ELKMONT LOSES TO MADISON ACADEMY - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

Elkmont's football season ended with a 42-0 loss to Madison Academy last Friday night in the second round of the state playoffs.  The Red Devils ended with a 7-5 record.

The Mustangs were the better team; however, Elkmont did not play up to their ability.  Madison Academy scored early and often.  The Red Devils' defense could not stop the run or the pass.  The offense had four turnovers and could not get any offense through the air.  Even though, it was a disappointing end to the season,  this team has a lot to be proud of.

• Beat county rivals - Ardmore, West Limestone and Clements
• Returned to the 3A state playoffs after missing them last year
• Upset 4th ranked and previously undefeated Hanceville in the first round of the playoffs
• In a four year span, this senior class won more football games during their career than any other class in Elkmont High School history.

The Seniors were:

Sloan Hawkins:  Strong senior year, high motor, strong and tough, made a number of big plays on defense this year.

Bronson Ellis:  Amazing he was able to come back and play this season; strong and tough, hard worker, played better and better as the season progressed.

Cole Glass:  Outstanding career, excellent speed and jumping ability, a threat to score at anytime, made big plays this year running, pass catching, on defense and on special teams.

Skyler Gant:  Outstanding all around player, excellent speed and quickness, strong defensive player, great punt returner.

Logan Murphy:  High energy player, physical, aggressive, made a number of big plays on defense, outstanding punter.

Dillion Ferguson:  High motor player, always goes hard, made plays on the defensive line.

Juan Hernandez:  Great team player, hard worker, second string kicker, could have stepped in at anytime and done a good job.

Matt Newsom:  Great attitude, team player, did everything he was asked to do.

Austin McNatt:  Made some big plays as a receiver, effective starting cornerback.

Daniel Logan:   Three year starter, played a great deal as a freshman, effective offensive lineman, hard hitter, excellent tackler, outstanding linebacker.

Hayden Huseth:  Exciting player, fast and quick, made big plays both on offense and defense.

Cody Martin:  Three year starter, played a great deal as a freshman, excellent offensive lineman, physical player, excellent tackler, outstanding linebacker.

Jose Hernandez;  Three year starter, outstanding kicker, good team player.

The Dust Devil has enjoyed covering the football Red Devils this year from the stands. 

Coming soon: THE DUST DEVIL IN THE GYM - covering the basketball Red Devils; look for his articles on the Elkmont Basketball Blog.

ELKMONT STUNS HANCEVILLE BULLDOGS - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

Friday night, the Elkmont Red Devils pulled off one of the biggest playoff upsets in the state by beating the 10-0, 4th ranked Hanceville Bulldogs, 28-13.

GAME SUMMARY:

To the start the game,  Hanceville received and Elkmont quickly stopped them on a three and out series.  Elkmont scored a touchdown on a 74 yards drive on their first possession which was capped by Hayden Huseth's thirteen yard run.  At the end of the first quarter, Elkmont led 7-0.

In the second quarter, Hanceville scored on a 44 yard pass play to tie the game at seven.  Elkmont came right back on a 76 yard drive.  Hayden Huseth ran 25 yards for the touchdown.   The PAT was perfect and the half ended with Elkmont leading 14-7.

In the third quarter, the Red Devils took the kickoff and began a 70 yard drive which ended with a sixteen yard touchdown run by Hayden Huseth.  The Bulldogs came back and scored on a one yard touchdown run, but the PAT was blocked by both Skyler Gant and Cody Martin.  The 3rd quarter ended with the Red Devils ahead 21-13.

In the fourth quarter, the Elkmont defense continued to stop Hanceville.  The Red Devils put the game away with a final drive which ended with a one yard touchdown run by Daniel Logan.  The game ended with the final score; Elkmont 28, Hanceville 13.

