Having endured more than its fair share of fourth-quarter agony this season, Indian Creek decided not to put any late-game scenarios in play on the red turf of Edgewood on Saturday afternoon.
Three first-quarter touchdowns started an avalanche that resulted in a comfortable 43-14 road win.
“We played well start to finish,” Creek coach Max Goodin said. “I’m proud of our kids; demeanor was good. They haven’t missed a beat. Nobody’s really hitting the panic button right now.”
The Braves (2-4, 2-0 WIC Gold) took control early, scoring on a 5-yard throw from Evan Clark to Bobby Emberton just two minutes into the game and stretching the lead to 13-0 after a long interception return by Levi Pappas led to a 1-yard Clark keeper at 7:45 of the opening quarter.
Drew Pingleton added a 75-yard touchdown run later in the period to make it 19-0 after one. The sophomore, starting in place of the injured Malachi Mink, had 175 yards on the ground for the Braves as part of a 283-74 rushing advantage.
“Drew Pingleton had a day today,” Goodin said. “
Indian Creek continued to dominate in the second quarter, with Clark running it in from 26 yards out and then hitting Emberton for a 27-yard score with 5:17 to go before halftime. The Mustangs (2-4, 1-1) managed to break up the shutout on the ensuing kickoff when Sam Lawson picked up his own teammate’s fumble and brought it 70 yards to the house, but the visitors remained firmly in control at the break, 33-7.
Clark and Emberton hooked up for a third TD play, this one from 5 yards out, at the 6:26 mark of the third, and a 23-yard field goal by Aiden Long in the final minute of that quarter triggered the running clock. Edgewood tacked on a cosmetic touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Goodin believes his team is gaining momentum as it heads home for a Week 7 date with Arsenal Tech.
“We’ve been extremely balanced, and we’ve got to take what the defense gives us,” Goodin said. “We’re all growing in our roles, whether it be Evan or (Jake) Scott, our offensive coordinator, Gunnar Ranard, our defensive coordinator, me as the head coach — we’re all doing these jobs for the first time, and we’re getting better at it.”
