It’s more than the 28-7 victory the Bulldogs posted. It was the way they did it.
Hepner has said many times, he wanted his team to be more physical this season and they were on Friday night.
Offensively the Bulldogs ran the ball well and defensively they shut down the Ike run game.
The Bulldogs rushed for 227 yards while the Eagles could manage only 62 yards on the ground.
Altus took control of the game early taking the opening kickoff and driving 71 yards for the score in nine plays. The march ended on bizarre looking play. It was a designed option and the play originated from the Ike 27. Quarterback Creadell Pennon went left, cut up field for about two yards before being stopped by the Eagles defense. While apparently falling backwards he spotted running back Gerard Harris standing still. He flipped it to Harris, who covered the rest of the distance for the touchdown.
“He should have pitched it earlier,” AHS offensive coordinator Stefan Seifried said. “The referee didn’t blow the whistle and it was like a pass.” Hepner added. “You have to give Gerard all the credit in the world. We harp at them all of the time stay in your pitch relationship because he might pitch it. But It was a little scary.”
Wade Wanke added the extra point and Altus led 7-0 with 7:14 remaining in the first period.
There were many stars on defense including Pennon, Brandon Powell and Chauncey Ruble. The defense scored twice and had a big hand in setting up another score.
The second touchdown of the night was courtesy of Pennon. Ike quarterback Wesley Dillon tested Pennon with a long pass down the sideline. The senior cornerback intercepted at midfield, ran up the sideline before cutting back toward the middle of the field. He avoided several would-be tacklers and finished off the 50-yard return for the TD.
That gave Altus a 14-0 lead at halftime lead.
Powell came up big in the second half. The 6-0, 307 pound defensive end recorded a sack of Dillon during Ike’s second possession He followed that up with another tackle for loss that forced the Eagles into a third and 25 from their own 12-yard line. An incomplete pass forced Ike to punt. The sequence gave Altus excellent field position at the Eagles 36.
Pennon carried for 22 yards to get the drive started. Three plays later sophomore fullback making his first carry of his varsity career scored from eight yards out. Altus led 20-0 with 25 seconds left in the third period.
The Bulldogs final score came in the fourth quarter after Powell and Ruble combined to force another Ike mistake. Once again Powell put pressure on Dillon who forced a throw. Ruble stepped in front of the intended receiver for an interception. He returned it 21 yards for a score. Pennon passed to Bob Laub for the conversion points.
Eisenhower’s only score came on special teams. An Altus punt fell into the hands of Ike’s Daryus Jenkins. The Bulldogs lost containment on their coverage and Jenkins returned it 59 yards for the score.
Bulldog notes: Hepner was quick to compliment the offensive line (Josh Goodman, Ethan Graham, Bryce Prickett, Connor Cunningham) for their play against Ike “They did a good job,” Hepner said
The fourth year head coach also said he made a mistake when he accepted an illegal receiver down field penalty late in the first half.
Had the Bulldogs turned down that penalty it would have created a fourth down and goal from the 18 yard line. Hepner accepted the penalty and Ike completed a pass on third down to the Bulldogs five. However, a field goal attempt was not good.
“I made a mistake on that one,” Hepner said. “I should have turned that penalty down.”
The Bulldogs also used all of their three times outs in the first half in the first six minutes of the game. Getting the right personnel in the game was the problem.
“We have to iron that out,” Hepner said.
How They Scored.
AHS – Gerard Harris 27 run (Wade Wanke kick) 7:14, 1st qtr., AHS 7-0
AHS – Creadell Pennon 50 yard interception return (Wanke kick) 10:12, 2nd qtr., AHS 14-0
Ike – Darrius Jenkins 59 punt return (Colton Rancourt kick) 5:37, 2nd qtr., AHS, 14-7
AHS – Tyler George 8 run (kick failed) 0:25, 3rd qtr., AHS, 20-7.
AHS – Chauncey Ruble 21 interception return., AHS, 28-7.
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Pennon 11-93; Beisel 3-3; Harris 21-90, 1TD; Furlough 5-26: Ruble 1-4; George 2-11, 1TD
Passing
Pennon 0-4-0; Beisel 0-2-0
Kicking
Wanke 2-3 PAT’s; 0-2 field goal attempts
Punting
Wanke 2-34
Interceptions
Pennon for TD; Ruble for TD
Eisenhower
Rushing
Burris 2 (-1); Dillon 6-6; Jenkins 2-6; Pratt 9-38; Durant 8-35
Passing
Dillon 12-26-111
Receiving
Shultz 1-18; Jenkins 1-1; Everidge 7-90; Pratt 2 (-6) Crowley 1-8.
Kicking
Rancourt 1-1 PAT’s; 0-1 field goals
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