OBSERVATIONS:

On paper, the Red Devils did not have a chance to win Friday night.  However, football games aren't played on paper; they are played on the field where blood and guts, effort and determination are more important than statistics, records or 40 times.  Sean Holt and his Elkmont Red Devils believed they would win Friday night and showed it from the first play.  The defense held a team averaging 45 points per game on offense to just 13 points.  They held the Hanceville star running back and candidate for the 3A player of the year, Diamond Simmons, to 46 yards.  The offensive play calling was outstanding, an effective mix of read option runs, sweeps and a variety of passes.  The offense kept the Bulldog defense on its heels all night.  The kicking, punting and other special teams play was at its normal outstanding level.  This was a team win with everyone contributing.  This was a great win for the program and for the seniors and it sets up a a second round playoff game with Madison Academy at Boss Hill Stadium next Friday night.

PREDICTION:

The Dust Devil predicts the Red Devils will continue their playoff run with a 21-20 win over the Madison Academy Mustangs next Friday.

DUST DEVIL PLAYOFF SPECIAL EDITION

DUST DEVIL PLAYOFF SPECIAL EDITION

The Dust Devil had the opportunity to watch some video of the Hanceville Bulldogs; very good team and with a 10-0 record deserves their top five ranking.  Hanceville has a good but not great defense; weak passing game; good offensive line; excellent fullback and a fast quarterback.  They also have an outstanding tailback, #6 Diamond Simmons,  who has speed, quickness, moves and runs hard all the time.  He can break a big play at any time.  Simmons also plays safety and makes it hard to throw deep passes against the Bulldogs.  Hanceville has only scored under forty points once this year and they got thirty-four that game.  However,  they have not played a very tough schedule; only two of the ten opponents have a winning record.

Elkmont has improved during the year and appears to be peaking at the right time.  The defense is playing outstanding football.  The offense is playing better and has the ability to make big plays at any time.  The kicking, punting and other special teams are as good as it gets in 3A football.


The Dust Devil also should mention the Elkmont coaches.  Normally, 3 different head coaches in 3 years is the recipe for a bad year, but Sean Holt and his staff have done an excellent job with this year's team and have them in position to win this playoff game.


There are four keys to beating Hanceville.  

1. Winning the turnover battle.  If Elkmont does not at least stay even in turnovers, they will not win the game.  
2. Defense must limit big plays.  Hanceville scores lots of times on long runs.  When their running back does get loose, Elkmont must tackle him for a 15 yard gain, not a 60 yard touchdown.  Play physical and make them work the ball down the field
3. Must move the ball consistently on offense and have a good mix of running and short and medium pass plays.  Must score at least three touchdowns to win.
4. Must get strong performances from everyone that plays on Friday night.  Sloan Hawkins, Jake Marshall and Bronson Ellis all need strong games for Elkmont to win.

The Dust Devil believes Elkmont is going to play their best game of the year and sticks with his earlier prediction; Elkmont 24, Hanceville 21.  
Game time  - 7 pm, Hanceville High School, Nov. 4.

WILDCATS BITE RED DEVILS - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

On Friday Night in Fort Payne, Elkmont played an excellent game but lost to fifth rated 5A power Fort Payne,  27-7.


Game Summary
1st Quarter:
On Elkmont's first play Hayden Huseth ran 52 yards.  Elkmont continued to move the ball to the 15 yard line.  An interception in the end zone stopped the Elkmont drive. The Red Devil defense came out well prepared and fired up and shut down Fort Payne's high powered offense the first quarter.  At the end of quarter, the score was 0 - 0.


2nd Quarter:
In the second quarter, the Elkmont offense did not get a first down and Fort Payne scored a touchdown on a one yard run and added two field goals.  At halftime, the score was Fort Payne 13, Elkmont 0.


3rd Quarter:
In the third quarter, Fort Payne added a two yard touchdown run to the score making it 20 - 0 at the end of the quarter.


4th Quarter:
In the fourth quarter, Elkmont continued to play hard and got their passing game moving.  They scored on a 15 yard touchdown pass from Hayden Huseth to Cole Glass.  The Elkmont defense stopped Fort Payne and forced a punt.  With 6:30 remaining in the game, Elkmont had the ball and was still in the game.  Unfortunately, Elkmont could not get a first down, stopping the drive.  Fort Payne added a late touchdown to make the final score 27-7.


