Linden proves too much for Wadley
The Wadley Bulldogs found themselves facing some tough odds on the road against 1A powerhouse Linden in the first round of the playoffs. And even though the Bulldogs fought valiantly in the first half, the Linden Patriots proved to be too much for Wadley in a 40-10 loss.
“All things considered, I thought we played as well as we could play,” Wadley head coach Randy Sparks said.
Wadley’s plan was to keep the game at their own pace, limiting Linden’s scoring opportunities and keeping the ball out of the hands of Linden’s skill players.
“We did keep the game at the pace we wanted,” Sparks said. “We did everything we wanted to except limit their big plays.”
And it was the big plays that set Linden apart from Wadley.
Wadley took an early opportunity to put some points on the board when Quay Hunter punched in a touchdown run from 2-yards out with 6:01 left in the first quarter. Skylar Humphries connected on the extra point to give Wadley a 7-0 lead.
Linden didn’t take long to answer, though. The Patriots scored on a 68-yard touchdown run courtesy of Kendarius Fritts with 4:59 left in the first quarter. The point after was no good, leaving Wadley with a 7-6 lead.
Later in the first quarter, Fritts scored again on a 15-yard run with 0:22 left, and with the 2-point conversion, Linden led 14-7.
The Patriots added to their lead with 6:32 left in the second quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run from Fritts. The point after made the score 21-7 in favor of Linden.
Wadley wasn’t ready to call it quits just yet, though. The Bulldogs drove down the field in the waning minutes of the second quarter, and with time expiring, Humphries nailed a 29-yard field goal to make the halftime score 21-10.
Sparks said part of the plan was to test Linden’s top players, including defensive end and Auburn commitment Justin Delaine.
“We trapped him almost every play and had a lot of success doing that,” Sparks said. “We decided to give it a try and see what we could do.”
Even with the success Wadley had moving the ball in the first half, Linden’s overall athleticism was overwhelming.
Wadley rushed for 130 yards and passed for just 15. Linden on the other hand, rushed for 358 yards and passed for 13 yards.
“We didn’t have anything to lose,” Sparks said. “Maybe it’ll give us some confidence in the future.”
The Patriots shifted into overdrive in the second half.
Fritts scored two more touchdowns, one on a 12-yard run with 2:24 left in the third quarter and one on a 41-yard run with 9:24 left in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots picked off a Wadley pass with 7:28 left in the fourth quarter and ran it back for a touchdown to make the final 40-10.
“Truthfully, we just were not able to stop them,” Sparks said. “It wasn’t anything close to what we want, but there were some positives to come out of it.”
Those positives start with what’s returning to the Bulldogs’ roster next season. Wadley loses only three seniors to graduation with a strong core of sophomore starters returning next year with a year of experience under their belts.
But losing isn’t something Sparks and the Bulldogs are used to and certainly isn’t something they want to become used to.
“In terms of Friday night, we probably did as much as we could do,” Sparks said. “For the season as a whole, we were not pleased with it at all.”
Sparks said the potential is there for the Bulldogs to return to the winning ways they’ve enjoyed under Sparks. But it will take work.
“We’ve got to improve our character and our work habits,” Sparks said. “We’ve got to get stronger and we’ve got to get older.”
“That’s the bright spot. If those guys continue to grow and step up, we’ll be a lot better.”
