Linden thumps McIntosh despite miscues

September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 Jeremy D. Smith AHSAA, Alabama, LHS, Linden, Linden High School, Patriots, prep sports

Linden’s Roderick Dansby completes a strip sack in the end zone that results in a safety during the first quarter Thursday night against McIntosh. (WAW | Johnny Autery)

LINDEN – In an uneven affair that saw a combined seven turnovers and less than 200 yards of total offense, Linden beat McIntosh 46-8 in Class 1A, Region 1 play Thursday night.

The Patriots struggled with ball control after popping its opening play scrimmage for 27 yards on a shovel pass to Isaiah Scott. Linden fumbled the ensuing snap, handing McIntosh the first of its four forced turnovers on the night. By the final buzzer, Linden would put the ball on the ground six times, losing four of those fumbles.

Kevin Green stiff arms a McIntosh player. Green caught three passes for 49 yards, returned a kick 64 yards for a touchdown, and intercepted a pass in the win over McIntosh. (WAW | Johnny Autery)

The Patriots got on the board with 7:18 to go in the first quarter when Scott hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Graderius Brown. The lead jumped with 5:43 to go in the frame when Roderick Dansby completed a strip sack in the end zone and covered up the Demon QB who fell on the ball, giving Linden a safety and a 9-0 lead.

McIntosh showed signs of life with 2:29 left in the opening period when Cameron Johnson sprinted 62 yards on a quarterback keeper to cut the lead to 9-6.

After a timeout to discuss the play call, Johnson hit Tarus Law in the end zone for the conversion pass to cut it to 9-8.

The game remained tight until the sixth minute of the second quarter. With 7:33 left until half, an errant long snap sailed over the McIntosh punter’s head and into the end zone where Denzel Mosley stepped up to touch the Demon specialist down for the second safety of the contest and the 11-8 Linden lead. The ensuing kick saw Kevin Green return the ball 64 yards to stretch the Linden lead to 18-8.

The Linden defense swarms a McIntosh ball carrier. McIntosh managed only five yards of total offense on the night. (WAW | Johnny Autery)

From there, the Patriots poured it on by finally establishing its run game in the person of Johnathan Biggs. The tailback added touchdown runs of 6, 15, 10, and 44 yards to round out the scoring. The first of his runs followed a Scott punt return of 44 yards to the 6. The second Biggs score came after Scott picked off a pass and returned it to the McIntosh 10.

“He, along with a few other skill players, stepped up and helped us,” Linden coach Demetrice Jackson said of the all-around contributions of Scott. “We talk to them about special teams and that special teams can help us when the offense is struggling.”

Linden’s Roderick Dansby lays out to tackle McIntosh’s Cameron Johnson for a loss. (WAW | Johnny Autery)

Despite its 62-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, McIntosh finished the game with only one yard rushing on 25 attempts. The Demons also tallied four passing yards, all of which came on the final snap of the game. In addition to the five yards of total offense, McIntosh picked up no first downs.

Linden managed 191 yards of total offense despite its fumbling issues. Linden tallied five first downs in the game.

Biggs ran for 99 yards and four touchdowns on nine carries to lead Linden.

Linden (2-1, 2-0) travels to Washington County next Friday night.