OBSERVATIONS
The Dust Devil does not believe in moral victories, however; there is a lot of positives coming out of this game.  Fort Payne finished 9-1, ranked fifth in the state and is an excellent 5A team.  Elkmont was unafraid, well prepared, played hard every play and fought to the end.  The defense played a great game, led by Cody Martin and Daniel Logan who played outstanding football, and showed why they are two of the best linebackers around.  


The offense moved the ball at times and had chances to score twice more; maybe ran too much and didn't pass enough to keep Fort Payne honest.  To beat Hanceville, Elkmont will have to diversity the offense more.  


The Dust Devil listened to the Fort Payne archived radio broadcast. The announcers were very impressed with Elkmont and could not believe the Red Devils were only a fourth seed.  They also said that the Elkmont defense hit as hard or harder than anyone they had played all year.  This was a great preparation game for going into the playoffs.


PREDICTION
The coaches and players believe that they are going to beat Hanceville.  Hanceville is 10 - 0, ranked third in the state and have been beating teams badly, rolling up tons of rushing yards and points.  If you are a Red Devil fan or like good high school football, you should not miss this game.  Elkmont is going to win 24-21 in a big upset.

ELKMONT BEATS CLEMENTS - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

Elkmont scored early and often Friday night and beat Clements much easier than the Dust Devil expected.


GAME SUMMARY:
In the first quarter, Elkmont scored on the first play from scrimmage when Hayden Huseth scored on a 67 yard touchdown run.  The PAT was good and the Red Devils led 7-0.  The Elkmont defense controlled Clements' offense during the quarter and the ball was turned back over to the offense.  Jose Hernandez  added a 27 yard field goal for a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.


In the second quarter, the Red Devil defense continued to shut down the Clements offense and Cody Martin intercepted a Colts' pass.  Meanwhile, the Elkmont offense exploded for three touchdowns in the quarter.  Hayden Huseth had a 7 yard touchdown run; Cole Class caught a 46 yard touchdown pass; and  Skyler Gant caught a 15 yard touchdown pass.  At halftime, the score was Elkmont 31, Clements 0.


In the third quarter, Cody Martin had his second interception of the night.  This time he turned it into a pick six from 30 yards.  At the end of the 3rd quarter, Elkmont led 38-0.


In the fourth quarter, Elkmont took out its starters.  Dustin Ward had a short touchdown run and Clements added two late touchdowns.  The final score was Elkmont 45, Clements 14.


OBSERVATIONS:
Elkmont played close to its potential against Clements.  The offense looked very smooth and was effective, both passing and running.  The defense was outstanding.  Cody Martin had a terrific game with two interceptions and double digit tackles while only playing three quarters.  The kicking game was strong.  This was an enjoyable win for Senior Night.  Elkmont is peaking at the right time.  It appears Elkmont has great senior leadership and is looking forward to playing Fort Payne (5A) and then the playoffs the week after against Hanceville.


PREDICTION:
Elkmont will play 5th ranked 5A Fort Payne much better than most expect, but size and depth will prevail for Fort Payne.  
Fort Payne 31, Elkmont 24.
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RED DEVILS WIN AT COLBERT COUNTY - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

Elkmont won their most important game of the year, Friday night at Colbert County.This win puts the Red Devils in great position for a return to the playoffs.

GAME SUMMARY:
In the first quarter, Elkmont finished a nice drive with a touchdown on a two yard run by Daniel Logan.The PAT was good and Elkmont led 7-0.  Jose Hernandez executed an onside kick that Cole Glass recovered for the Red Devils.  The first quarter ended with Elkmont ahead 7-0.


In the second quarter, the Red Devils' defense continued to play well.  Elkmont executed another successful onside kick-off with Jose Hernandez kicking and recovering the football.  Ben Ferguson intercepted an Indians' pass.  The offense bogged down and it looked like the Red Devils were going to punt.  Bryant Wales threw a pass to Chase Renew on a fake punt for a first down.  The offense's only score this quarter was by Jose Hernandez's 37 yard field goal.  The half ended with Elkmont ahead 10-0.


