Yellow Jackets use second half push to pound Indians

Published 2:50 am Saturday, October 19, 2013

By JORDON SEMIEN/For the Reporter

VINCENT—The Vincent Yellow Jackets’ defense bent but didn’t break against the persistent Ohatchee Indians offense on their way to a dominating 33-12 win.

The Yellow Jackets won the opening coin toss and, after electing to receive first, promptly marched down the field on three plays, capped by a Ryan Kelow 56 yard TD run to take an early 7-0 lead.

Ohatchee took over at its own 38 and responded with a nine-play drive, ending with a 2-yard QB sneak for a 7-6 score. Vincent would answer on a Michael Gilham 12-yard pass to Rodney Groce followed by a Kelow 25-yard carry to the Indian 25. A Groce 25-yard TD run made the score 14-6 in favor of Vincent.

The Vincent defense was pushed back to its own goal line on the following Indian drive, but built their stone wall and forced a turnover on downs when a fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

Both teams would swap three and outs for majority of the second quarter, until Michael Gilham took control of his offense and orchestrated a two minute drill, capped with a 6 yard pass to Quartez Walker on a cross route to take a 20-6 lead at the half.

The Indians came out with a new confidence in the second half, scoring on their first drive to bring the score to 20-12.

Stalled drives for both schools would eat away the third quarter clock, until a Quartez Walker 99-yard punt return broke the stalemate and gave the Jackets a 26-12 lead.

Ryan Kelow then returned an interception 33 yards for the last points of the game, before an Arshon Wills interception on the following Indian drive would ice the game and give Vincent the 33-12 victory.

After the game, Coach Hill sad he was impressed with his defense’s “bend but don’t break” mentality.

“Tonight, they were able to move the ball at will in the second half in between the red zones,” he said. “But somehow some way, when it came time, we bolted in, and for that I’m very proud.”

After next week’s showdown with Woodland, the Yellow Jackets will travel to Montevallo for their regular season finale against the Bulldogs on October 31.