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Pats go out in round one By BARRY BURLESON
Editor  | Photo by Barry Burleson
Keeper
MA quarterback Hank Owens (5) is wrapped up from behind by a Rebel Friday night in Madden. |
Marshall Academy shot itself in the foot early Friday night and never recovered. The
Patriots, already trailing 7-0, lost two fumbles inside its 25-yard
line. Leake Academy cashed in both and went on to dominate and
eliminate MA 30-0 in the first round of the Class AA state football
playoffs. “They just whipped us,” said Keith
Wicker, head coach of the Patriots. “Friday night, they were better
than us. They’re a very good football team. They’re definitely one of
the top four teams in the north.” The Pats, who
finish 8-3, managed just 92 total yards (54 rushing) against a Leake
defense that “played great,” Wicker said. Meanwhile, the Rebel offense
generated 390 yards (327 rushing). Marshall
quarterback Hank Owens ran for 23 yards on the game’s first play. Then
Chase Ferrell ran 11 yards for another first down to the Leake 41. But
MA could get no farther than the 37. “We had a good chance there to score first and it might have been different,” Wicker said. “You never know.” Later
in the quarter, the Rebels drove 54 yards in only four plays. Brad
Hunter had a 35-yard run to the Patriot 1 and then Ethan Bobo scored
the six points. Dylan Alford kicked the extra point with 2:44 to go in
the first. Marshall fumbled the ball back to Leake at its 24. Rebel quarterback Grant Wilson dashed 20 yards run for the score at the 1:08 mark. Alford nailed the extra point.  | Takedown
Patriots Aaron McAlexander (10) and Drew Rappa (56) pull down a Rebel. In back is Kirby Jones (65). |
MA coughed up the football again - this time on first down - and Leake recovered the Patriot 6. The
Marshall defense forced a third and goal from the 3, but Brad Hunter
went into the end zone standing just eight seconds into the second
quarter. The Pats blocked the point-after try. Leake led 20-0. “We
gave them two easy touchdowns, and we never got the momentum,” Coach
Wicker said. “I felt we had a good week of practice, and I thought we
could play with them, but I also knew we couldn’t give them easy
touchdowns.” The Patriots got a break later in the second period. Leake fumbled and Owens recovered at the Rebel 41. MA got one first down, thanks to a Leake penalty, but could not convert a fourth and 8 from the 28. The
Rebels, on the legs of Wilson and Hunter, moved 67 yards to the Patriot
5. On third and 3, the Marshall defense hit Bobo for a 1-yard loss.
Alford kicked a 23-yard field goal to up the home team’s lead to 23-0
with 1:32 left in the half. Th Patriots got a 32-yard pass from Owens to Jake Delashmit but once again could not move for points. In the second half, MA blocked Leake’s 31-yard field goal try at the 5:08 mark of the third quarter.  | Tough going
Kevin Fitzpatrick (4) of Marshall puts the brakes on and tries to dodge some Rebels Friday night. |
Then
Hunter intercepted a Marshall pass, putting the Rebels in business at
their own 47. On third and 10, Wilson threw deep to Wesley Webb for 53
yards. Tanner Winstead scored on a 5-yard run, and Alford kicked the
extra point with 1:21 left in the third. The
fourth quarter was scoreless. Ferrell recovered a fumble at the Leake
19 but the Patriots’ best chance for points in the game came up short
when Kevin Fitzpatrick was stopped inside the 1 on a fourth and goal
from the 4. “I told our kids at halftime that they’d better not lay down on me and they didn’t,” Coach Wicker said. “Our kids never quit.” The
Pats played without one of their senior leaders, John Tomlinson. He was
not able to come back from a leg injury which he suffered on October 15
versus Indianola. Leake (9-2), with a roster than
includes 17 seniors, advances to face Winston Academy in round two.
Winston beat Indianola 32-7 last Friday. The
Patriots lose nine seniors - Delashmit, Owens, Chad Mitchell, Chase
Carpenter, Taylor Maurey, Tomlinson, Kasey Shaw, Drew Rappa and Joey
Brock. “Our kids, naturally, were disappointed
after the game Friday night, but I told them we had a great year and
they had no reason to hang their heads,” Wicker said. “We’re losing a
good group of seniors. They will be missed.”  | Photos by Barry Burleson
Giving chase
MA’s
Elgin Lafever (23) dives to tackle a Leake ball-carrier. In pursuit are
Patriots Jake Delashmit (far left, 3) and Chad Mitchell (right, 18). |
 | Instructions
Keith
Wicker, head football coach at Marshall Academy, gives instruction to
some of his Patriots during a timeout Friday night at Leake. The
players include Zack Pritchett, Drew Rappa, Neil Murphy, Chase
Carpenter, Taylor Maurey and Chase Ferrell. |
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