In the third quarter, Colbert County drove the ball down to the Elkmont 2 yard line.  On a running play, the tailback fumbled the ball and Cole Glass caught the ball in the air and ran 98 yards for a touchdown.  The PAT was good.  The Red Devils led 17-0 at the end of the third quarter.


In the fourth quarter, the Elkmont defense and special teams continued to play well and they maintained their shutout.  The final score was Elkmont 17,  Colbert County 0.


OBSERVATIONS:
This was a great win for the Red Devils.  It almost assures a playoff spot and make Elkmont's record 5-3.  The defense played outstanding football for four quarters and held Colbert County to under 150 yards total offense.  The special teams were nothing less than great.  Jose Hernandez's kicking and Logan Murphy's punting were exceptional.  The offense however did not play well and did not have a first down in the second half.  Overall, this was a big win and one that will be remembered for a long time.


PREDICTION:
The Dust Devil believes the offense will play better and the defense and special teams will continue their outstanding play.   Elkmont 21, Clements 7.


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ELKMONT SHUTS OUT COLBERT COUNT 17-0

Look for Dust Devil Article later this weekend

ELKMONT GROUNDS DANVILLE HAWKS - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

The Elkmont Red Devils got a much needed win on Friday night over the Danville Hawks.


GAME SUMMARY:
The game started with a long run back by Danville off the opening kickoff.  Using a short passing game, Danville marched the ball down the field and scored on a short touchdown run.  The PAT kick was blocked by Daniel Logan and Danville led 6-0.   The Elkmont defense recovered and shut down the Hawks the rest of the quarter.  Elkmont scored on three straight possessions.  Daniel Logan scored on a two yard run; Hayden Huseth scored on a 47 yard run, and then connected with Bryant Wales on a 39 yard touchdown pass.  All three PATs were successful and at the end of the first quarter, Elkmont led 21-6.


In the second quarter, Hayden Huseth intercepted a Hawk pass and Cole Glass followed that with a score on a 39 yard touchdown run.  The half ended with the Red devils leading the Hawks 28-6.


Elkmont continued to control the game in the third quarter.  The Red Devil defense kept the Danville offense shut down.  On offense for Elkmont, Hayden Huseth scored on a 20 yard touchdown run and Jose Hernandez made a 27 yard field goal.  The Red Devils had a 38-6 lead at the end of the quarter.


The fourth quarter saw Elkmont take out its starters and play its JV players.  Danville scored on a long touchdown pass for the only score in the final quarter.  The final score was Elkmont 38, Danville 13.


OBSERVATONS:
Elkmont came into this game after a poor performance last week against Sheffield and without one of its best players, Skyler Gant (out with a concession).  The Red Devils played well and did what was needed to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.


The defense kept the Hawks bottled up and the offense made big plays all night long.  Jose Hernandez and Logan Murphy kicked and punted the ball very well.  Also, the coaches made some effective changes/adjustments on offense after a poor performance last week.


PREDICTIONS:
The most important game of the year is next week at Colbert County.  If the Red Devils can win, they will be in good position for a playoff spot, but if they lose, they have almost no chance for postseason play.  If healthy and if Elkmont can be balanced on offense, they will win 28-21 next week.  The team will need every available Red Devil fan to travel to Colbert County to provide the extra edge only the "12th man" can provide.

 

BULLDOGS BITE RED DEVILS - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

On Friday night at Sheffield, Elkmont missed a chance to put themselves in good position for the playoffs.  Now, most likely, the Red Devils will need to win three in a row to make the playoffs.

GAME SUMMARY:
Elkmont started the game with an onside kick that seemed to work perfectly and should have been Elkmont's ball.    Jose Hernandez's 15 yard short kick went over the heads of the front special team players and Cole Glass came up with the ball near the sideline.  The officials appeared confused, discussed the matter and awarded the ball to Sheffield.  The Bulldogs had a nice drive going, but Cole Glass intercepted a pass and Elkmont's offense took over.  The Red Devils moved the ball well in the first quarter but could not put points on the board.  The quarter ended with the score 0-0.

