JV bounces back with shutout

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions junior varsity football team bounced back from a shutout loss with a shutout win, beating Cross Plains 32-0 on Thursday, Oct. 6 at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

The teams meet again Thursday, Oct. 13 (tonight) at Cross Plains in the regularly scheduled matchup. Last week’s game was hastily arranged when the schools were left without JV opponents against Miles and Roscoe.

Breylon Billington ran for two scores, and Brody Oliver passed for two as Albany (3-3) took control early. The Lions finished with 216 total yards. Oliver, who was 5 of 7 passing, accounted for 76 yards rushing and passing. Billington ran for 72 yards.

Billington opened the scoring from as yard out. Oliver recovered a fumble to set up Billington’s 4-yard TD run, then connected with Mason McCloy for a 23-yard score and Calhan Fairchild for a 20-yard score. The second TD pass came with five seconds left in the first half.

Shawn Keen, who rushed for 53 yards, scored on a 9-yard run on Albany’s second play of the third quarter. Billington ran for the conversion.

“I thought Oliver had a good night passing and several good runs,” coach David Fairchild said. “Billington, Keen, and Huffman Heatly ran hard, and Calhan Fairchild and McCloy had nice TD catches. Up front, I felt Tristan Howe, Ryan Turner, Jackson Shack, Laithe Leech, and Ethan Green played well.”

Albany dominated defensively, holding Cross Plains to 18 total yards and three first downs. The Buffaloes had minus-11 yards rushing.

“Tony Wheeler, Green, Calhan Fairchild, Keen, Shack, and Howe had several tackles,” David Fairchild said. “Woods Peterson had a good night with several tackles for losses. Cade Fairchild had some nice pass breakups late in the game.”