Eli Keeps Coming

November 6, 2021  
By Al Muskewitz  
East Alabama Sports Today  

Ennis has another big game, helps Ohatchee run past Geraldine in second half for first-round playoff win

OHATCHEE — As usual, it was just a matter of time before Eli Ennis was going to break out.

The Ohatchee senior quarterback had a first half Friday night that most players would have considered a good night. But Ennis isn’t most players and his second half was something else entirely.

After a series of halftime adjustments, it was all Ennis, all the time. When the Indians needed something to happen, they gave it to him and he delivered.

He ended up rushing for 307 yards and five touchdowns on 42 carries in the game as Indians overran Geraldine in the second half, winning their Class 3A playoff opener on the Creekbank 34-13 going away.

The Indians (9-2) now travel to Winfield next week for Round 2 riding a six-game winning streak under acting coach Chris Findley.

“It wasn’t purposely holding him back,” Findley said. “In the game plan we wanted to try some things. We got in here at halftime and you start adjusting, this is what we’ve got. We found what we like, what we like is having him run the ball.

“That’s the kind of football we play. Keep moving the chains, keep hitting it, eventually it breaks.”

Ennis was particular effective in the second half. The Indians ran 31 plays in the half — all on the ground. Ennis had 21 of the plays and ran for 180 yards and four touchdowns — three in the fourth quarter.

He scored on runs of 2, 11, 18, 23 and 2 yards.

“I was feeling them out at first, jukin’ and jivin’, and I needed to run right at them,” Ennis said. “In the second half that’s what I started doing and it just started working.

“Every time coach called my number I was like I’m getting it, nobody is going to stop me. I’ve got to get this. If you’re in my way, I’m going to hit you, you’ve just gotta tackle me.”

And the Bulldogs never could, as Ennis continually pushed him way through the pile to dragged would-be tacklers until their combined weight brought him to the ground.

“He’s an incredible player,” first-year Geraldine coach Mike Davis said. “We’ve just got to get off blocks at the point of attack and make tackles. There’s no secrets behind stopping No. 4 (Ennis) – you’ve got to tackle. It’s that simple.”

The offense wasn’t the only adjustment the Indians made at halftime. Their defense held the Bulldogs (7-4) to 32 net yards in the third and fourth quarters.

Given Ohatchee’s ball-control approach, possessions were going to be at a premium in this game and it was important to convert when you had them.

Geraldine scored on two of its first three possessions to open a 13-7 lead early in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs turned over their next two possessions in Ohatchee territory or it might have been a different story.

The first of the turnovers was particularly painful. Jaxson Colvin completed a pass to Colton Lusher and with Lusher on his way to the end zone to give the Bulldogs a potential two-touchdown lead Ohatchee’s Troy Galloway ran him down, batted the ball free at the 3 and recovered it in the end zone for a touchback.

The second came right after the Bulldogs held Ohatchee on downs inside the 40 in the final minute of the half. Carlos Mann was separated from the ball and Ohatchee recovered it again.

“Coach always tells us not to give up and make sure you play until the whistle,” Galloway said. “I saw the way he was holding it, easy fumble. I just kept playing and didn’t give up and ended up turning the ball over. It was really crucial because it would’ve been a touchdown.”

“You don’t know how that game goes if they get in the end zone and score there,” Findley said. “That was a huge – huge – effort play by Troy right there. That’s the kind of stuff you coach for right there, to give effort to the final yard. It turned the momentum right there.”

Geraldine opened the scoring on Colvin’s 44-yard pass to Lusher over the middle. Ohatchee answered with a 13-play drive capped by Ennis’ first 2-yard touchdown run. Ennis had 54 yards in the 59-yard drive.

Geraldine took the lead early in the second quarter on Caleb Hill’s 4-yard run. The Bulldogs missed the extra point. 

Ohatchee 34, Geraldine 13

G – Colton Lusher 44 pass from Jaxon Colvin (Danny Felipe kick), 9:44 1Q
O – Eli Ennis 2 run (Brent Honaker kick), 3:26 1Q
G – Caleb Hall 4 run (kick failed), 7:36 2Q
O – Eli Ennis 11 run (kick failed), 8:20 3Q
O – Eli Ennis 18 run (Eli Ennis run), 10:21 4Q
O – Eli Ennis 23 run (run failed), 7:33 4Q
O – Eli Ennis 2 run (Brent Honaker kick), 2:52 4Q