Fort Dale Eagles stifle Senators

BY BRUCE BRANUM

The Greenville Standard

 

The Fort Dale Academy Eagles are now 5-1 for the season and 2-1 in area play after defeating the cardinal and gold Senators of Morgan Academy this past Friday in Selma, 41-16.

A stat comparison of the game matched the two teams fairly even, except for time of possession and total plays.

The Eagles possessed the ball for 17:55 to the Senators 30:05. The Senators also had 65 plays versus the Eagles 37.

In total offense, the Eagles had 261 yards to the Senators 257.

Despite the stats, the Eagles jumped to an early 6-0 lead on the opening kickoff when Eagle Dain Winters returned it 85-yards for a touchdown. Alan Alvarez completed the point after attempt to make it 7-0 with just a few ticks off the clock.

The rest of the first quarter was back and forth between the teams until at the 7:19 mark in the second when Joseph Ealum scored the Eagles second touchdown on a two yard run.

Ealum would score again with 0:44 seconds until half on a 10-yard run.

After the Senators turned the ball over on downs after the ensuing kickoff, Alvarez would complete a 42-yard field goal with one second remaining, making the score 24-0.

In the third quarter, the Eagles added another 10 points on a 30-yard field goal by Alvarez and a seven yard touchdown run by Ealum.

In the fourth quarter, the Senators finally were able to score their first touchdown but the Eagles answered within a few minutes on a Cole Salter nine yard run.

The Senators would manage to make one more touchdown at the 2:53 mark, but it was too late and at the final horn, Fort Dale Academy was victorious 41-16.

Offensively for the Eagles, it was balanced attack with notable mentions for Parker McNeal who stepped in to fill Ethan Alford’s quarterback role, Alvarez’s receiving and running and Salter’s running effort.

Defensively, Jackson Black led the Eagles with eight solo tackles.

Fort Dale will has an open week before facing the Volunteers of Monroe Academy on Sept. 29.