In the second quarter, Elkmont continued to move the ball but could not finish any of its drives down the field.  Sheffield scored a touchdown on a long run by their quarterback to make the score, 7 - 0.  Toward the end of the half, Elkmont was driving again, but a trick play pass back to the quarterback was intercepted and run back for another Bulldog touchdown with a few seconds left in the half.  The half ended with Sheffield up 14 - 0.

The Bulldog defense slowed Elkmont down in the third quarter and the Red Devils could not get an effective drive going.  Sheffield added a touchdown on a short touchdown run.  The third quarter ended 21 - 0.

In the fourth quarter, Sheffield intercepted an Elkmont pass and returned it inside the Red Devil 10 yard line.  Two plays later, they scored on a short touchdown run.  Elkmont added a late score on a three yard Hugo Hernandez run to make the final score 28-7.

OBSERVATIONS:
The Dust Devil believes that the key to the game was in the first half when Elkmont had the ball four times inside the Sheffield 40 yard line and came up with 0 points.  The Red Devils moved the ball well at times but could not finish drives or convert important third and fourth down plays.  The defense played well.  Cody Martin, Daniel Logan and Sloan Hawkins together had a bunch of stops and big plays on defense.  Special teams gave a solid performance.  Elkmont has three turnovers to one for Sheffield.  Turnovers have been a problem in each loss.

This was a bad loss, in  a game the Dust Devil thinks the Red Devils should have won.  Going forward, Elkmont must gain more yards consistently on offense and finish drives with points.  It is not too late to improve and make a playoff run but another loss in the region and most likely the last game for these Red Devils seniors will be at Fort Payne.

PREDICTION:
Elkmont will recover, play better and beat Danville 35 -7 next week.

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BIG WIN FOR ELKMONT - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

Friday night in Boss Hill Stadium, Elkmont bounced back from two straight losses by beating West Limestone in a very exciting game.

GAME SUMMARY
First Quarter:
Cody Martin ran the opening kickoff back to the West Limestone 48 yard line.  The first offensive play of the night set the tone of the game for Elkmont.  In a "hook and ladder" play, Hayden Huseth passed to Cole Glass who pitched the ball to Skyler Gant who sprinted pass the Wildcat defense for a 48 yard touchdown.  The PAT by Jose Hernandez was good and Elkmont lead 7-0.  Later, West Limestone scored on a short touchdown pass and tied the score.  The first quarter ended with the score, 7-7.

Second Quarter:
West Limestone made three turnovers and Elkmont took advantage with two scores.  First, a 20 yard touchdown pass from Huseth to Skyler Gant.  The second was a Skyler Gant one yard touchdown run.
The score at halftime was Elkmont 21,  West Limestone 7.

Third Quarter:
The determined Wildcats came out after the half and moved down the field in a long drive that ended with a short touchdown run.  The PAT was good.  The quarter ended with a 21-14 lead by the Red Devils.

Fourth Quarter:
The fourth quarter started with the the Red Devils scoring on a Hayden Huseth 30 yard touchdown pass  to Cole Glass.  The PAT was missed and the score stood at 27-14.  Later in the quarter, West Limestone scored on a ten yard touchdown pass after a bad call "roughing the quarterback" wiped out an Elkmont interception.  The Wildcats' PAT was blocked by Daniel Logan and the score was 27-20.  Hayden Huseth intercepted a West Limestone pass to end their last drive of the game.  Elkmont ran a few plays
out of the victory formation to run out the clock.  Final score:  Elkmont 27, West Limestone 20.

