Red Raiders demolish Walnut Grove 56-14
By Seth Manus
Madison County defeated the Walnut Grove Warriors 56-14 on the road Friday, Oct. 27 and kept their goal of hosting a playoff game alive. The Red Raiders will look to make school history on senior night with a win Friday against East Hall. A win will clinch second place in the region and a home playoff berth for the first time in school history.
The Red Raider offense was led on the ground by Zakahair Shiflet with 21 carries for 212 yards and two touchdowns, moving him to 150 carries and 1,232 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season. De’Shun Brown had six rushes for 115 yards and three touchdowns, averaging just over 19 yards per carry. Brown has 34 carries, 451 yards and six touchdowns this season. Camden Smith carried the ball nine times for 66 yards and one touchdown. Smith is now at 1,222 yards on 126 rushes with 16 touchdowns.
Smith threw two passes and completed both for 34 yards and two touchdowns. Brayden Clark brought in one for 20 yards and Will Kettle brought in the other catch for 14 yards.
Bryson Drake led the team with 11 total tackles. Garrett Smith had 7.5 total tackles, two tackles for a loss and 0.5 sack. Jaiden Hanson went 8-for-8 on extra points.
The Red Raiders got off to a hot start with a 15-yard rushing touchdown by Brown to cap off a 1:33 drive. The defense forced a three-and-out to get the ball back to the offense.
Brown took it back to the crib again on a 6-yard rushing touchdown after getting a touchdown called back due to a penalty. This put the Red Raiders up 14-0 with 2:18 remaining in the first quarter.
Walnut Grove returned with a solid drive and a 2-yard touchdown run but muffed the point after making the score 14-6. Madison County ended their next drive with a punt.
The Red Raider defense bent but didn't break and forced a missed field goal for the Warriors with 6:33 remaining in the second quarter. Shiflet answered with a 69-yard rushing touchdown to put Madison County up 21-6.
The defense forced another punt for Walnut Grove to give the offense the ball with three minutes left in the half. Shiflet had a big run on fourth down to set up the 20-yard touchdown pass from Camden Smith to Clark. The Red Raiders took a 28-6 lead into halftime.
The Warriors opening drive of the second half ended with a punt. Madison County took the ball back down the field and ended the drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Kettle with 4:55 remaining in the third moving the score to 35-6.
Walnut Grove scored on the next drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass and a two-point conversion making the score 35-14.
Brown took it 65 yards for his third rushing touchdown on the next drive and put the Red Raiders up 42-14 with 11:47 left in the fourth quarter. The Madison County defense forced another stop against the Warriors.
Shiflet scored his second touchdown of the night with a 35-yard run and 9:05 left in the game. That put the Red Raiders up 49-14. Walnut Grove muffed the kick return and it was recovered by the kicker Garrett Smith.
Camden Smith put the nail in the coffin with a 22-yard touchdown run making the final score of 56-14 in favor of the Red Raiders.
Photo/Seth Manus