Defensive showdown slips away late for Warriors as they fall to Chuckey-Doak, 14-0
Published 11:49 pm Friday, August 27, 2021
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Warriors Cameron Cochran (63) gets Happy Valley’s season underway with the opening kickoff of the 2021 season on Warrior Hill.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders A high snap on a Black Knight third down play sent quarterback Cayden Tullock scrambling for the ball, but Happy Valley’s Joseph Sowards (50) recovered the ball setting the Warriors up with great field position late in the first quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Warriors Cayden Campbell (40) wraps up Chuckey Doak’s Josh Guy (24) stopping him as he tries to cut back inside for extra yardage and a first down late in the first quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Warriors Dillon Shelton (54) tackles Chuckey Doak’s Conner Lamons (3) after a short return of the opening kickoff.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Warrior quarterback Blake Garmon (1) escapes the pocket to his right and then fires a pass, across his body, toward the end zone on the first play of the second quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Warrior quarterback Blake Garmon (1) breaks to the outside and escapes a tackle by Chuckey Doak’s Alex Caldwell (54) just long enough for a first down.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Happy Valley’s Pedro Colunga (20) and Zach Hicks (64) plug the hole as the Black Knights Elijah Elliot (32) tries to cutback up the middle for a first down in the first quarter.
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BY AUSTIN ALEXANDER
STAR CORRESPONDENT
HAPPY VALLEY – An incredibly humid Friday night was the stage for Happy Valley”s belated season opener after having Covid issues last week, the boys were ready to go.
Coming off a tough loss to Knox Catholic, Chuckey-Doak was hoping they could pretend this was week one as well. Both team’s defenses looked the part, but ultimately the Black Knight’s depth and running game proved to be the difference in an incredibly close battle, 14-0.
Chuckey-Doak would take the opening kick and get started on offense first.
Right out of the gate, the Black Knights went to work on the ground as expected with a couple of mid-sized runs from Colton Smith, but a penalty really stifled the Black Knights and a Warrior stop forced a punt.
Happy Valley took over with good field position and tried their best to push the ball down the field on the back of senior workhorse, Andrew Little.
A flurry of runs built some momentum for the Warriors, but an incomplete pass and a penalty put Happy Valley into a fourth and long situation. Quarterback Blake Garmon would drop back and find Landon Babb for 15 yards and a first down.
The effort was to no avail, however, as the Black Knight defense was just as prepared as the Warriors forcing a turnover on downs.
Back under center, the Black Knights began their heavy lean on Brasen Murvin. They would push on the ground with a lot of success, but a penalty pushed the offense into an uncomfortable position.
A high snap would end the possession with big Joseph Sowards covering up for the Warriors.
Deja vu struck on the next Happy Valley drive as nothing was working on the offensive side of things with yet another turnover on downs.
Forced to start deep in their own territory, Chuckey-Doak once again fired up their ground attack this time working in Josh Guy who broke free for a couple of solid runs.
Murvin would smash into the Warrior defense over and over, but the recurring theme for both teams on the evening was bend, but don’t break. An incomplete pass would set up a 33-yard field goal from Marco Rojas that went just wide keeping things scoreless.
Each team would have another fruitless possession before the halftime horn sounded and quickly things began to seem like the first to score would win.
Coming out of the half, Happy Valley continued to work Little getting Bronson Norman and Cayden Campbell involved in the ground game, but the Warriors still lacked the finishing touch as the drive was capped by an excellent punt from Cameron Cochran.
A quick Chuckey-Doak three and out swayed momentum in favor of the Warriors with Garmon finding do it all Landon Babb for a nice gain. It was fool’s gold yet again as the Black Knight defense quickly slammed the door shut.
The next Chuckey-Doak possession saw a shift in tides as the lack of depth for Happy Valley began to show in a big way. The Warriors looked totally gassed as the third quarter closed out.
Almost every player that starts for the Warriors goes both ways and the humidity began taxing them. After a valiant effort, the Black Knights finally burst a big play with Cadin Tullock finding Austin Morris for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Again, a drained Warriors offense stepped on the field only to go and three and out and the Black Knights smelled blood in the water punching it in a second time with Colton Smith rumbling 40 yards for the score as Chuckey-Doak would close out the Warriors, 14-0.
