HOLLY POND – After last week's loss to Fultondale, tensions were high in the Holly Pond stadium as the Broncos faced their last chance to secure a spot in the playoffs. The Broncos played against the Vinemont Eagles, and their dreams of going to the playoffs again became a reality tonight, when they held off the Eagles 27-22.
Vinemont recovered the onside kick to Holly Pond and started the game by running for two first downs before a series of incomplete passes gave the ball to the Broncos. The Broncos, however, faced a similar situation as incomplete passes of their own left them unable to gain a first down. This pattern of incomplete passes continued through Vinemont's next play, but Holly Pond managed to finally break the spell as Caleb Jones, Matt Cahoon and Dylan Morton all successfully ran for first downs, which led to Holly Pond's first touchdown of the night. Jones was quick to put some more points on the board, and the Broncos finished the first quarter with a lead of 13-0.
The stadium buzzed as Holly Pond dominated the second quarter despite Vinemont's attempts to catch up. After a long run from Jones, the Broncos scored early with a touchdown pass to Morton and an extra point from Todd Schwab. After the kickoff, the Eagles made it onto the board as Garrett Boland ran for multiple first downs and, ultimately, a touchdown. An extra point put the score at 20-7, but Holly Pond retaliated immediately. The Broncos widened the score gap with another touchdown, ending the half with a score of 27-7.
The Eagles held nothing back after halftime. Boland continued to run for several first downs, and Vinemont scored right out of the gate. A 2-point conversion put the score at 27-15, and the onslaught just kept going. The Eagles were on fire after recovering Holly Pond's fumble, with Boland and Deke Wright both working to make as many first downs as possible. A pass to Cameron Carter and an extra point closed the gap even more to 27-22.
A series of incomplete passes led to both teams being over on downs multiple times throughout the end of the third quarter and the entirety of the fourth. Despite these disadvantages, all the players on the field were full of energy and never relented on each other. Boland was practically a juggernaut as he ran for first down after first down, rivaled only by Jones as the Broncos prepared to score one final time but ran out the clock instead.
The stands were electric as Holly Pond fans celebrated the fact that, with a score of 27-22, the Broncos are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Next week, the Broncos will play against their biggest rival, the Fairview Aggies, in what is sure to be one of the most exciting games of their season.
Copyright 2016 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
