(Des Moines) Caden Andersen completed 18-26 passes for 232 yards and one touchdown to lead Atlantic to a 40-12 win over Saydel in a Class 3A District 6 Football game at Saydel High School on Friday night.
The Trojans had their highest offensive output of the season with 359 total yards of offense. Dayton Templeton led the receiving corps. with five catches for 68-yards. Dante Hedrington carried the ball 18-times for 55-yards. Atlantic ran 64-plays compared to Saydel’s 39, and controlled the ball for 29:42, compared to the Eagle’s 39-plays, and 18:18 of possession time.
The Eagle’s misfired on a 4th down an 11 pass play opening the door for Atlantic midway through the first quarter. The visitors took over on their 31-yard line and scored on the eleventh play of the drive when Easton O’Brien sprinted eight yards for the Trojan’s first score. Lane Nelson booted the extra point to put the Trojans up 7-0.
The Eagles responded with a seven-play 68-yard drive, only to run into a brick wall. Twice the Trojans stopped the home team on the one-yard line. The big turnaround came when Eagles quarterback Judd Roberts tried to air it out into the end zone, but Ethan Sturm picked off the pass and raced to the Trojans 21. Lane Nelson capped the drive with a 25-yard field goal to give the Trojans a 10-0 cushion. The Trojan’s defense put the offense in position to score again when sophomore linebacker Colton Becker picked off a pass and zig-zagged his way to the Eagles one-yard line. One play later, Andersen pushed in from one yard out to put the Trojans up 17-0, with 3:16 left in half. Senior kicker Lane Nelson connected again, with a 32-yard field, as time ran out to give them a 20-0 lead at the break.
Caden Andersen’s 18-yard TD strike to Jayden Proehl midway through the third quarter gave the Trojans a 27-0 lead. Saydel avoided the shut-out on the ensuing kick-off when Austin Challey received it and sprinted 91-yards to pay dirt and trailed 27-6.
Atlantic sophomore Dante Hedrington burst through for three yards and a TD, followed by Judd Robert’s pass to Auston Maeder, narrowing the score to 33-12. Atlantic added to their score late in the fourth quarter on Isaac Hensen’s six-yard TD trip to polish off a 40-12 win.
The game was slowed, particularly in the second half with penalities. The Eagles were penalized 13-times for 160-yards, Atlantic drew 13 flags for 125 yards, which totals up to 285 yards.
The Trojans, now 3-5 on the season host Creston in the regular-season finale next Friday night. Saydel, 0-8 travels to ADM.
