Eagles take care of business in rout of Patriots

Following what might have been a kickoff recovered by Owen Valley, South Putnam's Wyatt Switzer took a rekick 85 yards for a score to settle the visiting Eagles back down following a couple of errors in Friday's 58-7 win over the Patriots.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

SPENCER — It was strictly business for South Putnam Friday night at Owen Valley.

Though there was a little bit of silly business at the end of the first quarter into the start of the second quarter, for the most part, the Eagles did as they needed to in a 58-7 romp over the Patriots.

“We talked all week about this being a business trip,” South Putnam head coach Chuck Sorrell said. “We were going to get on the bus at 4:30 p.m., be here by 5 p.m. and it was business from that point on.

“We had a couple of kids not get as much playing time this week because they didn’t lift weight and that’s part of the trip, part of the daily progression we have to do. They have to start in the weight room, get their lift in and get themselves ready to play. That’s something we took care of.”

South Putnam started off quickly as Wyatt Mullin hit Wyatt Switzer for passes of 25 and 15 yards before Ty Benton ran 25 yards for the first score of the night at a 7-0 lead a little over a minute into the game.

Bransyn Ensor intercepted Owen Valley quarterback Parker Greene on the hosts’ third offensive snap and on the next play, Ensor took a swing pass from Mullin 38 yards for a score and a 14-0 lead.

Benton had an 82-yard score wiped out for a block in the back while Ensor was ruled to have caught a short pass and fumbled with Braddock Nickless recovering for the Patriots.

Ensor made amends after the Eagles forced a punt as the sophomore was lost by the home defense and was wide open for a 49-yard score and a 21-0 lead with two minutes left in the opening quarter.

“We had three really good drives to start the game,” Sorrell noted. “Our offense, in a couple of games early in the season, didn’t start off strong.

“Now, we’re scoring the first time we get the ball. Wyatt (Mullin) has them under control and getting an early score helps us on the defensive side.”

South Putnam forced another punt but Mullin’s next pass turned into his first interception of the year as Thomas Kay plucked it out of the air one-handed.

Greene followed up on the next play with a 16-yard pass to Rhett Manuel to get Owen Valley on the board two minutes into the second quarter.

“We had a talk this week about Wyatt not having an interception this year and he has one now,” Sorrell said. “That’s out of the way and hopefully it won’t happen in a big game.

“Other than that section, we played a pretty clean game. We had some confusion on a combination route but that’s something we can fix as they’re sophomores who are getting better and, next time, we’ll make the play.”

The following kickoff caused consternation as the Patriots looked to have recovered a loose ball but the play was waved off and a rekick was ordered.

While the hosts were aggrieved, they were soon down three scores again as Switzer took the second kickoff 85 yards for a score and a 27-7 advantage.

Benton added a four-yard score midway through the quarter and a second four-yard score after a long Blake Witt punt return got the ball down to the Owen Valley nine-yard line for a 40-7 lead at halftime.

After forcing a punt and another good Witt return, Benton capped his 102-yard rushing day with a 27-yard score to make it 46-7 with the running clock starting in earnest.

Mullin would add another touchdown pass, tossing a swing pass to Khalil Jefferson that went 36 yards for a score before the varsity gave way fully to the reserves.

The Eagles got to the Patriot two-yard line on their next drive but were stuffed twice and the fourth down snap was muffed.

South Putnam would add one more score as Jaxon Vanduyn powered in from two yards out following a fumble recovery by Chaz Hall.

Scoring

1st Quarter

SP — Benton 25-yard run (Reid kick) 10:57 0-7

SP — Ensor 38-yard pass from Mullin (Reid kick) 9:15 0-14

SP — Ensor 49-yard pass from Mullin (Reid kick) 2:00 0-21

2nd Quarter

OV — Manuel 16-yard pass from Greene (Weaver kick) 10:10 7-21

SP — Switzer 85-yard kick return (XP no good) 9:54 7-27

SP — Benton 4-yard run (Reid kick) 5:58 7-34

SP — Benton 4-yard run (Conversion failed) 3:38 7-40

3rd Quarter

SP — Benton 27-yard run (XP no good) 9:43 7-46

SP — Jefferson 36-yard pass from Mullin (XP no good) 5:51 7-52

4th Quarter

SP — Vanduyn 2-yard run (Conversion failed) 4:13 7-58

Statistics

Individual Stats

Rushing

South Putnam — 24-141, 5 TD — Benton 10-102, 4 TD; Speth 10-50; W. Mullin 2-(-3); Vanduyn 1-2, TD; D. Mullin 1-(-10)

Owen Valley — 41-69 — Nicklesss 20-25; Greene 8-28; Wise 5-(-11); J. Heidrick 3-15; D. Heidrick 2-8; Kay 2-6; Dill 1-(-2)

Passing

South Putnam — 9-12-196, 3 TD, INT — Mullin 9-11-196, 3 TD, INT; Witt 0-1-0

Owen Valley — Greene 2-6-22, TD, INT

Receiving

South Putnam — Switzer 4-63; Ensor 3-92, 2 TD; Jefferson 1-36, TD; Witt 1-5

Owen Valley — Manuel 1-16, TD; Wise 1-6