Kinder cruises past Iota

KINDER – For one quarter, the score was only 7-0. That didn’t last.
The floodgates opened in the second and didn’t close until the clock read all zeroes after four quarters and the Kinder Yellow Jackets (5-0) walked away with a 53-0 homecoming victory over the Iota Bulldogs (0-5) at John C. Buck Stadium.
“Same old song,” said Iota coach Neal Legé. “Kinder has an outstanding ball club. And, when you don’t close down and buckle down and they’re good to begin with, it makes it even worse.
“We’re making the same mistakes week in and week out, and it’s getting worse and worse.”
It started with a promising opening drive by the Bulldogs sputtering at the Kinder 19 yard line. For 11 plays, and with some penalty help from the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs started the drive at its own 18 yard line and marched down the field, both on the ground and in the air.
But, at the KHS 19, things stalled. With less yards to play with the Bulldogs found itself bouncing back and forth between the 19 and 22 until turning the ball over on downs at the Kinder 22.
“We just faltered,” said Legé. “We’ve got two freshmen tailbacks in there, so, it’s tough. We’re asking freshmen to do more than they should have to do.”
From there Iota’s offense could find rhythm. Kinder, meanwhile, appeared to start finding its.
In the first quarter Kinder would hold the ball for a lengthy drive that would take almost four-and-a-half minutes and 11 plays. Despite committing two penalties that gave less than favorable down-and-distance to the Yellow Jackets, Kinder would continue its 78 march down the field that would end up with junior quarterback Welles Cooley crossing the goal line from 29 yards out. Raul Barrera’s extra point gave Kinder a 7-0 advantage with 2:42 remaining.
For as quiet as the scoreboard was in the first quarter, it was the exact opposite in the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets would score four touchdowns (and four extra points) in the frame, each seemingly quicker than the last.
The second drive for the Yellow Jackets began with 29 seconds left in the first. Kinder would rattle off two plays in the first quarter beginning at the Iota 44 yard line before the quarter would end; netting 31 yards for the drive in the quarter. It would take two minutes and four plays to go the remaining 25 yards. Scoring with 10 minutes remaining, senior Bryce Baker ran in from 3 yards out. Barrera added the extra point.
What would follow would be three drives of five plays or less and just over a minute in time that would net 21 points for the Yellow Jackets.
Scoring drive number three for Kinder would come with a quick hit. After Iota fumbled the kickoff and gave Kinder the ball at its own 29 yard line, the Yellow Jackets would take only 1 minute, 3 seconds to travel the 29 yards to the promise land. It would be Cooley from 11 yards out with 8:48 remaining in the second.
The final two scoring drives of the frame were near mirror images of one another. Both drives lasted five plays, started at midfield and took Kinder an average of 1 minute and 41 seconds. Giving Kinder a 28-0 lead, sophomore running back Taylor Johnson scored from 36 yards out with 5:24 remaining. The fourth drive took only 1 minute, 36 seconds.  Senior running back Jordan Vickers would not be denied the end zone on homecoming, however, as he added a 37 yard touchdown run with 2 minutes remaining.
Kinder, up 35, still was not satisfied and even when the Yellow Jackets would insert its second teamers and junior varsity squads, the young ones looked to make an imprint Friday night. They did, contributing to an 18 point second half by Kinder.
Kinder would receive the ball first in the second half and in two plays, and 49 seconds, would score on the feet of Cooley from 43 yards out. Barrera’s kick, however, would not split the uprights and Kinder would only be up 41-0.
The Yellow Jackets would add another touchdown to the scoreboard in the third quarter when Johnson would run in from 33 yards out with 5:18 remaining in the quarter. This drive took the Yellow Jackets seven plays and over 2 minutes. Barrera’s kick would once again fail and the score would stay at 47-0.
As time in the third quarter wound down, Iota also began subbing in some younger players but not before quarterback Tim Lunson took a shot to the head. While Lunson was already on his way out for the evening, according to Legé, the injury cemented the plan quickly for the Bulldogs.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, with 5:43 remaining, freshman Hayden Thomas would run in from 71 yards out and tack on the final six points of the game.
For its cause, Iota’s offense did begin moving the ball some in the fourth quarter, however, as had been the case all night, Kinder’s defense stood strong and kept the Bulldogs out of the end zone. It was the 10th straight quarter Iota has been denied points.
The Yellow Jackets’ win was aided greatly by Johnson’s 14 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns and Vickers’ eight carries for 105 yards and a touchdown. The two backs averaged over 10 yards per carry on the night. Cooley added three touchdown carries for 83 yards as well as going 4-7 for 39 yards in the air. Thomas had six carries for 85 yards and a touchdown and Leonard Williams had three carries for 41 yards. Gregory Mayfield’s 18 yard grab led all Yellow Jackets receivers.
On the Iota sideline, the run game was led by freshman Kaleb Guillory had 25 yards on 14 carries, sophomore Bliss Deshazo had three carries for 20 yards and freshman Alex Frey had six carries for 13 yards. Deshazo was the only Bulldogs player to average above 5 yards per carry on the night; he also had a 3 yard catch and went 0-2 in his time under center. Lunson ended his night at quarterback going 4-8 for 36 yards. Kade Covalt’s two receptions for 31 yards led the way for Iota receivers.