Faith Academy football squad loses 64-14 to Iola
Faith Academy of Marble Falls junior Rawley Jackson makes a tackle for a loss against Iola on Sept. 5 as senior Hunter Moreno runs to help. Photo by Paloma Ortiz
IOLA — The Faith Academy of Marble Falls football team fell behind early against the Iola Bulldogs and never recovered in a 64-14 loss Sept. 5.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 36-0 lead at the end of the first half.
The Flames got on the scoreboard with 9:07 remaining in the second quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Magnum Burcham. The run brought the score to 36-7.
Flames head coach Russ Roberts expressed some frustrations with the team’s first-quarter performance. However, he said Burcham “took over” during the second quarter.
“He made the decision that we’ve got to move the ball however we can, running or passing,” Roberts said. “I hadn’t seen that. He gave good leadership, and I thought the team responded pretty well to that leadership.”
Iola, however, scored two more touchdowns in the quarter to lead 50-7 at halftime.
After an Iola touchdown early in the third quarter, the Flames’ Hunter Marino took a kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown with 10:42 remaining in the third quarter.
Marino’s touchdown was the next-to-final score of the game. Iola scored once more before the final whistle blew.
Iola rushed 38 times during the game, and passed only once. After the Flames’ first game of the season, the players had said tackling and physical toughness were areas where they needed improvement. With Iola’s relentless rushing attack, Roberts said the Flames got what they wished for.
“We had to fill some gaps, contain and make tackles — all things we need a lot of work on,” Roberts said. “Basically, we got the equivalent of two to three workouts in the fourth quarter.”
The Flames (0-2) play at Hyde Park Baptist High School, 11400 North Mo-Pac Expressway in Austin, on Thursday, Sept. 11.
editor@thepicayune.com
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Iola: 36-14-14-0 — 64
Faith: 0-7-0-0 — 14
FIRST QUARTER
I – Hector Martinez 51-yard run (Colton Renick kick), 10:50
I – Court Creamer 5-yard run (Renick kick), 8:56
I – Creamer 14-yard run (Creamer 2-yard pass from Hector Martinez), 4:08
I – Martinez 15-yard run (Renick kick), 2:50
I – Martinez 61-yard run (Renick kick), :31
SECOND QUARTER
F – Magnum Burcham 15-yard run (Gavin Henderson kick), 9:07
I – Will Nevill 23-yard run (Renick kick), 8:06
THIRD QUARTER
I – Martinez 24-yard run (Renick good), 11:00
F – Hunter Moreno 65-yard kick return (Henderson kick), 10:42
I – Tyler Dykes 54-yard run (Renick kick), 7:13
TEAM STATS
FAITH ACADEMY
First downs: 6
Total net yards: 103
Rushes-yards: 23-75
Passing: 28
Interceptions: 2
Comp-att-int: 4-19-2
Penalties-yards: 3-15
Punts-ave.: 4-95-23.7
IOLA
First downs: 21
Total net yards: 537
Rushes-yards: 38-524
Passing: 13
Interceptions: 0
Comp-att-int: 1-1-0
Penalties-yards: 7-40
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING – Faith, Magnum Burcham 10-30-1 touchdown, Austin Etienne 3-15, Jonathan Bryers 5-14, Hunter Moreno 2-13, Gavin Henderson 1-4, Daniel Penner 2-(-1)
PASSING — Faith, Magnum Burcham 4-19-28-2 interceptions
RECEIVING – Faith, Dylan Bradbury 2-13, Rich Coleman 1-5, Rawley Jackson 1-8