The Southsider Voice
Visit us at these places!
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Sports
    • Car Nutz
    • Stilley Goes Trackside
    • Southside Deaths
    • Personal Recollections
    • Reminiscing
  • About the Voice
  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Newspaper Archive
  • Classifieds

Perry throws scare at Southport

11/2/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTOS BY NATHAN PACE Led by Gabe Collins-Green (No. 13) and Justice Demers, Southport takes the field at Perry Stadium.
PictureSouthport receiver Blake Evans.
By Al Stilley
Senior staff writer

The second Battle of Perry Township turned into a nail-biter Friday as Southport and Perry Meridian collided in a 6A football sectional at Perry Stadium.

The battle was so unlike the first encounter when Southport took an early 27-0 lead Sept. 2 and dominated the Falcons 48-14. This time Southport escaped with a 20-13 win.

Southport dominated the first half. Senior running back Andrew Mappes scored on runs of 14, 2 and 3 yards, gaining 65 yards on 13 carries. The Cardinals’ defense forced the Falcons to go three-and-out in their first four possessions. The Falcons did not get a first down until their first play, an 11-yard pass, in the second half.

“The first half felt really good,” Mappes said. “The line was making the blocks; we were making plays and executing. They (Perry Meridian) picked up on some things in the second half. It was a little rough but we had to out there and keep grinding it out. The defense stepped up and saved the game.”

Trailing 20-0 at halftime, Perry Meridian scored two touchdowns in the second half and threatened to score from the 16-yard line in the final minute of the game. 

The underdog Falcons launched a 52-yard drive that benefited from a fourth-down, 21-yard pass from quarterback TJ Comer to Jeffery Wells and a pass interference penalty to reach the red zone.”

The Falcons’ drive ended on a fourth-down pass that fell short of Wells just inside the end zone with less than a minute left. 

“We’re a much-improved team and we just fight and fight,” first-year Falcons’ coach Matt Henninger said. “We created turnovers. We wanted to make good plays defensively and then see what we could do offensively.”

The Falcons stunned Southport with two second-half interceptions. Senior linebacker Riley Miller returned one 46 yards to put Perry Meridian on the scoreboard late in the third quarter. Southport then drove to the 20 before junior defensive back Carlos Shane picked off a pass.

The Falcons launched an 80-yard touchdown drive capped by Wells’ dive into the end zone for the final margin with 5:49 left.  

“The interception for a touchdown sparked them,” Southport coach Brandon Winters said. “We struggled in the second half, but we made plays at the end of the game.”

The Falcons (3-7) lose 20 seniors, but Henninger is optimistic, expecting the return of starting quarterback Jalen Lee, who left the game early with an ankle injury, Wells, Shane, defensive back Will Compton and running back Franklin Hammond.

“From our scrimmage against Chatard to this sectional game, the improvement was unbelievable,” Henninger said. “Our toughness was always there. We’ll build on this going forward.”

Picture
Southport’s Jalen Williams tries to tackle D’Andre Miles after his reception for Perry Meridian.
Picture
Perry Meridian students celebrate their fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
Picture
Players from Perry Meridian and Southport shake hands after the game. The Cardinals won 20-13 despite being held scoreless in the second half. The Falcons will no longer play their home games at Perry Stadium as a new stadium for the team is being constructed on the Perry Meridian campus.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    February 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    RSS Feed

 DROP OFF: The Toy Drop 6025 Madison Ave., Suite D
Indianapolis, IN  46227  |  317-781-0023
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 17187, Indianapolis, IN 46217

ads@southsidervoice.com | news@southsidervoice.com
Website by IndyTeleData, Inc.