Eagles get week off before playoffs begin
The first minute of the Salado Eagles’ 66-0 win over the Robinson Rockets was indicative of the remaining 47.
Caden Strickland started off with a 35 yard kick return, followed by a 27-yard run on the first play from scrimmage by Reid Vincent and a 20-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage by Noah Mescher. Wrook Brown kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 11:19 left in the first quarter.
Kofi Stoglin recovered a Robinson fumble at the Rockets’ 22 yard line. Three plays later Vincent ran through the Rocket defense for a 10 yard touchdown with 8:53 left in the first. Brown kicked the PAT for a 14-0 lead.
The Eagles defense forced Robinson to punt from their own 9, setting up Salado at the Rocket 32 yard line. Mescher took it from there, through the middle of the defense for a touchdown at 6:31 in the first. Brown’s PAT made it 21-0.
A minute and seven seconds later, after Lucas Morvant recovered a fumble by Cooper Petty, Salado scored on a 27 yard pass from Hutton Haire to a wide open Kole Maedgen. Brown made it 28-0.
The Eagles added one more touchdown in the first, driving 35 yards before Stoglin bulled his way in from the 4 yard line, scoring with 1:28 left in the first. Brown made it 35-0.
Another three-and-out by Robinson and a piddling 31-yard punt, followed by a 38-yard run by Brown, set Salado up at the Rocket 21. Hutton hit Brown for a TD strike and Brown toed the extra point for Salado to go up 42-0 with 11:33 left in the first half.
Another three-and-out gave the Eagles the ball at their own 44 yard line. The Eagles went to work on a sustained drive nine plays, taking almost five minutes off the clock when Vincent scored on an 11 yard run with 4:50 left. Brown made it 49-0.
Salado forced another three-and-out but this time Kory Walker blocked the punt to give Salado the ball at the Rocket 19 yard line. Stoglin again was given the ball on a second and goal to score from the 1 yard line with 1:50 to go and Brown kicked his eighth PAT of the game for a 56-0 first half lead.
Salado called off the dogs in the second half, but the defense continued to stifle Robinson. After a three-and-out, Salado took over at their own 34 yard line. The Eagles drove to the Rocket 6 yard line, setting up Drew Bird’s TD run with 4:39 left in the third. Brown kicked the PAT for a 63-0 lead. Strickland carried the ball for gains of 37 and 16 yards on the drive.
The Eagles defense forced another three-and-out and Salado took over at their own 34 yard line with 2:42 left in the third. Nine plays later, Brown kicked a 24-yard field goal with 8:44 left to play and the final lead of 66-0.
Held to three-and-outs on all but their first possession, the Rockets drove from their own 32 yard line to the Salado 15 yard line before time ran out. The drive was costly as senior running back Petty was carted off the field with an injury that required the ambulance.
Salado gets a week off to prepare for their run in the 4A, Div. 2 playoffs. The Eagles will play on Nov. 13 at 7:30 at A&M Consolidated High School against the fourth place team from District 10-4A. Likely opponent will be Madison Mustangs or Rusk Eagles.