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Southern Lab cruises past False River
By CHARLES SALZER
Special to The Advocate
Published: Nov 10, 2006
Big plays and sticky defense provided a winning formula for Southern Lab as the Kittens opened the Class 1A playoffs with a 58-0 win over FalseRiverAcademy at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
Southern Lab (8-3) used three scoring plays longer than 50 yards to jump out to a 20-0 first- quarter lead. It was more than enough for the Lab defense, which limited the Gators? offense to seven first downs.
?We?ve been having big plays all year,? Lab coach Michael Roach said. ?We?ve got good athletes and we?re finally getting our timing right on offense. We may be clicking at the right time.?
Southern Lab?s ground attack was led by Michael Collins, who had 104 yards and a touchdown, and also had a scoring reception. That feat was equaled by Aaron Johnson, who had 98 yards and a touchdown rushing, and also caught another from quarterback Ulysses Jones.
Jones completed 8-of-11 passes for 167 yards and no interceptions. As impressive as Lab was on offense, its defense was also impressive. The Kittens held FalseRiver to 78 yards total offense. They forced five turnovers including two interceptions returned for TDs.
?This is a good way to start out,? Roach said. ?You have to take them one at a time in the playoffs. We?ve got four games left.?
False River (5-6) moved the ball early on Southern Lab, but came away empty both times. The Gators second possession produced their best drive of the evening, a 10-play series that brought them to the SLHS 20.
Tyrone Brinson intercepted Grant LeBlanc on second down, and lateraled to Chad Jones, who ran 90 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown.
FRA was unable to move into Southern Lab territory again.
?We?re still a couple of years away,? FalseRiver coach Scott Allen said. ?We?re actually ahead of where I thought we?d be at this time. It?s a different kind of coaching here. These are great kids and I love them.?
Ryan Bayham topped the Gators with 33 yards rushing. Thomas Guillory was held to 11 yards on five carries, and he caught three passes or 19 yards.
LeBlanc completed 4-of-12 passes for 32 yards with three interceptions. His 13-yard completion in the first quarter was FRA?s longest play of the game.
Southern Lab wasted little time taking control. On the game?s fourth play, Michael Collins took a screen pass 67 yards down the right side for a TD. The score came on 2nd-and-22, and helped the Kittens overcome a holding penalty.
After Aaron Johnson?s 24-yard punt return gave Lab a first at the SLHS 48, Johnson then took a pitch around right end for another score. Johnson?s 2-point run made it 14-0 midway through the first.
False River generated three first downs on its next possession, and moved to the SLHS 20. But Brinson picked off LeBlanc?s pass at the 5, and ran out to the 10 before trying to reverse field. Brinson then lateraled to Chad Jones, who ran 90 yards for a 20-0 lead.
Lab forced another FalseRiver punt, and then drove 80 yards in 11 plays. Collins? 18-yard run, and a 32-yard dash from Johnson were the key plays. Ulysses Jones found Jayson Royal on 4th-and-goal at the FRA 17 for the score.
