TKA offense clicks, defeats Ezell-Harding 44-0
By Ken Leinart
Everything “clicked” Friday night for the King’s Academy Lions.
You know that’s true when a back up offensive lineman scores a touchdown, which is sort of what happened in the Lions’ 44-0 win over visiting Ezell-Harding Christian Academy in a Division II-A East matchup in Seymour. Not to mention it was homecoming for the Lions.
“We played a full four quarters tonight,” TKA Head Football Coach Jonathan Sellers said of his team’s efforts. “I think it’s the first time this season that’s happened. From start to finish our guys executed really well. The offense started clicking and executing.”
The ground game carried a majority of the scoring load. Running backs Ken Hall and Brady Swaggerty (a wide receiver turned running back) scored five times with Hall crossing the goal line three times, including a clinching 41-yard break away early in the third quarter.
“(Hall) is extremely hard to tackle,” Sellers said. “He’s a strong, fast, physical kid.”
After Hall’s third score the Lions were up 44-0 with Jorge Mendoza’s kick after and the hosts pulled its starters and let the clock wind its way down.
On the night Mendoza was perfect on four extra point attempts and even recovered his own onside kick in the third quarter to set up the final score (the onside kick was more of a rocket that hit an Eagle player and bounced almost straight back to Mendoza).
The Lions went for a two point conversion twice and converted both times.
Hall scored in the first, second and third quarters. Swaggerty’s scores came in the first and second quarters.
On a night when everything worked, senior lineman Triston Brown scored on a hook and ladder from 33 yards out in the second stanza.
Sophomore quarterback Mason Eckerson connected on a swing pass to receiver Avery Jordan, who took a step or two, took a hit from a defender, then flipped the ball to Brown.
It was only fitting. Friday night happened to be Brown’s birthday.
“(Brown) is one of the most selfless players on this team,” Sellers said.
“He probably should be wearing his number, which is eight, but he’s got to wear 56 because he’s our one guy to sub on the offensive line. He buys into that role. You couldn’t ask for a better teammate.
“I was so incredibly happy that our little hook and ladder got him into the end zone tonight. I thought that was a cool moment.”
While Brown was on the O-line for the hook and ladder, his biggest impact came on defense.
Brown and sophomore Maki Bell owned the Eagle backfield.
“He’s just a sophomore, but he has come a long way,” Sellers said of his big defender.
The Eagles had two first downs in the first half (five for the game) and it was two Browns (Triston and junior Cade) and a Bell causing all the consternation.
The Eagles looked bigger on the line, with two experienced playmakers in senior quarterback Willis Frazier and senior running back Jeremiah Glass, but they couldn’t shake the pressure spearheaded by those three Lions.
“Hats off to the defense,” Sellers said. “Getting a shutout is hard to do with the way offenses play these days.”
With the win, the Lions even their record at 1-1 in Division II-A East (2-3 overall) and have locked a playoff spot in the four-team division.
The Lions have the week off before traveling to Murfreesboro to play Middle Tennessee Christina School in another division matchup. The Cougars are the defending state champions, but lost a lot to graduation, Sellers noted.
