NEW ALBANY
After two quarters of stagnant offense, the legs of Chandler Drummond, Colin Greathouse and Brendan Smith finally found life.
Down for much of the game, the rushing trio willed the Owls’ football team back into the contest, but a late fumble cost them the chance to upend the New Albany Bulldogs on the road as they fell 20-17.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallerySeymour coach Mike Kelly praised his team’s fight in the second half, but lamented they need to do a better job of not getting into situations where they have to come from behind.
Comeback situations are tough for the Owls to execute with an offense that is predicated on running the ball as much as the Owls do. They attempted to open up the New Albany defense, which had been selling out to stop the run all game, with some passes from Smith but it wasn’t consistent enough or didn’t result in enough chunk plays for it to keep the Bulldog defense honest.
“We don’t have the big, explosive plays in the passing game,” Kelly said.
Kelly continued, saying early offensive struggles are a result of teams coming out in defenses they don’t normally prepare for. He explains their opponents don’t typically see a team as run-heavy as Seymour throughout the season and the opposing defenses generally changes from what they see on film.
“We’re not sure what we’re going to get from a defense,” Kelly said.
Early on, it was the Owls’ stingy defense keeping them in the game.
After the Bulldogs converted a successful onside kick to start the game, it was the Seymour defense that stalled New Albany, who started their first drive of the game deep in Owl territory.
It wouldn’t be the last time the Owls’ defense came up with a big play as they did their best to give the offense a chance to come back and win the ballgame.
Speaking again on his team’s fight, he thought they did enough to keep them in the game.
“I thought they contained them well for the most part,” Kelly said. “It was much more positive.”
The only sticking point for Kelly about his defense was the New Albany deep ball.
Though the Owls tried their hands at the deep ball as well, the Bulldogs completed several big fade routes that set up three scores.
“We’re a good team for deep balls,” Kelly said. “Teams that haven’t had success are having success against us.”
Scoring wise for Seymour, the Owls got it started with a 37-yard field goal from Josh Guevara. They were shut out for the rest of the first half and for much of the second until Colin Greathouse burst onto the scene with two touchdown runs of five and 27 yards.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Owls as they welcome in Columbus East next Friday night at 7 p.m. for the final regular season game of the year at Bulleit Stadium.
Columbus East has won 97 straight Hoosier Hills Conference games and has won 17 in a row against the Owls. Seymour’s last win came on October 21, 2005 in the first round of the sectional.
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Owls;17
Bulldogs;20
Seymour (4-3);3;0;7;7 — 17
New Albany (2-5);0;7;7;6 — 20
First quarter
S-Joshua Guevara 37-yard field goal kick, 2:44
Second quarter
NA-Kyondre Winford 52-yard pass to DeJon Winburn (Towner Perry kick), 2:52
Third quarter
NA-Travon Henderson 3-yard run (Perry kick), 9:27
S-Colin Greathouse 5 run (Guevara kick), 5:45
Fourth quarter
NA-Henderson 27 run (Perry kick failed), 8:05
S-Greathouse 40 run (Guevara kick good), 5:43
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