FOOTBALL: Pioneers drop to 0-3 against stingy Dragons 22-0

By GREG BURTON

Special to Southern Indiana Preps

CLARKSVILLE — There is one thing for certain about the Silver Creek football team - it has a stingy defense.

The Dragons of coach John Dablow have played 12 quarters of football this season, and in those 12 quarters, no opponent has put any points on the board.

Saturday night against Providence, the Dragons’ defense bent late in the game, but it did not break, keeping the Pioneers out of the end zone and off the scoreboard.

Silver Creek scored early and late in pulling off a 22-0 victory in Providence’s home opener at Murphy Stadium.

While Providence’s defense was itself stingy for most of the game, the Dragons’ running trio of Jacob Garrett, Brannon Russell and Isesis Lukes ground out good yardage during the game. Both Garrett and Russell rushed for nearly 100 yards each (95 and 98 yards, respectively), while Lukes was a good option, gaining 59 on the ground.

Providence’s running game, meanwhile, struggled for much of the game against the Silver Creek defense. Kevin Smith led the Pioneer ground attack with 59 yards, while Kaden Williams found limited running room with 14 yards.

The Pioneers (0-3) had nine possessions and were forced to punt three times. They gave it up on downs three times and turned it over on an interception once. Their last possession saw them get to the Silver Creek 4-yard line before running out of downs after having a first-and-goal from the 8.

Silver Creek (3-0) scored on its first possession, traveling 75 yards after the opening kickoff, when Garrett found the end zone with a 1-yard run. The extra point was blocked, and neither team scored until the final minute of the first half, when Garrett scored again on a 3-yard run. After the extra point, the halftime score stood 13-0.

The Dragons added a 25-yard field goal by Daniel Barrett with just five seconds remaining in the third quarter. Then they added a final touchdown with only 40 seconds to play on a 14-yard run by Elijah Bays.

Each team will play at home next Friday. Silver Creek (2-0 Mid-Southern Conference) will attempt to keep its scoreless streak alive against MSC rival Eastern (1-2, 1-1 MSC). After a rugged first three games of its schedule, Providence will face Class 2A town rival Clarksville (0-3). Both games will start at 7 p.m.

SILVER CREEK 22, PROVIDENCE 0
Silver Creek       6  7  3  6–22
Providence         0  0  0  0–  0
First quarter
SC – Jacob Garrett 1 run (kick blocked), 8:17.
Second quarter

SC – Garrett 3 run (Daniel Barrett kick), :32.

Third quarter
SC – Barrett 25 FG, :05.
Fourth quarter
SC – Elijah Bays 14 run (kick failed), :40.