Eagles Football Claws The Dragons In A 57-0 Victory

The Sullivan Eagles beat the DeSoto Dragons, 57-0 in a brutal Thursday night showdown on August 29.

Sullivan led at halftime with a score of 43-0, a deficit significant enough for the junior varsity team to step in and finish the victory.

With their second consecutive blowout win, head coach Eddie Haar commented, “We thought our offensive line went really well. We were able to put a lot of points up with the varsity and when we got the JV in. The defensive line played great as well. You know, it was just a fun night today, to be able to get everybody who dressed out in the game.”

In total, Sullivan had 390 total yards, 342 rushing yards and 3 recovered fumble.

Quarterback York threw for two touchdowns while also rushing for an impressive average of 11.25 yards per carry.

In the first half, running backs Franky Erxleben gained 50 yards and Dominic Ransom added 49 to Sullivan’s rushing yardage.

Their rushing game remained dominant in the second half with the junior varsity runners. Jennings led the team with an impressive 25 yards per carry and ran for a total of 100 yards, while Bridgeman followed closely behind with 73 yards.

Sullivan received the kickoff to start the game. York, Erxleben and Ransom moved the chains downfield. Erxleben capped off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown, giving Sullivan an early 7-0 lead against DeSoto.

The Dragons took possession, but quickly realized they would face a challenging defense all night. Chase Blue and Grant Halmick made crucial stops on short runs, while Strehl and Colton Brendel tackled runners at the legs, effectively bringing them down.

Sullivan’s offense continued to overpower DeSoto, extending their lead to 15-0 with 7:27 left in the first quarter. At DeSoto’s 30-yard line, York sailed a beautiful pass to Seth Valley for a touchdown. Ransom then successfully converted a two-point play on a fake field goal, evading defenders and reaching the end zone.

DeSoto struggled to make any progress and on a crucial 4th down, their quarterback attempted a pass, but Curtis Rall and Blue’s strong pass rush made it impossible for the receiver to make the catch.

However, the Dragons weren’t ready to give up and avenged the turnover by intercepting York’s pass. But, their rushing game still couldn’t overcome Sullivan’s aggressive blitzes.

The Eagles marched down the field for another touchdown. Starting from the 48-yard line, Erxleben and Rodriguez gained first downs, while Ransom and Aidan Cain kept the chains moving. Erxleben ended the drive with an 8-yard sweep for the Eagles’ third touchdown and a dominant 22-0 lead for Sullivan.

Strehl continued to lead the Eagles’ defensive line, forcing a fumble on a rushing play and slowing down DeSoto’s momentum.

Sullivan launched another scoring drive, with captain York guiding his teammates downfield. York displayed his scrambling skills, evading Dragons defenders for about 30 yards. He then sneaked for 2 yards through the defensive line for Sullivan’s fourth touchdown, increasing the score to 29-0.

The Dragons faced difficulty moving the ball and Blue’s impressive sack forced DeSoto to punt.

The Eagles continued to utilize York as a scrambling threat and he advanced the ball to DeSoto’s 27-yard line. With just 15 yards to the end zone, Ransom busted through a gap and scored. Sullivan now had a lead of 36-0.

DeSoto’s next drive ended with Dayton Skaggs recovering a fumble. Cain and Erxleben gained some short yardage, positioning the Eagles at the 28-yard line. York then connected with Erxleben for an 18-yard touchdown despite the Dragons’ efforts to hold onto his jersey. Sullivan surged ahead of the Dragons with a halftime score of 43-0.

In the second half, the Eagles substituted their starters with junior varsity players to give them some rest. These backups were equally confident on the field and maintained Sullivan’s strong performance.

Jennings broke free for the longest rush of the night, outrunning all of the Dragon defenders for 78 yards and electrifying the crowd.

DeSoto’s offense continued to struggle, unable to gain much ground as Sullivan’s defense continued to shut them down.

Bridgeman and Jennings continued to deliver key short-yardage gains. Bridgeman powered through the defensive line with a 16-yard run near the end zone, securing the game’s final touchdown with 2:14 left in the fourth quarter. Borton’s successful two-point scramble extended Sullivan’s lead to 57-0.

Looking ahead, Sullivan’s next game will be a home match against the Union Wildcats for Youth Recognition Night, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 8, followed by the Icebreaker Dance.