HAPPY- In a battle of two towns with little love for each other, it was Nazareth flexing its muscle in an impressive season opener with a dominant 52-6 win Friday night at the Cowboy Corral.
Getting off to such a fast start, Nazareth head coach Tyler Goodwin couldn’t be happier with his team’s performance.
“I thought we executed really well on both sides of the ball,” Goodwin said. “We came ready and did the things we were expected to do well”.
Rhett Ethridge and Lincoln Pohlmeier were major difference makers for the Swifts, as they continuously found success against Happy’s defense. Nazareth’s offensive attack was efficient producing 254 total yards of offense, including 167 yards on the ground and 87 yards through the air.
Nazareth (1-0) wasted very little time establishing control against the Cowboys, setting the tone on both sides of the ball and never letting Happy develop a rhythm. The Swifts jumped out to a 14-0 lead after a pair of touchdown passes from Ethridge to Pohlmeier.
From there, Nazareth never looked back.
The Swifts continued to develop momentum on both sides of the ball after a pair of scores on the ground from Cooper Farris and a pick-six from Pohlmeier created an insurmountable 32-0 lead with 6:44 left in the second quarter. Happy continued to try and answer but Nazareth’s suffocating defense and balanced offensive attack kept the Cowboys at bay.
While the Swifts continued to pile up points, the Nazareth defense was equally as dominant. The Swifts held Happy to just six points and 87 yards of offense while forcing two turnovers. Pohlmeier was especially disruptive on the defensive side of the ball, recording two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown.
By halftime, Nazareth had a commanding 46-6 advantage, putting the Cowboys (0-1) in a difficult position heading into the second half of play.
Cooper Farris led the way for the Swifts offense, finishing with 142 rushing yards on just 6 attempts and 3 touchdowns. Farris repeatedly made the most of his limited touches, averaging 24 yards per carry and providing several explosive plays for Nazareth.
Ethridge also had an efficient night, rushing for 25 yards while completing five of seven passing for 87 yards through the air to go along with four total touchdowns in the victory. Pohlmeier tacked on four receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns to go along with his two interceptions.
“Rhett and Lincoln had great off-seasons, “Goodwin said. “We knew they would be valuable for us this season, but the line played well and we had other guys step up to help us get this win. We had a complete team effort and that’s what I wanted to see. We’re setting an identity and I know Rhett and Lincoln are outstanding players but they can’t do it without the team, and they know that.”
For Happy, Luke Dempsey was the Cowboys leading offensive performer, recording 12 rushes for 58 yards on the ground. Gabriel Mosser also added seven carries for 28 yards and Happy’s lone score.
Nazareth wasted no time putting the game away after halftime. Forty seconds into the third quarter, Ferris broke loose for a 35-yard touchdown run to make the lead 52-6 and invoke the mercy rule.
The victory gives the swifts a convincing 1-0 start to their season and an early statement in a rivalry matchup. Nazareth will look to carry the momentum into next week’s matchup against Borden County, while happy will attempt to regroup and bounce back against Whitharral.
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