Redskins cruise, roll into playoffs
BY LARRY LEWIS World Correspondent
Saturday, November 03, 2012
11/03/12 at 5:20 AM
Union disappointed those who were looking to see a chink in its armor going into the playoffs.
Justin Silmon led the way for a No. 3 Union team that scored at will, rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns on just seven first-half carries to lead the Redskins to a 47-0 victory over visiting Ponca City on Friday night in District 6A-1 action at Union-Tuttle Stadium.
Although Union (8-2, 6-1) did not win a district title for the first time in 15 seasons, its quest to win its fifth consecutive state title under coach Kirk Fridrich is still intact.
"You want to make sure you are healthy going into the playoffs, you have to have a little bit of luck there," Fridrich said. "You want to feel like your guys are peaking and playing with a lot of confidence, and to me that's what I saw."
Union will host Westmoore in a first-round playoff game at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Silmon got the Redskins on the board quickly, scoring on a 30-yard run just 80 seconds into the game.
Chris Hall caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Hunter Atyia on Union's next possession to put the Redskins up 13-0.
A spectacular 61-yard run down the right sideline by Silmon upped the lead to 20-0 early in the second quarter, and the rout was on.
Ponca City (2-8, 2-5) never threatened to score.
Union scored touchdowns on all but one of its possessions in the first half and settled for a field goal on its only other possession.
Jeffery Mead used all of his 6-foot-7 frame to outleap a defender in the left corner of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown pass from Atyia, upping the lead to 30-0 with 3:49 left in the half.
Linebacker Brian Stadler tipped a Ponca City pass and intercepted it, returning it 27 yards for a TD to give Union a 37-0 lead going into halftime.
Union 47, Ponca City 0
| Ponca City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
0 |
| Union |
13 |
24 |
7 |
3 |
- |
47 |
U: Silmon 30 run (Butler kick)
U: Hall 8 pass from Atria (kick failed)
U: Silmon 61 run (Butler kick)
U: FG, Butler 33
U: Mead 20 pass from Atyia (Butler kick)
U: Stadler 27 interception return (Butler kick)
U: Udomoh 21 pass from Farquhar (Butler kick)
U: FG, Holt 28
|
| PC | Union |
|
First Downs | 12 | 19 |
|
Rushes Yards | 25-31 | 35-330 |
|
Passing Yards | 171 | 83 |
|
Comp-Att-Int | 12-23-2 | 9-15-0 |
|
Punts-Avg. | 4-36 | 0-0 |
|
Fumbles-Lost | 2-1 | 2-1 |
|
Penalties-Yards | 3-20 | 4-45 |
