Nation Ford offensive coordinator Dave Johnson said he had some tricks up his sleeve before the Falcons football game against the Catawba Ridge Copperheads Friday night. He didn’t use them all, but what he did use worked.
“We felt like we were a little more athletic,” Johnson said. “We got what we thought we were getting with one of the best football players in the state in No. 5 (Josh Ameo).”
Those tricks worked as the Falcons beat the Copperheads 17-13 to improve to 2-1 on the season, while Catawba Ridge fell to 1-2. Both teams came into Friday’s contest with a 1-1 record with both teams winning their season opener in Week 0, but then falling in Week 1.
Catawba Ridge was looking to clinch the city championship having beaten Fort Mill 38-14 to open the season in Week 0. Nation Ford can now clinch it if they beat Fort Mill at the end of the season.
Nation Ford quarterback Kaden Barnett had one of the best games of his young career going 23-for-31 for 275 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Falcons. However, it was the defense for the Falcons that really deserved a lot of the credit for the win holding Catawba Ridge scoreless for most of the game.
“I thought our kids did what they were supposed to do,” said Nation Ford head coach Michael Allen. “Defense was outstanding. (Defensive coordinator) Coach (Will) Mitchell did an amazing job at planning.”
Nation Ford held Catawba Ridge to just 70 yards on the ground greatly affecting their running game, which had been their key weapon thus far this season.
“They had a heck of a game plan in place,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak. “They did a good job of stopping our run. We need to be able to execute it better.”
The first quarter was a back-and-forth battle of attrition for both teams as each offense struggled to really sustain any long drives, as the defense for both squads were able to hold the line.
Nation Ford was able together a decent drive with about three minutes left in the opening quarter. Barnett hit Mitchell Ladamus for a 13-yard pass to get them within the red zone, but a penalty the next two plays on Nation Ford backed them up.
That resulted in the Falcons having to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Austin Sarvis to get them on the board with 1:17 left.
Catawba Ridge picked up a first down to end the quarter as Copperheads quarterback Andrew Turner ran for 21-yard to get them passed midfield. Turner and running back Ira Mister were able to move the ball well down the field to open the second quarter for the Copperheads.
Both teams seemed to pick up their defensive intensity once they got into the red zone. Like the Falcons, Catawba Ridge had to settle for a field goal try but missed with less than 8:30 left in the first half.
The Copperheads subbed out Turner for quarterback DJ Latimer about midway through the second quarter. Latimer was able to used his feet more effectively as him and Mister kept the chains moving. However, on Catawba Ridge’s first long pass by Latimer ended up getting picked off by Nick Campbell killing the Copperheads drive.
Nation Ford then did Catawba Ridge a favor and fumbled the ball right back with Braylin Burgis getting the recovery to give it right back to the Copperheads.
Neither team was able to get into the end zone before half as the Falcons took the small 3-0 lead into the break. Both teams did the most damage passing the ball on offense in the first half, as Catawba Ridge had 77 yards of rushing in the first half with Nation Ford having just 9 yards on the ground.
Nation Ford got the second half kickoff and moved the ball well, but ended up having to settle for a 42-yard field goal attempt which fell short.
Catawba Ridge got a penalty on their first possession and ended up getting deep in their own territory and was forced to punt out of the end zone. The punt gave Nation Ford the ball back at the 31-yard line of the Copperheads.
The starting position aided the Falcons as they score six plays later as Ameo caught a 6-yard pass from Barnett with 4:20 left to put Nation Ford up 10-0.
Catawba Ridge struggled moving the ball in the third quarter as they interchanged quarterback for different series. One thing that helped them was Nation Ford penalties, but the Copperheads couldn’t capitalize on it.
Still excited by their score, Nation Ford was able to again move the ball with ease as Ameo and Ben Wakefield each caught passes for more than 30 yards on the next drive.
The drive moved the game into the fourth quarter where Ameo and Barnett hooked up for a 2-yard touchdown on the second play of the quarter to extend the Falcons lead to 17-0. Ameo ended up catching seven passes for 69 yards to go with the two touchdowns.
Catawba Ridge threatened on their first series in the fourth getting within the red zone, but again missed on a field goal attempt with about eight minutes left for their second miss in the game.
The Copperheads didn’t give up as they scored two touchdowns in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to make a game of it. Jackson Burger caught the first touchdown pass from Turner from 27-yards out and the second one, also from Turner, was to Brady Ambrose for 34-yard. Catawba Ridge missed the extra point on the second touchdown.
Ambrose led Catawba Ridge with eight catches for 89 yards. Turner went 6-for-13 for 150 yards passing. Latimer went 9-for-20 for 69 yards. Mister led the Copperheads rushing attack but managed just 49 yards on 16 carries.
Nation Ford next travels to Northwestern Sept. 8, while Catawba Ridge heads to Ardrey Kell.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