OBSERVATIONS:
This was a very important win for Elkmont and the Red Devils played very well.  The pass and pitch play that started the game with a touchdown was a brilliant call by the coaches and I believe set the tone for the game.  The offense was diversified and three big playmakers - Hayden Huseth, Skyler Gant and Cole Glass all played a major role.  The defense bent but did not break.  It appeared that the Wildcats were bigger and stronger, but Elkmont did not give up many big plays.  Sloan Hawkins and Ben Ferguson played very well on defense.  The special teams were outstanding except for a missed PAT.  Overall, this victory was not only an important win, but also very satisfying after losing in three overtimes last year at West Limestone.

PREDICTION:
Elkmont is back on track and will travel to Sheffield next Friday and win 28-27.

ELKMONT LOSES TO TIGERS - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

Friday night, Lauderdale County broke open a 14-14 game in the fourth quarter and beat Elkmont 34-14.

GAME SUMMARY:
1ST QUARTER:  In the first quarter, Elkmont stopped a long Lauderdale County drive with a fumble recovery by Sloan Hawkins.  Led by the running of quarterback, Hayden Huseth, Elkmont stormed down the field and scored.  Jose Hernandez added the PAT.  At the end of the first quarter, Elkmont led 7-0.


2ND QUARTER:  The Tigers scored on a long touchdown pass to tie the score in the second quarter.  However, Elkmont came back down the field on a drive which ended with a Hayden Huseth ten yard touchdown run.  After the PAT, Elkmont led 14-7.  Lauderdale County broke a big run and were driving deep in Red Devil territory, but Logan Murphy came up with two big quarterback sacks to end the threat.  At the half, Elkmont led 14-7.


3RD QUARTER:  Lauderdale County had a long touchdown run for a touchdown. The quarter ended with the score 14-14.


4TH QUARTER:  The Tigers took control of the game and cruised to a 34-14 win over the Red Devils.


OBSERVATIONS:
THE GOOD - Anyway you look at this game, it was a disappointing and bitter loss.  On the positive side of the game, Elkmont played well in the first half, leading 14-7  at halftime.  Not only did the Red Devils lead, but appeared to be in control of the game and back on track after losing to the Rogers Pirates last week.  Even after a poor third quarter with the offense bogging down, the score was tied at 14-14.   Elkmont has good players, a strong kicking game, a good defense and experienced senior leadership.  They can still turn the season around and have an excellent year.


THE BAD -    However on the negative side, the Red Devils had a fourth quarter meltdown.  The offense could not move the ball and the defense appeared to tire, and gave up big plays.  They were outscored 20-0 in the final quarter and it was not pretty.  Adjustments can be made but Elkmont is running out time.


THE UGLY -  The number one thing the Red Devils must correct in the weeks ahead is the turnover ratio.  At Lauderdale County, Elkmont committed five turnovers to one for the Tigers.  The week before, it was four to one in Rogers' favor.  So, for the last two weeks, Elkmont is -7 in turnovers  No team can win with those statistics.


PREDICTION:  The Dust Devil predicts that Elkmont will start to make adjustments this week and will play better next Friday against  the West Limestone Wildcats.  However, (it pains the Dust Devil to predict this) -  the Wildcats will win 28-14. 

ELKMONT FALLS TO ROGERS - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

Elkmont struggled to execute on offense and also to stop Rogers on third and fourth down situations on defense Friday night.  This was not a good combination for the Red Devils and led to losing the game to the Rogers Pirates.

FIRST QUARTER:   The Red Devils stopped Rogers on the first series and had good field position after a Pirates punt.  However a penalty, a three and out series on offense and a short punt flipped the field and Rogers had the ball around the 50 yard line.  They scored on a long pass to put six points on the board but Cody Martin blocked the PAT.  On Elkmont's next drive they missed a field goal and the quarter ended with Rogers 6, Elkmont 0.

SECOND QUARTER:  Elkmont moved the ball in the second quarter but failed on fourth and one in Pirate territory.  Rogers added another touchdown and made a successful two point conversion for a 14-0 lead at halftime.

THIRD QUARTER:  The second half kickoff was fumbled by Elkmont and recovered by Rogers.  They passed down the field and ended up scoring a touchdown on fourth and goal.  The third quarter ended with the Pirates up 21-0. 

