Patriots see season end in Maplesville
MAPLESVILLE – Another deep playoff run – the standard at Linden High School these days – ended by a 41-0 score Friday night at the hands of perennial 1A power Maplesville High School in third round action at George Walker Jr. Stadium.
The loss brings an end to Linden’s 2013 season, leaving the Patriots with a 9-4 final record.
“I feel good about our kids and about our season,” said LHS head coach Andro Williams. “This is not about tonight; this is about the process of getting better. It’s about getting to this point. I am real proud of our guys’ effort this year.”
Friday’s contest began as a defensive struggle, with the teams exchanging punts throughout much of the first quarter. Linden’s defense came up with the game’s first big play, stuffing the run on a fourth-and-two at the Patriot 40 late in the first.
Unable to move the ball from there, Linden punted to the Red Devil 20 and Maplesville flexed its muscle on an 80-yard march, breaking the ice one minute into the second period when quarterback Colby Chambers punched the nose of the football over from the 2 on a fourth-down keeper. The kick sailed wide right.
Maplesville struck quickly on its next possession when Chambers found Stevonta Bradley down the middle on a play that covered 53 yards to the Pat 5. On the next snap, Damian Mitchell put MHS up 12-0 on an off-tackle run.
The try for two failed.
The Red Devils stretched the lead to 18-0 on its next offensive series when Chambers hit Chase Girlie for a 14-yard TD. The try for two again failed, leaving Maplesville with an 18-0 halftime lead.
Linden dodged a bullet early in the third when Bradley recovered a fumble for Maplesville at the Linden 22, but LHS’ Eric Monroe turned the tables on the next play with a fumble recovery at the 21. However, Maplesville scored on its next possession on a six-yard Chambers run.
Then, with 1:54 remaining in the third, Maplesville attempted to put the game away on a deep post route that Linden’s Kynard Craig picked off at the 13. Maplesville did manage two points out of the exchange, however, sacking Patriot quarterback Dewayne Charleston in the end zone for a safety.
The Red Devils, who remain perfect on the season with the win, added two scores in the fourth quarter – a 13-yard Chambers run and a 70-yard touchdown scamper by Trevor Wallace.
Against a stout Maplesville defense, Linden was able to muster only 49 yards of total offense in the first half and 11 in the second. “We didn’t win the battle up front,” said Williams. “We played well in spurts but we didn’t have any consistency tonight. But you’ve got to take your hat off to Maplesville – the way they were flying to the football. They were the better team tonight.”