Warriors cannot stop the Walker Valley Mustangs

FINAL SCORE White County 14 -Walker Valley 49

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The Warriors traveled to Walker Valley, on Sept. 18, and took on the Walker Valley Mustangs.  The Mustangs started early and finished the game with a 49-14 win over the Warriors. 

The Warriors took the opening kickoff, and the Mustang defense stopped the Warriors on the first drive.  With a short field, Walker Valley scored the first touchdown of the night, with 6:17 to play in the first quarter. The extra point was good, and the score midway through the first quarter was 7-0 in favor of the Mustangs. 

After holding the Warriors to four plays and out series, the Mustangs added the second score of the night with a seven-yard touchdown pass.  The extra point moved the score to 14-0, with 1:24 to play in the first quarter. 

On the very next play for the Warriors, they fumbled the ball back to Walker Valley. The first play of the second quarter, Walker Valley scored on a 15-yard pass, making the score 21-0 early in the second quarter. 

The Warriors gathered up the offense and moved the ball 52 yards to score after a great return by Nathan McCallister.  Christian Kelso scored on an eight-yard run to move the score to 21-7.  The Mustangs responded, returning the kickoff 90 yards and a touchdown to make the score 28-7, with 9:45 left in the first half. 

The Warrior defense stopped Walker Valley as Kade Clark intercepted the pass deep in Walker Valley territory.  The Warriors, however, turned the ball back over to Walker Valley after stalling on the eight-yard line.  Walker Valley then went on a 13-yard drive to score a three-yard pass for a touchdown, moving the score to 35-7 at the half. 

The second half saw much of the same as Walker Valley added two more touchdowns, while Sparta could only add another score as Malaki Dowell found D.J. Paul for a 17-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, making the score 42-14.  The final score was 49-14 as Walker Valley took the win. 

The Mustangs had a big night passing for 228 yards and rushed for 147 yards.  The total yards for Walker Valley was 375 yards and 49 points.  The Warriors saw Caleb Bailey rush three times for four yards.  Kelso went one carry for eight yards and a touchdown.  Clark rushed three times for six yards. Paul rushed two times for two yards. Dowell rushed 13 times for 95 yards.  Dowell had 14 completions on 20 passes for 148 yards, and Clark had one completion on two passes for 15 yards.  The total passing for Sparta was 163.  The total offensive yards for Sparta was 278 yards and 14 points. 

The Warriors move to 1-3 on the season.  Coach Mark Frasier commented on the game. 

“It was embarrassing tonight,” Frasier said. “The buck stops with the head coach, and I deserve the blame.  We were not ready to play.  The coaching staff will have a great week this week in preparation to get back on track. If I know my players, they will work like crazy to not let a performance like this happen again.  Regardless of wins and losses, I want Sparta football’s identity to be about intensity and a never-quit attitude.  We did not achieve that tonight, and I fully expect a different performance next Friday night.” 

Defensive coordinator Curtis Beaty also commented on the game.

“Defensively, we did not have the energy or effort to compete in or win this game,” Beaty said. “We have to [get] better; it’s just that simple.  Our kids learned a valuable lesson tonight. If you do not show up, you will get embarrassed, and that is what happened.  Now give Walker Valley credit, they are a pretty good football team and played with tons of energy tonight.”

The Warriors return home Sept. 25 and take on the York Dragons. Thank you to Julia Curtis Photography for the Warrior game photos for each game.     

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