By Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
Stanhope Elmore High Mustangs only completed one pass in their season opener against Marbury, and it went for negative yards. It didn’t matter because the Mustangs relied heavily on running back Arthur McQueen. He rushed 24 times for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns. He scored a 56-yard touchdown in the 2nd quarter and an 87-yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter. He also added a score from two yards out as the Mustangs won 28-13.
Marbury struck first when quarterback Grant Thompson threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Carter Sheppard. The Bulldogs held a 6-0 lead after the 1st quarter. However, McQueen had the first of several big runs when he rushed for 21 yards on the first play of the 2nd quarter. With the ball on the 5-yard line, McQueen took a direct snap, and with all eyes focused on him, he handed off to Jacorian Smoke who scored a 5-yard touchdown. Colby Beyer hit the extra point, and the Mustangs led 7-6.
Both teams had turnovers on the next possession, but the Mustangs got the ball back late in the 2nd quarter, when McQueen scored his first touchdown of the night from 56 yards away. The Mustangs’ two-point conversion was successful, and the lead extended to 15-6 with 1:33 left before half.
On the ensuing possession, Marbury quarterback Grant Thompson found Jeremy Baileynemard who raced 79-yards to the Mustangs’ 1-yard line. Thompson scored a touchdown the next play on a run, and the extra point was good.
Stanhope Elmore led 15-13 at half.
The Mustangs got the ball to start the second half and continued the ground and pound style of play with a steady diet of physical rushes. McQueen had a 32-yard run on the drive and scored his second touchdown of the night a few plays later from two yards out.
Marbury immediately threatened, with Thompson completing a 78-yard pass down to the SEHS 22-yard line. Kamran Anderson had a big tackle for loss on 3rd down, setting up a 4th and long. The Bulldogs came up short of the first down, but a SEHS penalty gave Marbury a first down inside the 10-yard line. With the ball at the 5-yard line, the Mustangs’ defense stuffed Marbury’s 4th down attempt.
Two plays later, McQueen took the ball at the 13-yard line and scored an 87-yard touchdown for the final points of the night, to put the Mustangs ahead 28-13.
The Mustangs’ defense came up big in the 4th quarter. Desmond Barnes had a big stop against Marbury on 4th down at the SEHS 30-yard line with under six minutes left. After punting the ball back to Marbury, SEHS corner Jay Stone intercepted a pass to seal the win for the Mustangs.
In addition to McQueen’s 260 yards and three touchdowns, SEHS quarterback Zac Holcombe rushed for 56 yards.
Grant Thompson had a big night at quarterback for Marbury, passing for 232 yards and 1 touchdown. He also had a rushing touchdown. The Mustangs will host Prattville next week, and Marbury will host Bayside Academy.