FOURTH QUARTER:  Elkmont's offense still could not move the ball during the fourth quarter.  Rogers added a touchdown and a safety to make the final score 29-0.

OBSERVATIONS:
Elkmont played poorly and had 4 turnovers to 0 for Rogers.  The Red Devils had a lack of execution on offense and gave up some big plays on defense.  However,  they are still a good team and if they learn from this loss, they can get back on the right tract next week.

The offense must execute better and also get the ball in Cole Glass's hands more.  He is the fastest player on the team and can break a big play at any time, but was limited to two touches Friday night.

The defense played well at times, but allowed some big passing plays on third and fourth downs.  

The good news is that Elkmont is a better team than it showed against the Rogers Pirates.  The players and coaches never gave up and kept fighting until the final horn.

PREDICTION:
Elkmont will get refocused this week and bounce back next Friday with a win over Lauderdale County,  21-14.

ELKMONT ROLLS OVER WEST MORGAN - DUST DEVIL IN THE STANDS

GAME SUMMARY:

Elkmont traveled to West Morgan on Friday night and came away with its first region win of the year, 31-6.

In the first quarter, the defense set the tone of the game by completely shutting down the West Morgan offense.  On offense, Skyler Gant scored on a 3 yard touch down run and Jose Hernandez added the PAT.  At the end of the first quarter, Elkmont led 7-0.

The Elkmont defense continued to control West Morgan's offense in the second quarter.  The offense added another seven points when Cole Glass scored on a 61 yard shovel pass.  At the half, Elkmont led 14-0.

In the third quarter, Hayden Huseth had two long touchdown runs.  One was 55 yards and the other was 36 yards.  At the end of three quarters, the lead was 28-0.

Jose Hernandez added a 26 yard field goal in the fourth quarter.  West Morgan scored a late touchdown against Elkmont's second team defense but wasn't able to complete the PAT.  The final score was 31-6 in a very impressive road win.

OBSERVATIONS:

For the second straight week, Elkmont won big and only played their starters three quarters.  There are a lot of positives on this team so far.  The kicking game is outstanding and the special teams showed improvement with the addition of some seniors to the kickoff team.  The offensive line is playing well.  Both Skyler Gant and Hugo Hernandez are running strong and finding holes to run through.  Cole Glass showed that he can score at anytime as he exploded past four defenders for a 61 yard catch and run score.  Hayden Huseth is fun to watch in the open field; he sees the field well and hits the holes quickly.

The Dust Devil expected the defense to be good, but so far they have been outstanding.  In two games, the starting defense has not given up a single point.  Cody Martin and Daniel Logan make up a run-stopping, bone crunching duo at the linebacker position.  Jake Marshall had a big sack on Friday night and is becoming a force on defense.

PREDICTION:

Friday night could be the most important game of the year.  Rogers is now the region favorite after beating Lauderdale County last week.  If Elkmont could win this week, they would be well positioned for a playoff run.  The last time Rogers played at Boss Hill Stadium, the game ended with a bench-clearing brawl and almost became a very ugly incident.  Both teams are very physical and have strong defenses, but the Dust Devil predicts that Elkmont will win 17-14.

ELKMONT SMASHES ARDMORE - DUSTDEVIL IN THE STANDS

GAME SUMMARY:
On Friday night at Boss Hill Stadium, Sean's Holt's Elkmont football team showed the potential to be an outstanding team this year by  beating Ardmore 41-7.


To start the game, Ardmore used a two tight end, 3 back, no receiver set to try to power the ball at the middle of the Elkmont defense.  Ardmore had some early success and made a couple of first downs with this strategy.  However, Levi Terry's defense adjusted and shut down the Ardmore offense for most of the night.  


In the first quarter, Skyler Gant had a 95 yard punt return TD worthy of a ESPN top ten play.  He broke 2 tackles, spun out of trouble and outran the Ardmore defenders to the end zone.  Jose Hernandez added the PAT and Elkmont led 7-0.  Also in the first quarter, Sloan Hawkins recovered an Ardmore fumble and Hernandez missed a 37 field goal.  The first quarter ended with Elkmont 7, Ardmore 0.


