By BRANDON ROSEN — For The Independent
FLATWOODS — For a half, Russell appeared ready to make a run in the Class 3A playoffs.
However, a big second half from Sheldon Clark overwhelmed the Red Devils 36-14 on Friday night. The first-round exit was the first since 1998 for Russell’s playoff-seasoned program.
Russell came out ready early as senior running back Travis Jones took the first five plays for 71 yards, finishing off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead.
But Sheldon Clark would respond with a touchdown of its own as quarterback Austin Stepp completed a three-play, 78-yard drive with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Avery Ray tying the game at seven with 4:12 to go in the first quarter.
Jones would find the end zone once again early in the second quarter on a 3-yard run, and a Tanner Locey kick put Russell up 14-7 with 10:25 remaining in the half. Sheldon Clark struck back once again though, scoring from one yard out on a Stepp run. A bobbled snap on the ensuing point after attempt caused Sheldon Clark kicker Kelly Hayes to miss the extra point, leaving Russell with a 14-13 halftime lead.
But the second half was all Sheldon Clark.
The Cardinals came out in the second half and dominated on both sides of the ball, holding Russell to 20 yards, while racking up 157 yards on offense and scoring three times.
Stepp completed 7 of 12 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown and Ray had 103 rushing yards on nine attempts with a touchdown and one reception for 35 yards and another score.
The Red Devils, who finished
6-5, were led once again by Jones, who capped off a tremendous senior season with 108 yards on 18 carries and both of Russell’s TDs.
Russell also received a big game from senior Jesse White-Reed as he ran five times for 26 yards, and had two key receptions for 22 yards in the first half.
The Devils came into the game in an unusual role.
“We felt coming into the game that we were the underdog,” said Russell coach Ivan McGlone. “We thought they were a little better than we were as far as personnel and experience goes, and that we would have to play the best football game we could possibly play to get a win.
“We started off pretty good and had the lead at halftime, but that’s two weeks (games) in a row we’ve had the lead at halftime and couldn’t hold on for the win. We played hard, but just came up short again tonight.”
It was an up-and-down season for the Red Devils and their 14 seniors who didn’t go out the way they would have liked. McGlone was proud of what his seniors had accomplished.
“They’ve stuck together and been through some tough times, but they gave everything they had all season,” he said. “It’s interesting because there were three or four seniors who when they were sophomores we said would never play at the varsity level. But they kept improving and stuck with it and, sure enough, were big contributors to our team this year and we’re thrilled with that.”
