Sullivan’s Football Season Ended At Final Four
Nine Game Winning Streak Snapped
The Sullivan Eagles had a stellar season this year. Head Coach Eddie Haar’s third season as the man in charge was Sullivan’s best season yet under his control. The Eagles finished with a 11-3 record. This was a major improvement from their 5-6 season last year. Sullivan battled hard against Reeds Spring on Saturday, but came up short in the second half. Reeds Spring defeated Sullivan and is advancing to the state finals in Columbia. The final score of the semifinals game was 49-20.
In the first quarter, Sullivan received the kickoff. Senior powerhouse, Franky Erxleben, rushed the ball a few times and gave Sullivan a first down. After a false start was called on Sullivan, Gabe Dace passed the ball to Dominic Ransom for a third and four. The next play, Erxleben was dropped for a loss and the ball was punted away. The Wolves came out swinging right away and James Dowdy caught the ball for a 31 yard gain. One of their star seniors, Preston Blubaugh, took the handoff and ran for four yards. The next play was an incomplete pass, but Dowdy ran the ball for positive yards and the first down. Sullivan’s Cayden Thacker stopped the Wolves on their next play and Sam Summers exploded the Wolves with a big sack. The Wolves quarterback, Blandy Burall, threw to receiver wide open but the pass was dropped. Reeds Springs didn’t want to punt just yet, so they took timeout. They should’ve punted, because Sullivan’s Kayden Bryan intercepted the pass and made the Wolves regret their decision. The Eagles got the ball back and this time handed the ball off to Jeremiah Rodriguez for two running plays. Sullivan punted the ball away after an unsuccessful run from Erxleben. Erxleben returned fire and tackled the Wolves for a loss. Colton Brendel dropped Reeds Spring for another loss on the next play. Brendel then rushed Burall and Reeds Spring was forced to throw an incompletion and Sullivan took over on offense. The wind played a factor on Saturday afternoon with Gabe Dace overthrowing a receiver. Jonathon Martin was dropped on the next play for no gain. Dace found Bryan open downfield and picked up the first down. Dace was then sacked on the next play and the first quarter was over without a score.
In the second quarter, Sullivan had the ball to start. Erxleben ran the ball for ten yards but Sullivan was still faced with a third and seven. The next play was an incomplete pass and Reeds Spring got the ball back. The Wolves then fumbled the ball and Sullivan’s Dayton Skaggs recovered the ball. Gabe Dace’s draw plays helped the Eagles all season and he rushed for 18 yards to give Sullivan a big first down and put them in the red zone. Erxleben ran the ball to bring Sullivan to second and goal. Dace found Ransom open for positive yards and Sullivan found the endzone on the next play. Gabe Dace sneaked the ball across and Sullivan drew first blood. After the two point conversion was unsuccessful, the score was 6-0 with nine and a half minutes left in the first half. Bryan almost intercepted the ball on the next play. Blubaugh ran the ball 38 yards on the next play. Burall passed the ball to Dowdy for first down and Thacker tackled the Wolves for a second and eight. Burall found Tracen Cobb wide open to gain fifteen and bring the Wolves to a first and goal. Dowdy gained five yards and the Wolves scored when Burall sneaked the ball in the endzone and tied the game. Reeds Spring broke the tie with a field goal and a little under seven minutes left. Erxleben kept the motivation and ran for two positive yards. Sullivan got the first down on another Erxleben run and he also drew a face mask penalty. Rodriguez and Skaggs each rushed the ball for Sullivan and Ransom picked up the first down on a seven yard run. Erxleben rushed the ball again and Reeds Spring was called on a facemask again. Ransom ran the ball for another seven and the Eagles scored when Gabe Dace snuck the ball in the endzone again. This time the two point conversion was good and Sullivan was up 14-7 with a little under four minutes left. Blubaugh ran the ball for twenty five yards during the Wolves next possession. The Wolves made another big play when Dowdy scored on a fifty two yards reception and the game was tied again after two plays and a field goal. Sullivan was faced with a fourth down, when Ransom picked up the first down. The Wolves defense sent Sullivan to a fourth down and Sullivan went for it. Gabe Dace picked up the successful first down and they got another first down on a pass to Summers. Coach Haar took a timeout and Dace was sacked on the next play. Sullivan took another timeout when they were at a fourth down and nine to go. The pass was incomplete to Martin and Reeds Spring took over. The Wolves didn’t take a knee to end the first half. Burall found Dowdy open for 71 yard pass and run and after the field goal, the Wolves led, 21-14.
In the third quarter, Reeds Spring secured the win. The Wolves got the ball to begin the final half and Thacker stopped them on their first two plays. They picked up a first down on a screen pass and Martin tipped the ball for an incomplete pass on the next play. The Wolves got a false start called against them and were at third and fifteen, when Blubaugh rushed for fifteen and gained the first down. Blubaugh gained another twenty yards on the next play and the Wolves got a first down. Martin tipped the ball again and Reeds Springs was a third and ten. After a pass, the Wolves picked up the first down. The Wolves found the endzone on a ten yard pass to Cobb. After the field goal was complete, Reeds Spring was up 28-14 with seven and a half minutes left. Sullivan was faced with a fourth and five opportunity after Erxleben ran the ball. Sullivan went for it and got the first down on a pass to Summers. Gavin Dace took the much needed added motivation and ran the ball for forty-four yards and Sullivan scored another touchdown with a little over four minutes left. The Wolves came alive and ran the ball for an 81 yard kickoff return and, after the field goal, the score was 35-20. Sullivan struggled again and Reeds Spring forced a fumble and recovered the loose ball for another touchdown. In just fifty seconds of regular play later, the Wolves were up 42-20 with a little over three minutes left. Blubaugh kept his running game strong and picked up a first down to end the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Wolves scored again and Sullivan wasn’t able to find the endzone again. Reeds Spring scored another touchdown on a thirty six yard pass. After another successful field goal the final score was 49-20. The Wolves intercepted the ball again and a snap went over Burall’s head. Sullivan fumbled the ball on their next possession but Thacker recovered the loose ball and Sullivan still had to punt the ball. The Wolves gained another first down on a sixteen yard run. Thacker stopped Reed Springs on their possession and punted the ball back to Sullivan. Summers blocked the punt, but Gabe Dace was sacked on their first play. Sullivan was stopped again for a loss and after an unsuccessful pass to Rodriguez, Reeds Spring got the ball back and went into victory formation. They let the clock run out on two quarterback kneels and the Wolves will go to their first state championship game in school history.