From the Fayette Ware Website....

Friday, 10/06/06

Red Hawks face galloping Mustangs team

By Brian Keithline
The Dickson Herald

Last week's 40-3 win over Page gave the Red Hawks some much-needed air under their wings and vaulted Creek Wood to the No. 3 spot in Region 5-3A.

Now the Red Hawks are looking to climb further up the ladder and to make a run to the playoffs.

Creek Wood faces a tough opponent tonight as the team travels to David Lipscomb (3-0, 5-1), but it's a challenge the Red Hawks are ready to accept.

“I like our chances,” Creek Wood coach Chuck Daniel said. “Our last two days of practice have gone pretty well and we're starting to do what we need to win some games.”

Creek Wood has won its past three games and has exploded on offense with its running game. Last week, Red Hawks running back T.E. Stokes rushed for four touchdowns and 202 yards.

“All three phases of our program are clicking,” Daniel said, “on offense, defense and our kicking game. It's all falling together.

“The biggest thing is we're valuing the football more than ever.”

All those key factors will come into play as Creek Wood tries to tame the Mustangs who - in their past two games - have scored almost 50 points against their opponents.

Last week, David Lipscomb defeated Spring Hill 49-15. The week before, David Lipscomb won 48-27 against Cheatham County.

In each game, David Lipscomb leading rusher Matt Elrod has run for more than 100 yards and has scored a touchdown.

“They're a real sound team with good players and a good coach,” Daniel said. “We just need to be mentally prepared for them.

“They're a class program and when teams line up on the field with them, there's this mystique about playing against Lipscomb,” Daniel said.

“I feel they're well-coached and we're well-coached, so we're going to play our best.”

With four more games on its schedule, Creek Wood knows this is the time that sets the tone for the playoffs.

“We figure that we need to try to win three of our last four to be in a good spot,” Daniel said. “If we can find a way to score one more point that them, we're looking at a region championship.”

After tonight, Creek Wood will then travel to Cheatham County on Oct. 13. The Red Hawks will then host Giles County Oct. 20 and close out the season with a trip to Spring Hill.

Kickoff for tonight's game is 7 p.m.

Big plays key explosive Lipscomb over Spring Hill

By LEE WILMOT/Correspondent

Spring Hill’s Ned McCaster (43) can’t pull away from David Lipscomb’s Matt Elrod (40) during the Raiders’ 49-15 loss Friday. Also pictured are Ben Lehning (44) and Brandon Cannon (66). webfiesta.smugmus.com photo by Ric Beu

SPRING HILL — A tough task awaited Spring Hill for its homecoming game on Friday night and visiting David Lipscomb did little to dispel that it will be one of the team’s expected to be in the hunt for a state championship at the season’s end.

With the setback, Spring Hill falls to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in Region 5-3A with three region games remaining. Sixth-ranked Lipscomb, after an opening game loss to Goodpasture stands 5-1 overall with its fifth straight win and along with Giles County, shares a 3-0 regional record.

The explosive Mustangs used the big play to gain early command in handing the Raiders a 49-15 defeat in region play. The set the tone early, scoring a pair of touchdowns within a span of 27 seconds in the opening period.

The Raiders tried to make a run at Lipscomb, but mistakes played a part and the defense was never really able to slow down the visitors. Lipscomb never had to punt in the game, and score all but three possessions—running out the clock late in the second period, and in the fourth quarter missing a field goal and ending its final drive on downs in the final minutes of the game.

“The big plays really hurt us tonight,” said Spring Hill head coach Travis McKnight. “They took advantage of their opportunities and the big play was a momentum changer. Lipscomb is a hit you in the mouth-type of football program and I thought we had a good game plan against them and they hurt us with the pass several times.”

Lipscomb only attempted four passes, completing three, each for more than 30 yards which accounted or set up touchdowns. That coupled with a running game of almost 300 yards allowed the Mustangs to roll to the win.

The Raiders were not without their bright spots. Spring Hill showed good offensive burst at times, but were never able to sustain consistency. A couple of key mistakes also came into play. Quarterback Magwan Smith and running back Ned McCaster each had big plays and McCaster once again surpassed the 100-yard mark in rushing with 128 on 16 attempts.

Spring Hill made a first down on its opening possession, but had to punt the ball away. Roshan Patel’s booming 48-yard punt set the Mustangs back at their own 15-yard line, but the bad field position did not bother the Mustangs. Russ Moneypenney took an inside handoff and broke through for a 50-yard scoring run. Kyle Lehning’s first of seven PAT’s made the score 7-0 at the 7:11 mark of the first period.

One of the game’s biggest plays came on ensuing kickoff. A squib kick was not handled by Spring Hill and Lipscomb recovered at the 34-yard line. Brad Hunt hooked up with Zach Roger on a 32-yard pass play to the 2-yard line. Jeremy Holt scored on the next play and the lead had swelled to 14-0 at the 6:44 mark.

The Raiders responded with a well-executed drive and moved to Lipscomb’s 8-yard with Smith and McMaster handling the bulk of the work. A penalty and a 3-yard loss forced a field goal attempt by Patel who drilled a 29-yarder to get his team on the board with10:27 answered.

Another big play came on the next drive. After apparently forcing Lipscomb into a punt situation, an offside penalty gave the Mustangs a 4-and-1 situation at their own 43. The Mustangs decided to go for the first down and made the conversion continue a nine-play 80-yard drive that concluded with a 36-yard pass from Brad Hunt to Ben Lehning’s. The score stood 21-3 with 5:35 left in thehalf.

“The offside penalty was mental error and we had a couple of them there, “said McKnight. “We helped them sustain their drives. I am not saying that they did not earn them, but we did give them a little bit of help.”

The Raiders once again moved the ball, but was stopped on downs at the Lipscomb 23.

On the next play, Lipscomb’s final pass of the night was a big one as Hunt threw to Matt Elrod who rambled 75 yards down the sideline until he was run down at the 2 yard line by Louis Sanders. Elrod took scoring honors on the next play on the ground that made the score 28-3 with under two minutes left in the half.

The second half opened second half play with a 65-yard scoring drive. Harrison Daniel scored from four yards out. Smith, the Raiders’ signal caller, electrified the large homecoming gathering on the next possession. Smith broke several tackles en route to a 65-yard run. The PAT attempt failed and the score was 35-9 at the 7:18 mark.

After Lipscomb scored at the 4-minute mark on Kevin Davis’ 12-yard run, the lead stood 42-9 until Raiders added their final TD.

McMaster had a 31 yard run and then ran into the end zone from 13 yards out to conclude an 80-yard march with just over seven minutes remaining.

The final Lipscomb score was a 41-yard run by Michael Saggio with 5:32 left in the game.

McKnight says that his team will get back to work to prepare for its stretch drive.

“We got beat by a good ball club tonight and the things we did wrong are correctible and there were some mental mistakes,” said the Raiders coach. “The last three games are very important against teams that are in the same boat that we are in, fighting for that fourth spot in the region. There is still a lot to play for and we are not out of anything.”

Spring Hill will remain at home next week when its hosts Cheatham County (2-4, 1-2). Lipscomb will host Creek Wood (3-3, 2-1).

 
Selfless describes Lipscomb’s Elrod