Cubs to face separate opponents
By Sam Waller
The Albany Junior High Cubs football teams both turned in impressive defensive outings last Thursday in pitching shutouts against Meridian at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.
Both the seventh grade and eighth grade Cubs held the Yellow Jackets to negative yardage in the victories.
The seventh grade won 30-0, while the eighth grade won 34-0.
The junior high teams return to action Thursday (today). The eighth grade will join the junior varsity for a doubleheader at Hico. The eighth grade game will start at 5:00 p.m. with the JV to follow. The seventh grade will play at Abilene TLC’s field in Abilene starting at 4:00 p.m.
Seventh Grade
Albany started all seven of its offensive possessions on Meridian’s side of the 50-yard line.
The Cubs (4-1) outgained Meridian 152 to minus-19 in total yards. Albany did not allow a first down.
Defensively, we took a step forward,” coach Ryder Peacock said. “We had a lot more guys getting to the football. We have been spending a lot of time on tackling and it’s starting to show.”
Christian Hernandez scored a touchdown, caught a two-point conversion pass, and recovered a fumble.
Jack Nail ran for two touchdowns, while Nicholas Gjerpe caught a two-point conversion pass and recovered a fumble to set up a score.
Wesley Gleitz passed for three two-point conversions.
“Offensively, we moved the ball on each of our drives,” Peacock said. “I thought the line continued to block well and we did a good job of taking care of the football.
Gjerpe recovered a fumble at the Meridian 4-yard line, and Colter Edgar scored on the next play. Gjerpe caught the conversion pass for an 8-0 lead with 1:56 left in the first quarter.
Nail scored on an 8-yard run with 3:29 left in the half. Hernandez pulled in the conversion pass to make it 16-0.
Nail added a 48-yard scoring run on the first play of the third quarter. Sam Vickers caught Gleitz’s pass for the conversion.
Hernandez capped the scoring with a 4-yard run with 5:05 left in the game.
Eighth Grade
Breylon Billington and Mason McCloy each scored two touchdowns and Brody Oliver threw two TD passes to lead Albany.
Albany (6-0) had 170 total yards to minus-10 for Meridian. The Yellow Jackets gained their only first down on their final possession, then lost 19 yards on the next four plays.
McCloy and Huffman Heatly intercepted passes and Calhan Fairchild recovered a fumble.
“I was very pleased with our defensive effort,” coach David Fairchild said. “We had a lot of kids flying to the ball.”
The coach said the defense received contributions from all areas.
“I thought Shawn Keen, Heatly, and Woods Peterson had some big defensive plays,” he said. “Calhan Fairchild and Cade Fairchild contributed to many tackles. James Knight had a big play early in the game.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Oliver connected with Heatly for a 15-yard touchdown with 5:44 to go in the first half.
Billington scored on a 3-yard run with 1:07 to go in the half, then McCloy returned his interception 22 yards to score with 50 seconds left.
Oliver and McCloy hooked up for a 15-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the third quarter. Oliver completed the conversion pass to Peterson to make Albany’s lead 26-0.
Billington scored the final touchdown on a 4-yard run with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter. Shawn Keen ran for the conversion.
“Offensively, I thought our backs – Keen, Billington, Calhan Fairchild – all had some nice, tough runs,” David Fairchild said. “Oliver had a nice run as well as Heatly on couple of jet plays.”
