By Tommy Shields/Sports Correspondent
The North Sand Mountain Bisons (5-1, 4-0) stampeded to a 41-12 victory over West End (0-6, 0-3) last Friday (Oct. 5) on the Patriots’ homecoming.
The real fireworks didn’t begin until the second quarter, with the Pats holding onto the ball for the first nine minutes of play.
The Herd was unleashed with a quick pitch-and-catch touchdown on a slant pattern from Tyler Vann to Cody McBrayer from 11 yards out at 10:58 in the second quarter. The successful extra point put the score at 7-0.
North Sand Mountain scored on its next two drives, the first coming on a 17-yard rush from Vann five minutes later to push the score to 13-0 following a failed two-point conversion attempt.
The Bison’s scored again with 37 seconds left in the first half on a 15-yard scamper from Dexter Walsh, to put the Herd up 20-0 heading into the locker room.
North Sand Mountain came out in the second half with a quick seven-play scoring drive.
Vann went 6-for-6 in passing on the series, which was capped off by a 15-yard TD catch by Walsh to set the score at 27-0.
West End finally got on the board when a stalled Bison drive gave the Patriots excellent field position.
Chase Blanton punched it in from three yards out.
But Walsh took the following kickoff back 76 yards for another score.
West End was not done however, as a 12-play 65-yard scoring drive was finished off by a three-yard TD rumble from Rhett Lister for a 34-12 NSM lead.
The last touchdown of the night came on the Herd’s next drive when Walsh pushed his way across the goal line for his second rushing touchdown of the contest.
For the Patriots, Blanton rushed for 157 yards on 21 carries with one touchdown.
Vann went 18-of-30 in passing for 237 yards and two touchdowns. Walsh ran for 74 yards on 14 carries.
West End resumes region play on Friday with a trip to Section.