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Thomson's Anthony "Pooh" Erwin cuts back for a gain against Glenn Hills.
Photo by Staff
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Glenn Hills had last Friday night's game against Thomson circled on the calendar from the start of the season.
After losing to the Bulldogs 34-8 last season in a match up that decided the Region 3-AAA North playoff spots, the Spartans wanted to send a clear message that Thomson was in their crosshairs.
But if the Spartans were gunning for the Bulldogs, they needed to bring more than a pea shooter to the Brickyard. Thomson dominated nearly every aspect of the game on its way to a 63-0 win.
"It motivated us," Thomson running back Anthony "Pooh" Erwin said of the Spartans' talk. "Somebody makes us a rivalry game, we've got to show them. Then they were talking smack last week at their home town saying they were going to take it to the Brickyard. So we came out here and put 63 points on them."
The Bulldogs (8-1, 5-0 Region 3-AAA North) wanted to send a clear message of their own from the get-go. On the opening kickoff, Orlando Johnson rumbled his way to the Spartans' 26-yard line. Seven plays later, quarterback Jerrell McNair found the end zone with 8:31 remaining in the quarter.
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Thomson's Travis Scholar breaks up a pass with Glenn Hills receiver Brandon Whitley during the second quarter of Thomson's 63-0 win against Glenn Hills Friday night.
Photo by Jason B. Smith
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Glenn Hills (6-4, 3-3) had obviously watched film of Thomson Fullback LaBrandon Hudson's last four performances where he ran for a combined 688 yards and 14 touchdowns. Stacking the middle just left the ends open for Erwin who took the Spartans' defense for 193-yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries.
"They were keying on the fullback. That allowed us to get our runs on the outside," Erwin said. "We just got in our minds that we were going to come out, and we knew we had to play hard to win."
After a Glenn Hills punt late in the first quarter, Johnson returned the ball to the Spartans' 1, but a block in the back penalty put the ball on the 37. On the next play Erwin earned his first touchdown of the night with 0:32 left. Hudson and Erwin each scored in the second quarter capping drives of 77 and 76 yards.
Though they didn't manage to score, Glenn Hills racked up 197 passing yards behind quarterback Mike Evans' 12-26 passing performance. That was the lone bright spot for the Spartans.
The Thomson defense stuffed the run all evening, giving up only 18 yards on 18 carries. The shutout wasn't the only thing that made Thomson defensive end Deltrick Sneed smile. He picked up a fumble with 5:54 left in the third quarter and ran it 55 yards to put the Bulldogs up 35-0.
"Intensity baby. Intensity. We came out here pumped," Sneed said of the win.
A running clock and most of the junior varsity team in the game for Thomson couldn't keep the Bulldogs from scoring two more times in the fourth quarter to push the score to 63-0.
This week, Thomson travels to Butler (2-7, 1-4) to take on another set of 3-AAA North Bulldogs. Butler got its second win of the season last week, a 21-13 victory over another 2-7 team, Richmond Academy.
Last season Thomson barely escaped with a 6-3 win over a Butler team that went .500 on the season. Friday's game is the last regular season match-up for Thomson.
MIRROR REPLAY
Thomson 63, Glenn Hills
Star of the game: Anthony "Pooh" Erwin ran for 193 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries to lead the offense. Deltrick Sneed was defensive player of the game with a fumble recovery for a touchdown, a batted pass, a sack and eight tackles.
Play of the game: Defensive end Deltrick Sneed picked up a fumble with 5:54 left in the third quarter and ran it 55 yards for the touchdown to put the Bulldogs up 35-0.
Up next: Tomorrow, Thomson (8-1, 5-0) travels to Butler (2-7, 1-4). Game time is 7:30.
