Salado Eagles secured second place in District 9-4A Division II and another trip to the playoffs with a 77-14 blowout of the visiting Jarrell Cougars tonight.
The win improves Salado’s record to 6-3 on the year and 3-1 in district play.
The home team also tried some new plays and players, such as a roll out pass from Hutton Haire to Joshua Huckabee for the first TD of the night, good for 36 yards at 9:03 in the first. Daniel Chtay converted the PAT. Chtay has missed only one kick this season.
The defense was stellar, holding the Cougars to 11 first downs on the night. Jarrell converted four of 14 third downs and two of six fourth downs. The defense held the Cougars to 219 yards on 58 plays, 174 in the air and 45 on the ground.
Salado had 559 yards total offense, 454 on the ground and 105 in the air. The Eagles also converted all six of their third downs and once again never punted the ball. Salado had 28 first downs on the night.
The Eagles continued to dominate the clock with 28:11 on offense while the defense was on the field 19:49.
The referees got plenty of work in, too. Jarrell was hit 11 times for 60 yards while Salado was called six times for 85 yards.
Aidan Wilson carried the ball 16 times for 171 yards, including his first TD of 31 yards with 3:54 left in the first to cap a 47-yard, seven play drive. Chtay toed the PAT for a 14-0 lead.
After snuffing out a fake punt on the third three-and-out series, Salado took just two plays to cover 15 yards, with Seth Reavis running it in from the 7 yard line. Chtay’s kick made it 21-0 with 2:15 left in the first.
After another three-and-out defensive stand, Salado drove 54 yards in four plays, scoring on a 7-yard Wilson run at 11:54 in the second. Chtay made it 28-0.
Jarrell got on the Salado side of the field, but the Eagle defense stopped a fourth and 10 pass at the 25 yard line to set up a five play drive, topped by a 50-yard run by Reavis at 3:23 in the second. Chtay was good for a 35-0 lead.
The Eagles forced another three-and-out series and Huckabee returned the Cougar punt 42 yards, but a holding call brought the ball back to the to the Jarrell 39 yard line. Three plays later, Haire connected with Reavis for a 32-yard strike. Chtay made it 42-0 with 59 seconds left in the half.
Jarrell used that time to finally get on the board with no time left on the halftime clock. A defensive penalty gave the Cougars the ball at the Eagle 2 yard line and Andrew Knebel connected with Dakarai Barnes for the TD. Cayden Sanchez kicked the extra point to make the halftime score 42-7.
Jarrell recovered an onsides kick to start the second half, but turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles’ 36 yard line.
Nine plays later, Haire bulled in from the Jarrell 1-yard line. Chtay made it 49-0.
Knebel hit Barnes for a 20 yard pass, but he coughed up the ball and Drew Bird recovered it at the Salado 39 yard line. Wilson took the first handoff and sprinted through the Jarrell defense for a 61-yard TD with 6:21 left in the third. Chtay made it 56-7.
Cavahn Wilson recovered a fumble at the Jarrell 38 toset up afive play scoring drive, capped by a 6-yard run by Reavis. Chtay made it 63-7.
Late in the third, Braydon Sumners recovered a blocked punt for Salado to set up the Eagles at the Cougars’ 23 yard line.
Kase Maedgen needled his way through the defense to score the Eagles’ 10th TD of the game. Chtay toed his 10th PAT for a 70-7 lead,
Midway through the fourth, with the game clock spinning, Knebel connected with Barnes for a 39-yard touchdown. Sanchez made it 70-14.
Maedgen scored his second TD of the night on a 51-yard run through the defense with 2:34 left on the clock. Chtay toed the final point.
Reavis carried the ball nine times for 113 yard. Maedgen had three carries for 88 yards and Adam Benavides carried the ball nine times for 54 yards.
Haire spread the ball between four receivers on four-of-six passing for 105 yards: Huckabee, 36 yards; Reavis, 31 yards, Gavyn Keyser, 22 yards and Jesse Makunas, 15 yards.