Ada ruins Sallisaw’s homecoming game
Friday was not the kind of homecoming game the host team wanted. Sallisaw never quite got going, and Ada ran away with it from the getgo, not letting up until the Cougars took a knee with 13 seconds left on the clock to end the game, 48-0.
Black Diamonds‚ head coach Mark Hutson knew going into the game that the Cougars were a physical, talented and very capable team, but was confident that Sallisaw would be competitive after the previous week‚s showing against Tahlequah.
“We got...
Friday was not the kind of homecoming game the host team wanted. Sallisaw never quite got going, and Ada ran away with it from the getgo, not letting up until the Cougars took a knee with 13 seconds left on the clock to end the game, 48-0.
Black Diamonds‚ head coach Mark Hutson knew going into the game that the Cougars were a physical, talented and very capable team, but was confident that Sallisaw would be competitive after the previous week‚s showing against Tahlequah.
“We got some big plays when we played Tahlequah, but we weren‚t able to get those against Ada,” Hutson said. “The turnovers have got to stop. We need to have better ball security getting control of the football.”
The Cougars weren‚t just talented and physical, they were in-your-face big, noticeably bigger than their Sallisaw counterparts. Honestly, Sallisaw was just outmatched and outmanned by a better Ada team.
The size difference was most noticeable on the Black Diamonds‚ offensive line and special teams, and the defensive line couldn‚t stop the run. With the exception of Brouqe Oft recovering a fumble, there weren‚t many big plays.
It seemed like the Ada defenders were able to get past the offensive line with ease, and were in the backfield before Parker Jackson could even receive the ball on the snap. And, yes, the Diamond faithful in the stands were frustrated, watching Jackson get sacked multiple times.
On the sidelines, the Cougards could be heard talking trash under their breath, and there were instances of occasional late hits that went unnoticed behind the referees‚ backs. Sallisaw did eventually break down, receiving multiple calls for unsportsmanlike conduct as the clock waned. To be sure, there is no justification or excuse for such behavior, merely an explanation, since there are better outlets for dealing with frustration. The Black Diamonds (0-4) had nothing but trouble trying to move the ball, with first downs being few and far between, and new defensive coordinator Richard Pratt getting a baptism by fire his first game out with the new moniker. Hutson has already started to incorporate the hard lessons learned in the Ada game into Sallisaw‚s preparations for Friday‚s 7 p.m. road game to James Bradley Memorial Stadium to play Stilwell (2-2) for the Black Diamonds‚ second district game.
