Alabama Christian (1-1) intentionally scheduled tough non-Region games to start the season. Both games could have gone either way, so it was not a surprise that the Eagles lost to Goshen on Friday night. The part that was surprising was the margin of defeat for the visiting team in a 40-7 lopsided loss.
David Ortiz-Ramirez runs past the defense on the longest play of the night.
The game started innocently enough as the ACA defense produced a three and out to force a punt. The sequence was highlighted by a Jaydon McElrath third down sack. On Alabama Christian’s second offensive play, David Ortiz-Ramirez took a pop pass from Christian Snipes and raced around the left end for 74 yards and an apparent score, but a holding penalty brought it back. The infraction stopped any momentum and the offense punted two plays later. Goshen scored on its second possession as they converted a 3rd and 18 into a 35-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead with 4:33 left in the first. ACA moved the ball on its second possession for one of its best drives of the night. Ortiz-Ramirez had another huge play as he turned a short pass into a 50-yard gain to the Goshen seven yard line. Unfortunately, ACA was unable to punch it in as Snipes ran up the middle four plays in a row to no avail. The first period ended with Goshen backed up in their own territory, but leading 7-0.
The defense readies for the next Goshen snap.
Goshen took the ball in the second and marched 98 yards in eight plays while eating up over five minutes of clock to take a 14-0 lead. The score came on another explosive play, a 40-yard run. The Eagles avoided disaster as they recovered their own fumble on the ensuing kickoff. After converting one first down, ACA faced a 4th and 6 at their own 48-yard line. As they lined up to go for it, Goshen called timeout to make sure they were in the correct alignment. As the Eagles came back out they lined up to punt as it looked like the extra time to think about it had changed the coaches minds. However, the fake was on and AC Walters hit Jackson Burton-Elahiyan for a 34-yard gain to keep the drive alive. Three plays later, another holding penalty brought back a touchdown for the visitors, but this time the Eagles would overcome. On the next play Christian Snipes hit Walters down the middle for a 16-yard touchdown and ACA was on the board trailing, 7-14. The Eagles liked where they were at this point, only down seven with just 2:10 left in the half and they would get the ball to start the second half. Like last week, the defense was unable to keep its opponent off the board late in the first half. Goshen drove 36 yards and kicked a 38-yard field goal with just five seconds left for a 17-7 lead at the intermission.
The defense sacks the quarterback.
The mindset coming into the third period had to be to drive the length of the field and score to cut the margin to three and get back in the game. The mind might have been willing, but the execution was not there. The offense was flagged for a holding penalty on the first play of the half. To make matters worse, AC Walters left the game with an injury after a reception on the next play. The drive ended with a blocked punt and the wind was starting to leave the sails. It took Goshen one play to score to extend the lead to 23-7. Cam Sutton blocked the extra point for one of the few second half highlights. After another Alabama Christian punt, the home standing Eagles scored again on an eight-play, 43-yard drive for a 30-7 lead. After a third straight ACA three and out, Goshen looked to finish the game strong as the game entered the final period.
An ACA defender takes on the block.
Goshen’s offense slowed it down and ran the clock as they continued to pound away at the ACA defense. As they extended the lead to 37-7, the home team took over six minutes off the clock. On the next kickoff, the Goshen kicker hit a line drive right at an unsuspecting up-man. The ball caromed off the ACA player right back to Goshen who recovered the accidental onsides kick. Once again, Goshen took its time and drove to the ACA 11-yard line where they kicked a 28-yard field goal for the last score of the night. Alabama Christian’s last possession of the half was just like the other three as they turned the ball back over to Goshen after four plays. In the second half, the Eagle offense mustered just 10 yards on 13 plays. Goshen ran the final 2:35 off the clock and walked away with a convincing 40-7 victory.
The offense lines up for the next play.
Micah Merritt led the defense with nine tackles while three players, Mekhi Gardner, TJ Merritt, and Bryson Dabney, each had seven tackles. Jaydon McElrath, Cooper Knapp, Ty’Darius Moore, and Levi Summers were all in on sacks on the night. Offensively, Christian Snipes finished with 52 yards rushing on 10 carries and threw for 70 yards on three completions and a touchdown. AC Walters had two catches for 20 yards and a score. David Ortiz-Ramirez had one catch for 50 yards while Jackson Burton-Elahiyan’s lone catch covered 34 yards.
Region play starts next week as ACA travels to Dothan on Thursday night to play Northside Methodist.