CALEDONIA — The friendly confines of Caledonia High School’s home field proved to be anything but friendly Friday night, as the visiting Ackerman Indians pitched a 14-0 shutout to end the Confederates’ three-game home winning streak.
“Offensively, this was our worst game of the year,” Caledonia coach Ricky Kendrick said. “We’ve gone from averaging around 400 yards offense and 30-plus points the first three games to two straight shutout losses.”
Kendrick didn’t point the finger at his players, however, and took full responsibility for the loss.
“We were banged up coming into the game,” Kendrick said. “We had two offensive linemen out and a high ankle sprain slowed our quarterback, Ben Marchbanks, as well as our best running back, Onterrio Lowery, who only had one carry in the first half. “We tried moving a couple of people around to compensate for the losses, but I think it just messed our offensive chemistry up. But in the end, all this comes down to is just excuses, and it’s my job as head coach to develop the depth needed to overcome problems caused by injuries.”
The Indians, who were outscored 53-25 in back-to-back home losses to Houston (7-32) and Bruce (18-21) the past two weeks, parlayed a touchdown on their opening drive and a pick-six early in the second half to even their record at 3-3.
K’Tre Brown and Cody Harris keyed a six-play, 65-yard march on the Indians’ first possession, a drive that took only 2 minutes, 46 seconds. Brown’s 5-yard scamper gave Ackerman what proved to be all the points it needed, but Harris accounted for the bulk of the yardage with 53 yards on three carries – 48 of which gave the visitors a first at the Caledonia 11-yard line.
Roman Ramirez added the point after for a 7-0 Ackerman lead with 9:14 left in the first quarter.
After a fourth down Caledonia running play on its first possession failed to gain a first near midfield, Ackerman marched to the Confederates’ 24. But a Harris fumble thwarted the Indians’ bid to extend their lead to two touchdowns.
After two exchanges of punts, Caledonia took advantage of two fourth-down conversions — one on an offside penalty and the second on a fake punt on which Josh Kugel picked up 7 yards and a first — but the drive stalled at the Indians’ 36 with just under a minute to play in the half.
Sophomore defensive back T.C. Hatchett gave his team a 13-0 cushion with a 35-yard pick-six with 5:36 left in the third period. Ramirez added the point after to account for the final count.
“We just got whipped up front,” Kendrick said. “They dominated us physically and we just couldn’t block them.
“Defensively, we played great, only gave up one touchdown and that should have been good enough to win the game.”
Ackerman coach Adam Dillinger was also without a key starter, running back K.J. Woods, but said his team didn’t let his absence slow the offense.
“Our kids didn’t let his absence cost us the game,” Dillinger said. “Instead they found a way to win.”
Dillinger singled out Hatchett and punter Trent Furr as difference-makers.
“T.C. (Hatchett) had a couple of big interceptions and Furr did a good job punting the ball all night,” Dillinger said.
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