INDIAN LAND – In what could easily be a budding rivalry given the short 4.8-miles between the schools, the Catawba Ridge Copperheads were able to get closer to their first playoff berth with a 14-0 win over the Indian Land Warriors Friday night.
For the third straight game, the Copperheads (3-1, 3-1 Region 3-4A) defense stepped up and held their opponents out of the end zone for another shutout. Indian Land fell to 1-3 overall and 0-3 in the region.
“Our defense is playing phenomenal right now,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak. “They are doing what the defense staff is coaching them up to do and we couldn’t be prouder of those guys.”
Catawba Ridge now needs South Pointe to beat York when they play to secure a second-place outright finish in the region and lock up a playoff spot.
“Regardless of what happens, we know we did what we had to do to give ourselves a chance at the playoffs,” Lendyak said. “Whatever happens, we did exactly what we wanted to do tonight.”
The starting quarterbacks for both schools were missing the game – Jadyn Davis for Catawba Ridge and Blake Goode for Indian Land. Davis is possibly out up to six weeks with a broken clavicle for the Copperheads. Senior Kayden Hager, who started at quarterback last year at times for the Copperheads, took the snaps under center for Catawba Ridge and Miegwel Lewis did the same for the Warriors.
Catawba Ridge took the opening kick-off and got a good start at the 41-yard-line with the help of a big return from Jacobie Henderson. The drive for the Copperheads stalled 20-yards later.
Neither team was able to really get anything moving in the opening quarter. Catawba Ridge put together some impressive drives, but struggled early to put the ball in the end zone.
That struggle ended after a 66-yard scoring drive by Catawba Ridge as Hager hit Jairus Frank for a nine-yard touchdown pass to put the Copperheads on the board.
Indian Land put together a lengthy drive to end the first quarter and got into the red zone for the first time all game. That drive took the Warriors into the second quarter. Indian Land was led by Lewis who was able to get down to the one, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked by Catawba Ridge.
The Copperheads struggled with penalties in the second quarter and wasn’t able to put a decent drive together. Indian Land was able to move the ball more than Catawba Ridge in the second quarter with about 90 percent of their plays keeping the ball on the ground, but the defense for the Copperheads did their job and kept them from the end zone.
Indian Land got the opening kickoff in the second half and moved the ball well early but turned the ball over on the opening drive giving the Copperheads the ball in great field position at the Warriors’ 35-yard line. Hager would score two plays later on a 27-yard tackle breaking run to extend the Catawba Ridge lead.
Hager unofficially went 11-for-19 for 117 yards passing the ball and rushed the ball 13 times for 75 yards to lead Catawba Ridge.
“We have complete confidence in him and he ran the game plan,” Lendyak said. “He is a gamer. I am happy for him and happy for this team”
Quinten Jackson was Hager’s main target as he caught five passes for 38 yards unofficially. Henry Bowen also rushed the ball 17 times for 81 yards for the Copperheads as well.
Indian Land continued to pound the ball up the field and made it into the red zone for just the third time of the game as the fourth quarter started off with big runs from Lewis and TJ Thomas for the Warriors. For the second time in the game, the Catawba Ridge defense made a goal line stop killing the Indian Land drive at the one-yard line.
Catawba Ridge will travel to Chester next week for a non-region game.
Catawba Ridge 14, Indian Land 0
Scoring summary
First quarter
CR – Kayden Hager 9-yard pass to Jairus Frank, 5:57
Third quarter
CR – Hager 27-yard run, 8:59
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
