did get some yards. They did a good job against us, but we stopped them. (We were) very physical tonight. I don’t think anyone stood out defensively. Defensively, I think it was just a great team effort,” Colonels coach Mike Scharnus said.

For most of the first half, the Mountaineers defense was up to the challenge as well. The Colonels finally caught a break after a punt gave them a short field, starting at their own 46. Daelyn Myers started the Colonel drive with a 10-yard carry before Clark bounced a run to the left all the way to the 29.

The drive stalled at the 13 but Blake Todd was able to convert a 29-yard field goal for the 3-0 lead.

“It was kind of surreal when I hit it. I sort of blacked out,” joked Todd.

Though the Madison County offense was not producing any points, it managed to avoid any costly mistakes for much of the first three quarters. However, with time winding down in the third, the Mountaineers fumbled on first down deep in their own territory.

The Colonels recovered on the 16 and three plays later Rick Adams took a quarterback sneak in from the 1 to put the Colonels up 10-0 with just over two minutes left in the third. The closest the Mountaineers would come to scoring was on their next possession when they drove to the 15. However, a 32-yard field goal from Stephen Dixon barely cleared the offensive line, falling well short.

Madison County coach Stuart Dean said the offense that had carried the Mountaineers through their first 10 games never hit its stride against Altavista.

“We just never could get consistency in our offense. We’d get two plays and then have a breakdown on the third play and then get it back together and have another breakdown or they’d make a great play,” Dean said.

The Colonels pass defense was impressive, shutting down tight end Dylan Shifflette and limiting standout wide receiver Antonio Childress to just five catches and 52 yards. Jarrod Hunt spent most of the game covering Childress.

“We just didn’t want him to win the game for them,” Hunt said.

“It’s good to get our first shutout in the playoffs.”

Overall, quarterback Dustin Kirby was just 7-for-20 through the air. The Colonels were led by Clark’s 137 yards on 25 carries.