DanvilleFan

I really miss the old Advocate Messenger. Still have some old issues for different events or whatever. But now it's a joke. Like you say, it made high school sports seem like a big deal. Their capsules for games before they happened were great. And the post-game write ups were great too.

Meaux did run for that much but some explosive plays he made in the second half created that yardage. At first their gameplan appeared to be working well until Danville opened the playbook and went aerial.

Something has to be done in the journalism industry for local communities. I'm not quite sure what the solution is because you don't want public subsidies maybe for the same thing that's supposed to be a watchdog but at the same time losing your local papers that chronicle local events, meetings, sports, etc. is important for building a sense of community. It's sad to see all of these papers fade and nothing is filling the void.

A few post-game notes: -Danville's defense still has a lot of holes. Washington made the game interesting until the Ads were able to get a few quick scores and then able to get a timely interception and a goalline stand late. To the Ads credit, they made some big plays on offense when their backs were to the wall at times, especially early in the 2nd quarter when they went for it on 4th and 2 deep in their own territory, converted, and then were able to get a touchdown to retake a lead in the game. -Thompson for Washington County is a great weapon. They need to use that guy more. Ads had few answers for him any time he touched the ball. -Danville goes to 5-0 and 1-0 in the district with the win. They will host Shawnee in another district game next week. Shawnee is 2-3, beating Fort Knox 32-13 on Thursday night. -Washington County falls to 1-4 and 0-1 in the district. IMO this team is better than their record shows. They did a good job in much of the game corralling Meaux. But the Ads had some other playmakers step up, which is one of the offensive strengths of the team. This was one of the first times this year where the Ads had to lean more on the passing attack to open the run game and having that in their arsenal shows more versatility than last season. Next week the Commanders continue district play at W.E.B. Du Bois. Du Bois is 4-1 and has not entered district play yet. Du Bois beat Western Hills 20-7 last night.

Ads take a series of knees and the game is over. Final Score: Danville 41, Washington County 26

2:01 to play. Sellers takes the handoff for 9 yards. Danville takes a timeout. Danville leading 41-26 with 57 seconds to go and has the ball.

Power-I features a run by Sellers on first down. There is a flag thrown and it is a hold on the Admirals. That backs the ball up to the 7 yard line. 1st and 15 sees Meaux take a run for a few yards as the Admirals want room and to burn clock. On 2nd down Sellers takes the ball and ends up about four yards short of the first down marker. 2:47 to play in the game. The playcall on 3rd and 4, Meaux goes up the middle and gets the first down, moving the ball to the Ads 25.

1st and goal sees the Commanders flagged for trying to assist a player into the end zone with a push in the back so they go back five yards. 1st and goal is repeated from the 6 yard line and there is a pitch to Thompson. But the Commanders flagged this time for holding, so that moves them back further to the Admiral 16. The third go around on 1st and goal is a pass attempt to the back of the end zone but it is incomplete. There is 5:11 left in the game. On 2nd and goal, the Commanders give the ball to Thompson and he gets five yards to the 11 yard line. 3rd and goal results in another incomplete pass attempt as the Ads are able to tip it. Left with a "do or die" 4th and goal situation from the Ads 11 the Commanders QB rolls out and throws to the end zone but it falls incomplete again and there is a turnover on downs. Danville takes the ball back, leading 41-26 with 4:16 to play in the game

Thompson goes down after the run and comes out. There is a broken play by the Commanders on first down, so that goes nowhere. Another run gets four yards. On a 3rd down play there is another run up the middle and that gets to the Ads 4, but the Commanders need a few more yards for a first down. With no other choice the Commanders opt to go for it and they pitch to Thompson, who comes back in and gets to the 1 yard line to create a first and goal situation.

Admirals radio feed is cutting in and out really bad right now so hopefully it gets better. Thompson has a good return for the Commanders - they need to get him the ball a lot more - and the Ads are flagged for a facemask. But there is an offsetting penalty on Washington so the ball is backed up to the Danville 48. Thompson has another big run to get to the Ads 12.

