It’s already hard enough to prepare for a team like Armwood as it is, but when you have to play against yourselves and the Hawks at the same time it’s like bringing a spork from KFC to a gunfight with the cast from “Sons of Guns.” Coming into tonight’s 6A-8 tilt, it was Sickles carrying every ounce of momentum they could possibly fit onto their badwagon. In the span of less than 4 minutes on the game clock in the 2nd Quarter, Armwood used defense and their star power to score 3TD’s effectively ending any chance of a Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas type upset.
Once again it was the Alvin Bailey show continuing his torrid pace through opposing defenses with 265 yards rushing, passing, and receiving combined. He also accounted for 3 of Armwood’s TD’s. Running for one, and finding Wade Edwards and Javonte Sneed for his two others. In a span of two games, Bailey has accumulated 477 yards and combined with a pedestrian, yet extremely effective Matt Jones, the Hawks have seen 8TD’s from the dynamic duo against Jefferson and Sickles in consecutive weeks.
We all knew that Sickles would need to play the perfect game in order to pull off the upset, but after a scoreless 1st Quarter the Gryphons storybook script they were attempting to write ended up looking like some sort of rough draft for an FCAT Writing Prompt. Jarvis McCall picked off a Nate Mills pass as Sickles crossed into Armwood Territory. The Gryphons had Armwood stopped but Darryl Richardson found Alvin Bailey for 18 yards then Richardson himself scrambled 15 yards to the Sickles 6. In the blink of an eye, the 1st Q ended and the very 1st play from scrimmage in the 2nd saw Matt Jones barrel in for the score.
That sequence set in motion a series of 3 & Out’s that buried the Gryphons. On Armwood’s 2nd series of the quarter, Alvin Bailey replaced Darryl Richardson who left the game with a bursa sac issue on his knee. This was not what some of the Sickles sideline was hoping for as Bailey took the shotgun snap off right tackle and scampered 77 yards twisting and turning defenders on his way. Less than 3 minutes later Armwood had added 2TD’s and with 3:53 remaining in the half the score was 28-0. Before that, Sickles was getting pressure on Richardson, but Bailey is simply a different dimension to an already multidimensional offense.
“There’s nothing he can’t do,” said Head Coach Sean Callahan. “Whenever we’re in a bind, we call on Number 3.” The Hawks weren’t without their own issues however as Armwood started the game with more penalty yardage than totoal offense in the 1st Quarter. “We made too many penalties tonight on both sides of the ball. It was a hard-hitting game for sure though. We played Armwood Football tonight. It’s good to come away with the win.”
Sickles (4-1, 1-1) is still in complete control of their destiny as they travel next week to Hillsborough taking on a Terriers squad that dismantled Jefferson 49-20. Head Coach Brian Turner in his postgame speech could be heard already turning the page and has clearly began concentrating on the next obstacle. Although there weren’t an excess of bright spots for the Gryphons to build upon, there’s no shying away from the challenge that lies ahead. “We just cannot make the mistakes we made tonight and expect to beat them. We’ll be ready next week (vs. Hillsborough), and we expect to see them (Armwood) again in the playoffs.”
Armwood (6-0, 3-0) meanwhile is on a collision course for an October 28th showdown vs. Plant. In the meantime, they will face Strawberry Crest and Hillsborough in back-to-back weeks. Fullback KJ Mills went down for the Hawks early in the game, and did not return. Although optimistic, the initial reports are a Sprained MCL. Could end up sidelining the 6-6 230 TE for a couple of weeks. “Right now we’ll just have to wait and see.” said Callahan. VIDEO AND MORE HERE