Hole to big for Coahulla Creek to climb out of in 4th quarter

After traveling to Calhoun for the fight against the Sonoraville Phoenix, the Colts suffered a 35-14 loss. Coahulla Creek was a little undermanned coming into the game, missing standout players Jackson Lowery and Elijah Faraji. The Creek came out with momentum in the first few minutes after winning the coin toss and receiving the ball on kick off. The Colts took the ball down field into opponent territory, before fumbling on an attempted reverse on 4th down. The Phoenix recovered the ball, and drove down the field for a 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing drive, the Colts once again drove the ball down field, moving it well against the Sonoraville defense, into field goal range, before missing a 43 yard field goal. Sonoraville had some explosive plays on their next 2 drives, leading to a 21-0 halftime lead.

Although the Colts worked hard to pick themselves back up and fight for control, repeated mistakes held them back. Head Coach Drew Carter explains how he was disappointed in the game. He tells us “we weren’t able to sustain anything offensively, turned the ball over a couple times early, would give up explosive plays and get ourselves in a hole.” He continues, explaining how he felt they were “not focused as a team” and “weren’t real energetic as a team.”

Despite the challenges of the game, the Colts never truly gave up. Trailing 28-0, the Colts fought back in the 4th quarter, with touchdowns made from Silas Pledger and Waelyn Baliles. We also saw our senior WR/DB Kobe King make some good plays, including an interception. They also recovered 2 onside kicks in their comeback attempt, both of which were recovered by Devean Espitia. We continued to put up a fight, regardless of the score. Carter was very proud of the fact they “made it into a ball game in the late third, early fourth quarter.”

Looking forward into the upcoming week Coach Carter emphasized the importance of preparation and execution. He wants to see his team focus more sharply during practice, play with more energy, and avoid putting themselves in situations where simple mistakes dictate the flow of the game.

The Colts will use this upcoming week as a chance to regroup. If they can cut down the amount of mistakes from this game and bring back their usual energy as we travel to Rockmart this Friday, they will have the opportunity to bounce back stronger in this next game. As the fans and players know this week was a setback, we expect to see a better game this Friday night. The expectations include that the Colts will be ready to respond with resilience, determination, and the fight that defines who we are this coming Friday night.

Article written by Kylie Lyttle