Sullivan puts up big numbers again in win over Vikings

By Chris Morlan

The Indiana High School Athletic Association football playoffs resumed last Friday night across the state. Prior to the first kickoff played across the state, there were 192 football teams still alive in the tournament. At the end of Friday evening, there were only 96 football teams staying alive and hoping to make a deep run.

North Posey had to take an hour and a half road trip to play against the Sullivan Golden Arrows. Those hopes got shattered for the North Posey football team losing to Sullivan 53-7 to end the Vikings season at seven wins and four losses.

Sullivan received the ball to start the game. On the Golden Arrows first offensive drive that lasted 11 plays for 80 yards ended with Ty Hamilton scoring on a one-yard touchdown run. A good extra point kick by Cash Murdock and Sullivan led 7-0 with 8:37 remaining in the first quarter.

The Vikings first drive went three and out to force them to punt the ball. On the punt, Sullivan’s Zane Catlin returned the punt for a touchdown. However, a flag was thrown by the officials, and the ball was moved back to the North Posey 44-yard line. Sullivan wasted fourteen seconds on a two-play, 44-yard drive ending with Peyton Carlson scoring on a nine-yard run. Murdock made the PAT, and the Golden Arrows now led 14-0 with 6:54 left in the first quarter.

North Posey turned the ball over on downs on their second offensive drive of the game. Sullivan got the ball back and scored another touchdown on a 74-yard run by Clark French. Murdock’s PAT was good, and the Golden Arrows led 21-0 with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter.

On the next North Posey offensive drive, the Vikings put together a good possession ending with Camden Clowers scoring a touchdown on a 33-yard pass from Carter Schickel. A good PAT by Ethan Ashby made the score 21-7 with 1:34 left in the period. After one quarter of play, Sullivan led 21-7.

After the first quarter touchdown by North Posey. The Vikings had few opportunities to cut the deficit. However, North Posey couldn’t capitalize on that chance and dug themselves even a bigger hole. With the ball on the North Posey 14-yard line, Carter Schickel’s pass was deflected by William Hollifield. Landyn Simmons intercepted the ball and ran it back for a 14-yard touchdown. The PAT by Cash Murdock was blocked by Brody Fehn and Sullivan now led 27-7 going into the halftime break.

North Posey received the ball to start the third quarter. The Vikings were looking good and moving the ball down the field. Then Carter Schickel threw his fourth interception of the game on the Sullivan five-yard line. The game got a little heated after that interception and North Posey received a few unsportsmanlike conduct flags thrown on them and this moved Sullivan up to their 45-yard line. Sullivan moved the ball inside the 20-yard line then North Posey got called for a facemask penalty. This moved Sullivan to the North Posey three-yard line. On the next play, Clark French scored a touchdown on a three-yard run. During the two-point conversion, Davin Sullivan intercepted the pass thrown. Sullivan now led 33-7 with 6:55 remaining in the third quarter.

On the next Viking offensive drive, North Posey turned the ball over on downs. Sullivan got the ball back and went three plays for 67 yards ending with Clark French scoring his third touchdown of the game on a six-yard run. Cash Murdock’s PAT was no good and Sullivan now extended their advantage to 39-7 with 2:20 left in the third quarter. At the end of the third quarter, Sullivan then led 39-7.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Sullivan running back Clark French became the school’s all-time leading rusher. That drive lasted seven plays for 60 yards ending with French scoring his fourth touchdown of the game on a two-yard run. Murdock’s PAT was good, and Sullivan now led 46-7 with 10:40 remaining in the game.

From that point on, there was a running clock due to the 35-point lead rule. Sullivan got the ball back with under six minutes left in the game when freshman quarterback Maddox Grise threw a 75-yard pass to Paul Ridgway for a touchdown. Murdock’s PAT was good. Sullivan now led 53-7, which went on to be the final score of the game.

Sullivan improved their season record to eight wins and three losses. The Golden Arrows will travel to Linton-Stockton this Friday night for the Sectional Championship. Junior running back Clark French had 25 carries for 273 yards and four touchdowns for the Golden Arrows.

The season will end for North Posey, but this program has a bright future. North Posey will lose a few key players but return all the skilled position players. The Vikings will also return a deep sophomore and junior classes, plus an upcoming tough eighth grade class that will be freshman to add to the mix. North Posey has the capability to make a deep run in the playoffs next season.

GAME STATS

GOLDEN ARROWS 53, VIKINGS 7

North Posey 7 0 0 0 — 37

Mount Vernon 21 6 12 14 — 54

SCORING SUMMARY:

1st Quarter

SHS: Ty Hamilton 1 yd Rush (TD) (Cash Murdock PAT good)

SHS: Peyton Carlson 9 yd Rush (TD) (Cash Murdock PAT good)

SHS: Clark French 74 yd Rush (TD) (Cash Murdock PAT good)

NP: Camden Clowers 33 yd Pass from Carter Schickel (Ethan Ashby PAT good)

2nd Quarter

SHS: Interception Landyn Simmons 14 yd Return (Cash Murdock PAT no good)

3rd Quarter

SHS: Clark French 1 yd Rush (TD) (2-pt conversion intercepted by Davin Sullivan)

SHS: Clark French 6 yd Rush (TD) (Cash Murdock PAT no good)

4th Quarter

SHS: Clark French 3 yd Rush (TD) (Cash Murdock PAT good)

SHS: Paul Ridgway 75 yd Pass from Maddox Grise (Cash Murdock PAT good)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING: NORTH POSEY: Joey Hisch 5-42, Bret Buecher 16-32, Carter Schickel 1-7; SULLIVAN: Clark French 25-273 (4 TD), Zane Catlin 4-59, Peyton Carlson 2-12 (1 TD), Jaden Norris 1-5, Ty Hamilton 2-1 (1 TD), Maddox Grise 1-minus 2.

PASSING: NORTH POSEY: Carter Schickel 20-39-4 218 yards (1 TD); SULLIVAN: Maddox Grise 9-15-0 215 yards (1 TD), Ty Hamilton 1-2-0 minus 3.

RECEIVING: NORTH POSEY: Brody Fehn 8-88, Dylan Murphy 5-63, Camden Clowers 2-37 (1 TD), Remi Johnson 4-26, Bret Buecher 1-4; SULLIVAN: Paul Ridgway 3-122 (1 TD), Zane Catlin 5-88, Jaden Norris 1-8, Blake Fraker 1-minus 3.

DEFENSE:

TACKLES: NORTH POSEY: Braden Elpers 5, Dylan Murphy 4, Zeke Roosevelt 4, Landon Crawford 3, Camden Clowers 3, Remi Johnson 3, Brandon Kortz 2, Brody Fehn 2, Matthew Will 2, Lane Young 1, Evan Buchanan 1, Bret Buecher 1