News Progress

Photo by RR Best
Alec Ballinger (15) turns the corner getting protection from Drew Hubbard (22) as he racks up yardage on a great running night for the Redskins in their victory over the Meridian Hawks.

•September 30, 2015•

By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

The only suspense was in the coin toss before the game as Sullivan/Okaw Valley quarterback Ty Molzen lit up the Meridian Hawks for over 200 yards passing.

SOV outgained the Hawks 416 total offensive yards to Meridian’s 83, and the stingy Redskin defense kept the Hawks out of their own red zone for the entire game and out of the SOV end of the field for all but two possessions.

The Redskins won the coin toss and never looked back in a totally dominant offensive and defensive performance to take this conference game in style from the opening kick off to the final whistle. The Redskins took the opening drive to the Meridian 28 yard line where Ty Nichols took the handoff and scampered into the end zone with 9:35 left in the first quarter.

Meridian managed to run five plays before punting the ball back to the potent SOV offense which took a total of three plays to score on a 25 yard flat pass for a TD from Molzen to Alec Ballinger. Ballinger had five catches for 83 yards. There was still 5:38 left in the first quarter and SOV led Meridian 14-0.

Meridian received a gift as the SOV kickoff went out of bounds, and they started at their own 35 yard line for one of their longest offensive series, lasting nine plays, ending in an incomplete pass at the Sullivan 38 yard line where they turned the ball over on downs.  Read More

Photo by RR Best
SOV Redskin Jake Eaton celebrates following this touchdown against Warrensburg-Latham last Friday in Sullivan.

•September 23, 2015•

By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

Sullivan-Okaw Valley football bounced back with a 49-21 win over conference rival Warrensburg Latham on Friday night.

It was Okaw Valley homecoming and Real Men Wear Pink Night in Sullivan to make the win sweeter.

Ty Molzen racked up 300 yards passing, and Alec Ballinger scored three touchdowns in a pair of all-conference performances. SOV head coach Gerald Temples thought Molzen’s play keyed the offensive explosion.  “We challenged Ty this week. He played better; we played better.  I thought the first half our kids played really well.”

The Redskins Jake Eaton drew first blood rushing for a 21 yard touchdown up the gut at the 10:49 mark in the first quarter.  Warrensburg responded on the second play of their first possession with a 70 yard flat pass that tied the game at 7-7 with 10 minutes remaining in the first period.

Both teams traded punts before Ty Nichols broke loose on an 80 yard touchdown run. Nichols who appeared to be shot out of a cannon won a footrace giving the Redskins a 14-7 lead with 5:57 left in the first quarter.

After a Cardinal turnover on downs to start the second quarter Ty Molzen and  Ballinger connected on a 40 yard touchdown pass into the wind pushing the Redskin advantage to 20-7 with eight minutes left in first half.

On the Cardinals’ next possession Max Todd came up with a big fumble recovery at the six minute mark setting up another long connection from Molzen to Ballinger resulting in first and goal from the one.  Nichols found pay dirt on the next play for the second time in the contest, and Ballinger converted the two point attempt on a jet sweep.

Leading 28-7 with six minutes remaining in the first half, the Redskins would score two more touchdowns.  Blake Stewart got in on the fun with a short run at the three minute mark, and another Ballinger’s score followed, set up by a Brandon Fleshner fumble recovery, giving the Redskins a commanding 42-7 at halftime advantage. Read More