Of course, the Wright in question was senior running back Tyler Wright. He rushed for 206 yards on 23 carries, caught three passes for 72 yards, scored four touchdowns and picked off two passes in the Eagles’ 35-21 victory.
In clinching a playoff berth, the Eagles improved their 25-2A record to 5-0 and season reading to 7-2. Salado has its open date this coming Friday before finishing its season at home against Rogers.
Wright played a major role in the Eagles taking a 20-0 lead over the slow-starting Bumblebees (6-2, 2-2). He broke through the Academy defense on the game’s first play and rumbled 80 yards for the touchdown. He then added touchdown runs of 13 and 8 yards to dominate play in the first 12 minutes and nine seconds.
“It was a 33-man effort,” Wright said, championing the there’s no “I” in team approach when asked about his game. “Coming in we knew the offensive line could get it done. It was a matter of everbody doing their job.”
“Tyler had a great game,” Salado coach Jeff Cheatham said. “He’s really stepped up for us the last two games.
“The kids did a good job considering the adversity, and Academy did a great job against us.”
While Wright was scoring his other touchdowns at the 5:07 mark of the first quarter and 11:51 of the second period, Academy was having trouble getting its offense going.
Academy quarterback Chase Gommert, who entered the game with nearly 1,900 yards of total offense, was able to complete only two of his first 13 passing attempts as he faced heavy pressure from the Eagles.
A pass interception - one of four turnovers by Salado - set Academy up for its only first-half touchdown as the Bees got the ball on their own 37. Five players later, including a 41 yard pass from Gommert to Chase Reeders, junior Layton Willis scored on a 2-yard run. The score stood 20-6 Salado with 6:16 remaining before halftime.
Then the weird stuff became epidemic. A potential 76-yard touchdown run by Salado quarterback Jerod Lutz was reduced to 15 yards by an inadvertant whistle. The fake to Wright was so good that most of the Bees and at least one official thought Wright had the ball.
Instead of owning a 26-7 scoreboard, Salado was giving up the ball four plays later on a fumble. However, four plays later Academy handed the ball back as the center snap on a first down bounced off Gommert’s face mask.
On the next play, Salado was intercepted for the third turnover in six snaps. Academy then rallied and took the ball down to the Salado 19 before a holding call stalled the promissing drive. A 42-yard field goal attempt by Reeders with 23 seconds left in the half was low and far short of the mark.
The turnover problems continued in the scoreless third quarter for Academy as the Bumblees were stung by turnovers on four consecutive pssessions – a Wright interception, a pick by Lutz, a fumble recovery by Tyler Coker and another theft by Wright stalled the hosts.
Wright’s second pick started a 29-point scoring frenzy in the final 5:34. Salado went up 28-7 as Garret Ward threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Caleb Little and a 2-point conversion to Coker.
Academy answered with a 6-play, 69-yard drive, scoring on a 1-yard run by Willis with 4:06 to go. A failed onside kick attempt by the Bees set up a 37-yard touchdown run by Wright to make it 35-14 with 2:39 remaining.
The Bumblebees answered with a 69-yard drive that saw Gommert sweep right into the end zone with 26 seconds to play.
Defending champion Salado finished with 408 yards – 259 on 42 rushes and 149 through the air. The Eagles were penalized nine times for 75 yards.
After the slow opening, Gommert picked up the pasce and led his team to 349 total yards of which he completed 19 of 38 passes for 221 yards and rushed 21 times for 70 yards.
Academy, which is still in the playoff hunt, faces a crucial battle with Rogers (4-0 in 25-2A, 7-1 for the season) Friday on the road. The Bumblebees will finish their season against last-place Florence.
Cheatham was happy that the Eagles have their open date in the seven-team alignment prior to the showdown with Rogers.
“We need to get a week off under our belt,” he said. “It will be nice to get some rest for the kids. After tonight, I don’t who needs it more – me or the kids."
gwellnicki@temple-telegram.com