In the second quarter, the Elkmont defense completely shut down the Tiger offense.  Elkmont added 2 scores - a 6 yard Skyler Gant touchdown run and a 6 yard TD by Chase Renew.  At halftime, Elkmont led 21-0.


Elkmont continued to pile up the points in the third quarter.  Hayden Huseth threw a pair of touchdown passes;  27 yards to Cole Glass and 74 yards to Skyler Gant.  Quarterback Huseth also had a 42 yard TD run.  The third quarter ended with Elkmont ahead 41-0.


In the fourth quarter, Elkmont was able to play a lot of younger players giving them needed varsity experience.   Ardmore added a late touchdown to make the final score 41-7.


OBSERVATIONS: 
Elkmont played outstanding football Friday night.  The coaches had the team well prepared.  The defense was aggressive and tackled well.  The offensive line played well, opening up holes for the running game and giving the quarterback plenty of time to throw.  Hayden Huseth showed great skill as a dual threat quarterback.  Skyler Gant had a great game and reminded fans of first team all-state David Solomon from a few years ago.  The kicking game was outstanding, both kicker Jose Hernandez and punter Logan Murphy are experienced and have strong legs.  Murphy had a 68 yard punt in the game.


PREDICTION:
Elkmont will have a good week of practice and will beat the West Morgan Rebels 35-24 next week.

ELKMONT LOSES 19 - 16 TO EAST LAWRENCE IN JAMBOREE

On a very warm Thursday evening, Elkmont's football team got in some valuable work against East Lawrence at the Eagles' home field.  In the first quarter, there was very little offense by either team.  Late in the quarter, Elkmont sustained a drive inside the East Lawrence 15 yard line.  The drive was fueled by 2 completions from quarterback, Hayden Huseth, to wide receiver, Cole Glass.  East Lawrence picked off a Huseth pass to stop the drive but on their next play dropped the football and Elkmont recovered.  The first quarter ended with no score.


Early in the second quarter, Jose Hernandez kicked a 22 year field goal and Elkmont had a 3-0 lead.  On East Lawrence's next possession, Jared Bailey picked off a pass and Elkmont had the ball in East Lawrence territory again.  Quarterback Hayden Huseth scrambled and found an open Cole Glass at the three yard line.  Glass went up high to make a nice catch.  Skyler Gant then scored on a three yard run.  The PAT was good and Elkmont led 10-0.  Late in the second quarter, East Lawrence had a long drive that ended when they scored on a one yard run.  The half ended with Elkmont ahead 10-7.


In the third quarter, both teams had trouble moving the ball, but the Eagles scored late in the 3rd quarter. They missed the PAT, but led 13-10 at the end of the third.


The fourth quarter had both teams playing their JV squads.  Both teams' younger players scored touchdowns in the last quarter and the final score was East Lawrence 19, Elkmont 16.


Dust devil's thoughts on the game: 


The night was successful for Elkmont in that the team, including many younger players,  got some valuable game experience.  There were no major injuries.  The Red Devils played only their base defense and ran a very limited offensive package.  They still showed a strong kicking game that will win games for them this season.  The defense has some strong tacklers and there are several potential playmakers on the offensive.


On the negative side, Elkmont had trouble stopping the Eagles on third downs and was not able to pressure the quarterback.  A lack of size on both offensive and defensive lines may be a problem and the team appeared to wear down a bit in the heat.


Outlook:
The outlook is very positive for the Red Devils this season.  With Cole Glass, Hayden Huseth, and Skyler Gant, Elkmont has three experienced playmakers that are as good as anyone in the region.  Cody Martin and Daniel Logan are experienced linebackers who hit hard and know their positions.  If Elkmont can overcome their overall lack of size, they can have a very successful year.  I predict they will be prepared after another week of work for the Ardmore Tigers who come to town next Friday, August 26th.  Score: Elkmont  28 - 21 Ardmore.