(Lake City) ACGC scored on their opening drive and set the tone for a 34-13 win at #9 South Central Calhoun. The round two victory sets up a rematch with #1 Van Meter for a trip to the dome next week.
Gavin Cornelison posted 176 yards on the ground with three touchdown runs, Charlie Crawford carried six times for 54 yards and two scores, and Cayden Jensen tallied 79 yards rushing along with a 50 yard kick return.
The Chargers stormed out to a 20-0 lead behind a near flawless first half. A second quarter fumble deep in South Central Calhoun territory was the only time the ACGC offense was stopped. They totaled 326 yards rushing, didn’t have to attempt a single pass, and were not flagged for a penalty all night.
Crawford got the scoring started with a one yard run midway through the first quarter and added another rushing score, this one from 16-yards out, with 3:18 left in the third. Cornelison’s scoring runs were all from a yard out. Two of them came in a second quarter that saw ACGC outscore South Central Calhoun 14-0. The Titans were unable to get it closer than a two-possession game the rest of the way.
South Central Calhoun did show signs of a comeback bid in the third. They got the ball first to start the second half and used up five minutes off the clock to go 75 yards for a score. Blake McAlister capped off the drive with a two yard touchdown run, but ACGC had a quick response. They marched 60 yards downfield in 2:42 to extend the lead back to 20 points. South Central Calhoun’s final trip to the end zone on the evening came on a Gavin Batta quarterback sneak with 1:09 left in the third to make it 27-13.
The 9-1 Chargers haven’t been this deep into the playoffs in their six year history. In fact, they’d only won 14 total games in their first five years before breaking out with a 9-1 mark this season. Their only blemish was a 41-7 defeat at the hands of top ranked Van Meter in Week 8. Those two squads are two of eight teams remaining in Class 1A and they’ll get together next Friday night at Van Meter.
