ACCS Rebs fall to MRA 14-7

Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 23, 1999

The ACCS Rebels finished their home football season with a 14-7 loss to Madison-Ridgeland Academy.

For four quarters the two teams gave each other their best shots.

The finesse passing attack of ACCS was complimented with hard running from tail back Ryan Porter. The former quarterback got the tough yards up the middle and around end when the Rebels needed a running game.

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The bread and butter that makes the Rebel offense go is the pass. Ty Law bought time in the pocket to hit receivers Lee Watts, Russ Marks and Hayden Wadsworth to move the ball down the field.

Where ACCS has finesse, Madison-Ridgeland has brute force. The running attack was led by Britton Butler, David Dallas and Cliff Ward.

Both teams mounted drives in the first quarter but failed to score any points.

The Rebels would get the ball to the 10-yard line early in the second quarter. Ty Smith scrambled to his left and found an open David Ellis in the end zone but was intercepted.

MRA took over at the 20-yard line and proceeded to march the ball down the field.

Britton Butler started the ground war with a 30-yard run to midfield.

Penalties stalled the MRA drive at the ACCS 40-yard line.

MRA surprised the ACCS return team with a fake punt.

Larry Pittman took the snap from center and carried the ball to the ACCS 35-yard line.

Chuck Darbonne found an open Pittman in the end zone for MRA’s first score of the game. The PAT by Jeremy O’Neal was good for a 7-0 MRA&160;lead.

ACCS opened the second half with a methodical drive mixing short passes with runs by Ryan Porter.

Hayden Wadsworth took a short snap from center and rumbled 24-yards for an ACCS touchdown tying the game 7-7.

A high snap over punter Ryan Porter’s head gave the ball back to MRA on the ACCS 32-yard line.

From there Cliff Ward performed his best Larry Csonka immitation as he bruised his way up the middle of the Rebel defense.

Ward scored to run the score to 14-7.

ACCS mounted two final drives but could not muster any points.

Ryan Porter took aSmith pass to the 13-yard line but the Rebel offense went backwards. ACCS loss 30-yards in the next two plays to sto the drive.

In the final minute ACCS had one final chance to score.

As the seconds ticked off the clock, Ty Law threw an interception ending the Rebels’ hope for a win.

&uot;We had our chances to win but it just didn’t turn out that way tonight,&uot; ACCS coach Bo Swilley said. &uot;We are a good football team. We are better than our record indicates. I’m proud of every player on the team especially the seniors.&uot;

Many of the Rebel seniors stood solemnly on their football field. Having played their final game at home, they didn’t want to leave.