Defense steps up to lead Stratford over Mount de Sales
Stratford’s offense was solid Friday night against Mount de Sales in GHSA Region 7A-1A play.
But the Eagles’ defense was dominant. And that unit even got into the scoring column (twice) as the Eagles won 30-13, scoring the first 30 points of the game.
Carter Griffin picked up a fumble and returned it 5 yards to make it 14-0 in the first quarter, and Tyler Jordan returned an interception 55 yards in the third quarter to make it 23-0. Stratford’s defense forced two other fumbles and held Mount de Sales to 146 yards on 59 plays.
Stratford improves to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in Region 7A-1A, while Mount de Sales falls to 3-2, 0-1.
Three who mattered
Tyler Jordan: The senior had nine carries for 65 yards, including 55 yards in the first half.
Deondre Duehart: The sophomore had 78 yards on 15 carries, including nine carries for 64 yards in the fourth quarter.
Micah Hattaway: The junior quarterback entered the game in the third quarter for the Cavaliers and rushed for 32 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown, and threw for 62 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown to Coleman Roberts.
Observations
Dominant up front: Adrian Hardwick managed 63 yards rushing for Mount de Sales, but the Cavaliers struggled to block the Eagles and finished with 66 rushing yards on 45 attempts.
Make it count: The Eagles threw only three passes, but their first went for 49 yards and a score on the game’s first drive as Christian Palmer hit Nathan Hunt.
They said it
Stratford head coach Mark Farriba on the win: “Our defense really, really stepped up, which they should. They did a good job of scoring twice (Friday), too, so they did a really nice job of stopping them.”
Mount de Sales head coach Keith Hatcher on the loss: “It was a struggle. Offensively, we’ve got to get better if we’re going to be able to compete with teams like Stratford. We’ll get better. Our kids competed until the end. They played hard, and we’re excited about the future.”
What’s next?
Stratford hosts Twiggs County on Friday, while Mount de Sales hosts Tattnall Square on Friday.
This story was originally published September 29, 2017 at 11:17 PM.