AUGUST 31, 2002
IRVING,
TX -- The
Abilene High football team wanted to use its season opener on Saturday
to make a statement, and the decree is still reverberating through the
rafters of Texas Stadium. The Eagles scored touchdowns on six
consecutive possessions and cruised to a 49-26 victory over Bryan.
The lopsided victory seemed to have erased the doubts that were
stirred when the Eagles performed below their own expectations in
their scrimmage against Copperas Cove, and provided the statement the
squad could present to the Texas football world.
Senior running back Juan Gallow, who paced the AHS rushing attack in
the first half with 79 yards on 14 carries, and scored a pair of
touchdowns.
AHS head coach Steve Warren said that the contest, which his Eagles
led by a 42-6 margin until the 1:13 mark in the third quarter, never
dreamed of having a start so impressive against such a group of
athletes.
Jerale Badon scored Abilene High's first two touchdowns, catching six
passes for 110 of quarterback Marcus Johnson's overall total of 190
yards passing. Johnson was sharp as he connected on 11 of 16 attempts,
with no interceptions.
The only time the Eagles needed a sustained drive came the first time
they had the ball, when they drove 70 yards in 11 plays for the first
score of the game on a 6-yard slant pass from Johnson to Badon with
7:12 remaining in the opening quarter.
Badon had 103 yards on five catches in the first half, and all of
Gallow's rushing yardage came in the first two quarters. The
Eagles yielded only four first downs in the first half, taking a 28-6
lead by intermission.
Only elusive quarterback Syndrick Steptoe saved the Vikings from being
shut down completely, picking up 41 of Bryan's 67 first-half rushing
yards, and also completing a 55-yard pass to tight end Sean Elkins
after the Eagles claimed a 7-0 lead.
Abilene High never trailed and recorded three touchdowns by three
different players in the second quarter.
Badon caught scoring passes of six and 47 yards from Johnson for the
Eagles' first two touchdowns. Gallow had a two-yard scoring run and
Kendrick Starks grabbed a 5-yard pass from Johnson to complete the
first-half scoring.
After an 18-yard touchdown run by Kobey Lewis gave the Eagles a 35-6
lead at the 8:56 mark in the third quarter, Gallow hauled in a 31-yard
touchdown pass from Johnson. That came just one play after Abilene
High's Sammy Roberts scooped up a Viking fumble and returned it 11
yards, with 5:00 left.
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
F |
| Abilene
High |
7 |
21 |
14 |
7 |
49 |
| Bryan |
6 |
0 |
6 |
14 |
26 |
A - Jerale Badon 6 pass from Marcus
Johnson (Matt Adams kick), 7:12
B - Sean Elkiins 55 pass from Syndrick Steptoe (kick blocked), 2:02
A - Badon 47 pass from Johnson (Adams kick) 6:54
A - Juan Gallow 2 run (Adams kick), 3:46
A- Kendrick Starts 5 pass from Johnson (Adams kick), :36
A - Kobey Lewis 18 run (Adams kick) 8:56.
A - Gallow 31 pass from Johnson (Adams kick), 5:02
B - Chester Fillmore 1 run (pass failed), 1:31
A - Lewis 10 run (Adams kick), 8:17
B - Marcus Johnson 2 run, (run failed), 4:47
B - Byron Wiggins 18 run (Blake Joseph run)
|
