Popular Categories

Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 21)

Rebuilt Red Cloud offense steamrolls Little Wound

Crusaders cruise into 11-B play-off picture


Little Wound’s all-purpose offensive weapon, Tyrone Pourier, found little room to operate all night long against the Red Cloud defense.

Little Wound’s all-purpose offensive weapon, Tyrone Pourier, found little room to operate all night long against the Red Cloud defense.

KYLE — “I would say it was a success,” Red Cloud Head Coach Duane Big Crow said of his rebuilt Crusader offense. Injuries and suspensions created a situation where Big Crow had to move some people around, but the result was a 54-0 mercy rule win over host Little Wound Friday night.

Russell Leader Charge was back to run the football, after having been lost to an elbow injury in the opening game of the season. He had several long runs, but was no factor on defense. Attempts to return in the past two weeks have not been a huge success for Leader Charge but he appears to be getting back into the play-off shape he was in last year, just when the Crusaders will need him most.

Red Cloud’s Russell Leader Charge has struggled all season with injuries and bad luck. He even lost his No. 1 jersey and had to wear No. 6 for the Little Wound game.

Red Cloud’s Russell Leader Charge has struggled all season with injuries and bad luck. He even lost his No. 1 jersey and had to wear No. 6 for the Little Wound game.

“I asked him if he wanted to stay in a lot,” Big Crow said of Leader Charge. “But he wanted to work in slowly. He knew his body better than I did.”

Quarterback Ale Rama was the major Red Cloud weapon. Not only did he tear up the Little Wound defense with his passing and running, he handled kick-off duties, and he played tough defense at safety.

“(Rama) likes that safety (position),” Big Crow said. “It’s a good spot for him. I really don’t have to coach him much, he knows what he is doing out there. Only thing he can’t do well is get out of bounds.”

Rama doesn’t believe in exiting the playing field to avoid a hard collision. He lowers his shoulder and plows through things when he has no choice. So far he has avoided injury in that situation, but Big Crow would prefer he not challenge fate when better-safe-than- sorry applies.

Rugged Jevon Hacker was brought in at fullback, to get tough inside yards, especially inside the 20-yard-line or at first-down and-short.

“I think (Hacker) did a good job,” Big Crow said. “He took some good hits, but they bounced off him.”

The other problem was at receiver, where Jesse Jensen got himself suspended for a few games due to unsportsmanlike conduct fouls. In a couple of those cases, including the final one where he was given that suspension, Jensen intended no disrespect. But once you draw attention to yourself for personal foul behavior, the officials will be eyeballing you uncharitably from that point forward. Big Crow said he had talked with Jensen and told him to tread lightly, but Jensen was called for a sarcastic remark in the Custer game two weeks ago, considered taunting by the official.

Receiving duties then fell on Garrett Richards and Riyen Carlow. Big Crow was happy with their performance: “Garrett stepped up. Riyen stepped up.”

Carlow has improved greatly this season, maturing every week, and has been doing so well on offense, people don’t notice he has become a pretty good defender.

Manny Yellow Horse had two interceptions in this game. Although he is a steady offensive performer, it is clear the 6-5 Yellow Horse can contribute big plays on defense. He’s a solid tackler who collects elusive runners by often snagging their jersey, pulling them in close, and then either wrapping them up or holding them until help arrives.

Little Wound opened their homecoming game with a four-and-out stoppage of Red Cloud’s first possession. Getting the ball back on their 44, they got two yards in three carries, forcing quarterback Shadow Red Owl to the air. The result was an interception by Richards.

Red Cloud took over at midfield, and Leader Charge eventually cut left down the sideline for 29 yards down to the Little Wound 22. Three plays later Rama ran it in for a touchdown and Hacker bulled over with the twopoint conversion and it was 8-0, Red Cloud.

All season long, the Mustangs have been able to move the football, they just can’t score, and this game would prove to be another example of that. They did nothing with this possession, Red Cloud got it back, and ten plays later Rama ran in another touchdown. Hacker’s two-point conversion attempt failed, and it was 14-0, with 1:38 left first quarter.

Little Wound started to move the ball, starting from their own 35, Tyrone Pourier ran 15 yards to midfield. Two carries later he gave the Mustangs a first down at the Red Cloud 40. From there Red Owl fired a pass to Riley Cross, forcing pass interference from Richards. That gave the Mustangs first-and-ten from the Red Cloud 25. Red Owl’s next pass was intercepted by Yellow Horse, and he brought the ball back to midfield.

Leader Charge took the hand-off down to the 14- yard line. Rama ran it in on the next play. He then hooked up with Carlow for the two-point conversion. It was 22-0, Red Cloud.

Little Wound once again moved the ball, but Red Owl tossed another interception to Yellow Horse and Red Cloud had the ball back on their 28. Eventually Carlow would run the ball in for a TD, after a big pass from Rama to Leader Charge, and Hacker would convert the two points, Red Cloud on top, 30-0, 7:29 remaining in half.

Red Owl was ejected from the game at that point, and Pourier took over quarterback duties. Red Owl will miss the final game of the season next week, mandatory after an ejection.

Little Wound would lose Riley Cross on the next possession. Pourier completed a pass to Cross, there was a fumble, Carlow recovered, and Cross was injured, eventually hauled away in the ambulance, for what coaches say was a knee injury. This will hurt the Little Wound basketball efforts, as Cross was one of their better defenders.

The legs of Rama dominated the next possession and he eventually scored from 35 yards out, and then hooked up for Yellow Horse for two, and Red Cloud led, 38-0.

A mercy-rule victory at halftime seemed in sight, and Big Crow said, “I didn’t want to chance anything going into a fourth quarter.”

So Rama did an onside kick and Red Cloud immediately got the ball back at the Little Wound 45. Rama eventually ran it in from the nine, connected with Richards for the two-point conversion, and Red Cloud was one touchdown away from an early stoppage, leading 46-0 with 3:01 left in the half.

Little Wound got the ball back at midfield when Rama’s next onside attempt failed. Their drive ended two plays later when Richards picked off Pourier. Rama would run the ball in from 26 yards out three plays later, find hacker in the end zone with a two-point conversion pass, and Red Cloud led, 54-0.

There was still a minute and a half on the clock, and Little Wound attempted to spoil the mercy rule win. They did what they always do well, move the football deep into enemy territory, and with 13 seconds remaining, Pourier went up top, firing one into the end zone, only to have a leaping Rama snag it for the interception.

Red Cloud snapped the ball next play, Rama then took a knee, the clock ran out, and it was all over.

(James Giago Davies is an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota tribe. He can be reached at skindiesel@msn.com)


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.