–Rockets strike quickly and often to blast Tuscola
15 September 2007BY Terry Duckworth
Photos by Michael Painter
REYNOLDS - September 14, 2007- R. L. Dalton Stadium was shrouded in mist and clouds as the Mountaineers of Tuscola came to visit the AC Reynolds Rockets. Fog, low clouds, and threatening skies greeted the sparse crowd…but the sun was about to break through for the Rockets.
The Rockets were coming off a 28-0 defeat last week to the Rams of TC Roberson but this week however, things were going to change. The Rockets finally put it all together as they demolished the Mountaineer 53-7. From the beginning to the end, the Rockets dominated on both the offensive and defensive sides of the football.
Tuscola won the coin flip at the start of the game, but decided to defer the opening kick-off to the Rockets. This was a mistake… The Rockets ran the kick back to their own 29 and on the first play from scrimmage quarterback Alexander Wall hit speedster Darius Spencer, who made a spectacular one handed grab, with 71 yard touchdown pass. With just 25 seconds gone off the clock, the extra point by Edward Darri gave the Rockets a 7-0 lead.
The Mountaineers mounted a nine play drive after receiving the kick from the Rockets. After a beautiful punt died on the 6 
yard line of the Rockets, Reynolds was back in business. On the second play from scrimmage for the Rockets, Alexander Wall scampered straight up the middle of the field for a 94 yard touchdown run that stunned the crowd from Tuscola. The extra point was good making the score 14-0 with 7:32 left in the first quarter.
The first two plays from scrimmage for the Rockets accounted for 165 yards of offense; 46 more yards than the total yardage last week against the Rams!
The only bobble in the otherwise nearly perfect first half for the Rockets occurred on the last play of the first quarter when a fumble was recovered on the Rocket 25 yard line by the Mountaineers. In just 4 plays Tuscola put the ball in the end zone on a pass from quarterback Tyler Brosius to Shane Heatherly making the score 14-6. The point after was good, and the 14-7 score was the closest the Mountaineers would come to the Rockets for the rest of the game. As the first half continued Kyren Gibson scored again for the Rockets on a 19 yard bolt with 4:26 left in the half. Once again the point after was good, and the score was 21-7. 
After receiving the kickoff, the Mountaineers took over on their own 28 yard line. On the second play from scrimmage, Brosius threw an errant pass that was intercepted by Rudy Cabral, who carried the ball for a 41 yard touchdown making the score 27-7, the last score of the first half.
As the third quarter began the Mountaineers seemed to have a new energy as they put together a good drive. After eight plays though, with a costly procedure penalty thrown in, Tuscola had to punt the ball to the Rockets.
Spencer then took over. On the fourth play of the possession, Spencer ran over, around, and through the Tuscola defense with another long run of 56 yards that ended up in the end zone.
As the Mountaineers received the ball after the touchdown, the enthusiasm they had shown as the second half opened seemed to disappear.
Penalties, turnovers, and missed opportunities were the lot for the rest of the game for Tuscola. On the third play of possession, once again, Tony Cabral intercepted a pass. In just four plays the Rockets added another touchdown as a screen pass from Wall to Rudy Cabral struck pay dirt.
Tuscola could not seem to put anything together as the next five possessions ended in four and out, an interception, a fumble, a blocked punt, and an interception. The Rockets on the other hand, continued to put points on the board. With 9:15 left in the fourth quarter, Alexander Wall found the end zone on a 9 yard keeper. Kyren Gibson also scored again on a 6 yard pitch from Wall making the final score 53-7.
The Cabral brothers, Tony and Rudy, wowed the crowd on both offense and defense as they made play after play for the Rockets. Jacob Mau also came up big on the defensive side of the ball for AC Reynolds.
Tyler Brosius, Shane Heatherly, and Dakota Brown made an impact on the offense for the Mountaineers. Andrew Taylor, Joe Stroupe, and Austin Chambers made plays on the defense.
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