Ball on the Washington 34. Meaux gets a mere yard on an option-like play on first down. Cruver holds onto the ball on 2nd down and two flags fly. The Ads are called for a holding but the Commanders are flagged for a facemask, so the penalties offset and the down is replayed. Doing 2nd and 9 a second time the Ads do a reverse to Cam Peters and Peters breaks a run to the end zone for a touchdown. Garcia's kick is good. Danville adds to their lead, now ahead 41-26 with 9:29 to go in the game

Meaux takes a run up the middle for a gain of six yards, moving the ball to the Washington 38. Cruver keeps the ball on a QB power run and gets the first down, moving the chains.

Ads will start on their own 46 after a decent return by Cam Peters (junior). There are 32 seconds left in the quarter. Cruver throws to Baker, who makes an impressive one hand catch and he gets a first down after gaining 10 yards. That is the last play of the quarter. End of the Third Quarter: Danville 34, Washington County 26

On 2nd and 9 Washington does a pitch to Thompson and he takes it all the way to the end zone. It is a quick touchdown that the Commanders needed. Washington opts to go for two but they are flagged for a delay of game. That changes their strategy to go for one. But the kick misses. Danville's lead narrows to 34-26 with less than a minute to go in the third quarter

Another run by Washington is stopped without much of a gain on 1st down. There is 1:00 left in the third quarter. Timeout is taken by Washington County after some confusion on the play clock. Danville leads 34-20 but Washington is in their territory with 40 seconds left in the third quarter

Commanders start again on their own 45. Brien runs up the middle, running over an Admiral defender, and gains ten yards for a first down. That immediately moves the ball into Admiral territory on the Ads 45.

Meaux makes a big run on the first play that the Admirals have, going all the way to the end zone. It is about a 70 yard touchdown run as the Admirals started on their own 30. Garcia adds one more point with a kick. Danville adds to their lead, up 34-20 with 2:20 to go in the third quarter

Zaeem Joseph (senior) takes the kickoff out of bounds on his return but Beasley is flagged for continuing a hit that started in bounds out of bounds, so the Commanders get 15 extra yards. Washington will start their next drive on the Ads 44. There is 4:03 to play in the quarter. Brien's run on first down is stopped after a gain of a yard. A pitch play to the running back is stopped after a gain of two yards. Facing 3rd & 7 Washington opts for a pass and that results in an interception by Sellers. The way this game is going that turnover could be the difference.

4:24 to go in the third quarter. Ads run the same slant play that got them a touchdown earlier in the game and Baker catches it for his second touchdown of the game. Garcia makes his third extra point kick of the game. Danville breaks the tie, leading 27-20 with about 4:00 to go in the third quarter

Cruver hooks up with Zane Knott (junior) on a pass and the ball gets to the Washington 5 yard line.

Cruver is pressured on first down and is sacked by Hart. There was not much of a loss because Cruver moved up in the pocket and fell forward. On 2nd down the Ads hand to Meaux, who runs up the middle for 4 yards to the Ads 47. 3rd and 6 sees Meaux beat the blitz and make it to the Washington 34 for a first down.

Admirals will begin their next drive on their own 30. Cruver throws it deep on first down in an attempt to hook up with Sellers but the ball is tipped and then falls incomplete. Meaux takes the handoff, breaks a tackle, and gets near the sidelines, advancing the chains.

Thompson gets the ball again and finishes the position from the last play, getting into the end zone. Extra point is no good for Washington, so they miss a chance to take the lead. Game is tied 20-20 with 7:13 to go in the third quarter

Ja Kiston Thompson (senior) busts a big run for the Commanders, getting the ball down to the Ads 3.

8:43 is left in the third quarter. Washington wastes no time getting a new first down at the Ads 32 due to a good run by Brien.