Houston County Head Coach Ryan Crawford said heading into the team’s matchup against Rutland that the Wing T would be a challenge. (Mainly because it’s no longer “back in the day” when everybody used to run it.)
It might have been had the Canes’ had much opportunity to use it.
As offenses go, however, it was all Bears Friday in Freedom Field as they rolled to a 62-17 win.
As it stood, Rutland’s positives came early in the first and during a strange, eventful fourth.
On the first, after both had started with three-and-outs, the Canes put together an eight-play drive that resulted in an Oscar Music field goal of 31 yards.
Houston County answered immediately on Jaylen Mills’ 8-yard rushing touchdown. Ren Collier made the point after to give the Bears a lead they would never relinquish.
Relinquish no. Build upon. Definitely.
Max Rigby’s four-yard touchdown pass to Mills and Collier’s PAT to cap off a six-play 32-yard drive made it 14-3. That was where it stood after one.
Both took turns punting before the Bears scored again. This time it was on Rigby’s 16-yard pass to Eric Williams. Collier’s PAT made it 21-3.
Following a Rutland punt, Houston County made it 28-3. That was via a 14-yard pass from Rigby to Isaiah Harris. That also put the finishing touches on a seven-play, 68-yard drive. That’s also where the score stood at the half.
The Bears opened the third with a seven-play, 80-yard drive – Mills taking it in on a third-and-23 – to make it 35-3.
Another Harris touchdown and PAT put it at 42-3.
That’s where the strange came in. The Canes scored on a 69-yard run by Jesse Phelps and following a botched punt that put the ball on the 1, scored again. That made it 42-17.
Houston County then put up two more scores – and got in some reserves – before the running clock came into play. Even that couldn’t keep it from scoring one last time – Siemon Askew’s 49-yard run.
The win pushed the Bears record to 2-1 while Rutland fell to 0-2.
