Sullivan Shuts Down St. James In Last Away Game
The Eagles were a dominant force at Friday’s football game. Sullivan traveled to St. James to play at their homecoming, but quickly ran away with the game. The Eagles scored on their first two drives of the game to put away the Tigers early. The Tigers sprung back in the first quarter but Sullivan was already up by two touchdowns. The running game clock started in the second half, when Sullivan was already ahead by a substantial amount. Sullivan surged past St. James, 51-14.
In the first quarter, Sullivan started on a hot note when they received the kick off. The first play was a pitch to Dominic Ransom for positive yards. Franky Erxleben took the ball in for a first down right away. Erexleben did it again as he ran and bounced off the players trying to bring him down. The ball was handed off to Dayton Skaggs, the fullback, before Jeremiah Rodriguez ran the ball for eleven yards to make it first and goal. The Eagles jumped on the board when Erexleben ran the ball for six yards. The two point conversion was good after a run by Jordan Rice, 8-0. Kayden Bryan kicked a successful onside kick for Sullivan to recover. Gabe Dace looked for open receivers and pump faked the ball before running it himself. Erxleben gained 18 more yards and took Sullivan to a first and goal again.
With a little under eight minutes left, Sullivan added another touchdown. Rice ran in the ball for another two point conversion, 16-0. St. James fumbled the ball in their drive and the ball was recovered by Sullivan’s Jonathon Martin. Gabe Dace found Martin open for a 34 yard pass and run, soon Sullivan scoring again. The two point conversion was no good, but Sullivan was up now 22-0. St. James fumbled the ball but recovered it for a loss of yards. Cody Wilfong of St. James found a hole to run through the line for 41 yards. He found the endzone on the next play and drew first blood for the Tigers, 22-6. Sullivan kept up the domination though, with Ransom taking a pitch and making a 12 yard gain. Gavin Dace followed with another huge first down run. Rice kept moving the chains for Sullivan and Erxleben continued his big night when he found the endzone again. Erxleben will take a hit and just keep running, which makes him dangerous. Sullivan was leading to start the second quarter, 30-6.
In the second quarter, Sullivan’s defense began to shine more. Erxleben stopped St. James and brought them to a fourth and nine. Cody’s brother Carter gained 25 yards. Sullivan’s Colton Brendel wasn’t gonna stand for St. James positive yards anymore and stopped them for a loss of one. The next play Brendel delivered again when he tipped the ball and came down with the interception. A holding penalty was called against Sullivan during the next possession, but Rodriguez ran the ball for a first down. Sullivan was at fourth down and six, when Gabe Dace found Sam Summers wide open in the endzone. Erxleben ran the ball in for a two point conversion, 38-6. Brendel and Erxleben stopped St. James with a big tackle and no gain. Gavin Dace and Martin broke up a pass and St. James was at a fourth and fifteen. The Tigers took a timeout with 3:27 left. Sullivan got the ball back without giving up another score and added another score of their own. Erxleben ran the ball for 50 yards to give Sullivan the edge. He ran the ball in on the next play for 17 yards and Sullivan was up, 44-6. Gavin Dace, the Tigers’ quarterback, Cooper Harlan, and St. James had to turn the ball over on downs. Gabe Dace found Erxleben open and Sullivan took a timeout with 12 seconds left in the half. Gabe Dace ran the ball himself for his first rushing touchdown of the game, then Sullivan scored their first extra point kick of the season. Sullivan was up, 51-6.
In the fourth quarter, the running clock had already started. Neither St. James nor Sullivan scored in the third, but St. James did in the fourth. Cody Wilfong ran the ball into the endzone for St. James and the two point conversion was good. The final score was 51-14.
Sullivan had an incredible 300 yards rushing. Erxleben ran for 92 yards and was followed by Gabe Dace with 85. Rodriguez added 64 yards and Ransom had 24 yards.
The Eagles had 92 yards receiving. Martin cost most of it with 35 yards and was followed by Summers with 29 yards.
Up next: Sullivan is at home for their last two regular season games against Owensville and North County.