The snap is often overlooked.
But this first move on a play is just as important as any during 48 minutes of high school football. If a team consistently struggles hiking it back to the quarterback, especially in a shotgun spread offense, it could lead to a long day.
It proved to be a huge difference in the Scott Eagles running away from the Holy Cross Indians in a three-quarter 43-12 victory Thursday. Both teams are 1-2 on the season. The game was called after three quarters out of concern for spectators in the stands because a stadium tower light went out.
“After the last couple weeks, we finally put some things together,” said Eric Turner, Scott head coach. “We didn’t shoot ourselves in the foot. We talked about details this week and we took care of a lot of them. We jumped offsides on that first play. It was like, ‘It was our mistake. We got it Coach.’ And they did. We got better. In the last couple games, we were our own worst enemy. But (Thursday) we weren’t and that’s good to see.”
Stadium lights have troubled the Eagles’ games two weeks in a row. Last week’s loss at Boone Co. was stopped on Friday and finished on Saturday after stadium lights went out in the third quarter Friday night.
But with the running clock due to the size of Scott’s lead, the fourth quarter might not have taken long anyway. The Eagles built a 43-6 advantage with 11.9 seconds left in the first half.
The Eagles smoothly hiked the ball all game to senior quarterback Dasani Lane allowing him to do his thing. He handed the ball off to Scott’s workhorse, senior running back Bennie Hill, who rushed for 184 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns for an average of more than seven yards per carry. Hill has rushed 58 times for 474 yards and four touchdowns this year for an average of more than eight yards per carry.
“I first want to give a shout out to God. I feel that God has been leading the way with me being able to work out and prepare my body mentally and physically,” Hill said. “I just lock in and do what I need to do. I have a mentality that I’m going to run 100 percent every single play. The offensive line did great. I was able to make big plays because of them.”
On the other side, Holy Cross consistently struggled with the shotgun snaps often skipping the ball to junior quarterback Landyn Phillips’s feet forcing him to pick the ball up. That left Phillips little time to read the Scott defense. The Eagles often had two to three defenders near Phillips after he picked the ball up.
The unfortunate thing for the Indians is they may have been able to keep pace with Scott because the Eagles had problems staying with Holy Cross senior wide receiver Javier Ward. Ward burnt Scott for a 56-yard touchdown catch with 4:41 left in the first quarter and finished with three catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
Holy Cross lost three fumbles and Scott scored 14 points off them. On the other hand, Holy Cross did not score any points off a Scott turnover.
But even with the balls on the ground, Scott knew it could not just watch. The Eagles had to finish plays. Senior Aaron Cummins tackled Phillips hard to the ground on one of those plays.
“When you see the ball on the ground, you want to automatically get to it and grab it before some else gets there because you never know if the whistle is going to stop play,” Cummins said. “You want to make the tackle following through on the play.”
Scott outgained Holy Cross, 333-133 including a 196-23 advantage on the ground. Scott ran 44 plays averaging between seven and eight yards per carry to just 28 for Holy Cross, averaging just under five yards per play. Scott had 15 first downs to eight for Holy Cross.
The Eagles found some balance in the win as Lane completed 8 of 12 passes for 137 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception. Junior Boomer Klusman had three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown with senior Nolan Hunter hauling in three passes for 37 yards for a touchdown and junior wide receiver Dylan Giffin catching two passes for 38 yards and a touchdown.
“We were able to protect Dasani,” Turner said. “He had time to look field and also gave our receivers time to get in their routes and get that separation. It’s a combination of doing the right things as a team. We haven’t done that in the first couple games.”
Neither team scored on their opening possession but Scott took the ball and converted on 3rd-and-18 when Lane found Klusman for a 26-yard strike to the Holy Cross 26. Hill scored from seven yards out to put Scott up 7-0 with 4:55 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles never trailed.
Holy Cross did not convert the two-point run after Ward’s first touchdown leaving the score 7-6 Scott with 4:41 left in the first quarter. The Eagles responded when Hill broke outside to the left and scored from 40 yards out and then ran in the two-point conversion after a Holy Cross offsides call to put Scott up 15-6.
“It was a matter of getting used to (Ward’s) speed. We can’t produce that in practice,” Turner said. “Right out of the gate, they do that. We’re not used to where we need to be and bam, they got that on us. But our defensive coaching staff and our players adjusted. After that play, they played pretty well.”
Following an Indian punt, Lane found Hunter for a 27-yard touchdown run to put Scott up 22-6. Hunter then scored a defensive touchdown to start the second quarter. On the third of three consecutive bad Holy Cross snaps, Hunter picked up the Holy Cross fumble and ran 25 yards for the touchdown to put the Eagles up 29-6.
“It felt good. It gave us momentum in the game,” Hunter said. “I got the corner’s hips turned outside. I tested him some. I knew I had to take it outside then turn inside to the goal. I was open over top. I have to do what I can do and convert on my chances.”
Scott drove to the Holy Cross 15. But Holy Cross junior linebacker Donovan Ambrosio intercepted the ball at the Indian 1 and returned it to the 12.
The Eagles then hit the running clock with two touchdowns in the final 29.9 seconds of the first half. Lane found Giffen for a 21-yard touchdown on third down. Then after sophomore Brock Ronnebaum recovered a Holy Cross fumble at the Indian 20, Lane found Klusman for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 11.9 seconds left to give Scott that 43-6 halftime lead.
“We worked hard in practice every day this week and we worked through the plays,” said Treyvon Brown, Scott senior offensive lineman. “Conditioning goes a long way with blocking. You have to be in good shape, especially if you’re running the ball over and over. Running plays can tire you out.”
Scott recovered another Holy Cross fumble just 33 seconds into the third quarter by senior Emmanuell Mills. The Eagles drove to the Holy Cross before trying and missing a 28-yard field goal.
The only scoring in the third quarter came on Ward’s second touchdown. Phillips threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ward late in the quarter to make the final score.
Scott travels to Conner (0-2) on Sept. 9 for a 7 p.m. game. Holy Cross plays host to Bishop Brossart (2-1) at 7 p.m. on the same day.
Holy Cross 6 0 6 – 12
Scott 22 21 0 – 43
First Quarter:
Scott – Benny Hill, 7 run (Sam Wynn Kick).
Holy Cross – Javier Ward, 56 pass from Landyn Phillips (run failed).
Scott – Hill, 40 run (Hill run).
Scott – Nolan Hunter, 27 pass from Dasani Lane (Charlie Woodring kick).
Second Quarter:
Scott – Hunter, 25 fumble return (Wynn kick).
Scott – Dylan Giffen, 21 pass from Lane (Woodring kick).
Scott – Boomer Klusman, 20 pass from Lane (Wynn kick).
Third Quarter:
Holy Cross – Ward, 33 pass from Phillips (pass failed).