Football Breaks The Ice At Jamboree

Sullivan tested their roster with three scrimmages at a home jamboree on Friday, Aug. 23. The Eagles first tied Salem and Jefferson 6-6, then found their rhythm with a six-point win over Lutheran South. They also invited but did not play Cuba and St. James. 

Throughout the night, Sullivan shook up their offensive and defensive lineups. Robert York was the quarterback for the first-team reps, and Mahlon Foster for the second. 

Each team received twelve plays on both sides of the ball. 

Sullivan head coach Eddie Haar was proud of his players’ efforts under the Friday night lights. He exclaimed, “Our defense played awesome!! Our first unit didn’t give up a first down all night.”

The Eagles got the feel of their new turf before opening at home against Northwest (Cedar Hill). They will face the Lions on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. 

Before then, Haar plans to work with his team to improve their pacing. He stated, “Our focus this week will be to start fast. We struggled a little bit to get going at the jamboree.”

Salem

Sullivan tied 6-6 with Salem in their opening scrimmage.

The Eagles started on defense, holding the pocket down tight and breaking up passes. The Tigers continued to utilize the run game to move the chains. Salem’s quarterback scrambled in for a touchdown to seize a six-point lead.

When Sullivan took ball possession, running backs Chase Blue and Mark Jennings stormed through the trenches to pick up yardage. Then, on 3rd and 12, Robert York launched a 44-yard touchdown pass to Seth Valley for the night’s highlight. 

The second offensive unit came onto the field when Sullivan was stuck at 4th and 7. Brennan Koepke broke through the defensive line to gain a fresh set of downs. Despite the run giving Sullivan some momentum, they struggled to cross the goal line.

Jefferson

After their break, the Eagles returned to the turf to play the Jefferson Blue Jays. The match ended in a draw, with both teams scoring six. 

York told the defense to “get fired up” before they returned to the gridiron. They followed his word, disrupting receivers and pressuring the quarterback.

The Eagles wreaked havoc by causing near fumbles and interceptions. Grant Halmick and Chase Blue also helped squash screens. Jefferson found their groove on their final offensive play, squeezing through the end zone for six points.

Blue kicked off Sullivan’s series with a first-down carry, cutting to the left and dodging the Blue Jays. York then used his legs to move the chains to the ten-yard line. Jennings continued their momentum with his run, setting the Eagles just inches away from the end zone. Blue finally punched in a score to tie Jefferson 6-6.

When Sullivan restarted their drive, York zipped a deep ball to Seth Valley for some senior magic before the two rotated out.

Subscribe and see the e-Edition for a recap of the Lutheran South scrimmage.