SABINE-NEW DIANA HALTED | Eagles take shortened win when Sabine’s Sparks injured, game stopped
By JEREMY NEWLIN
NEW DIANA – Anyone who was at the Sabine-New Diana football game last night left after Sabine quarterback Colt Sparks was injured, and placed into an ambulance on the field.
The game was halted late in the third quarter, and Sparks was taken away to be given medical attention.
ETBlitz.com has this report, late Friday night, early Saturday morning, from reader Kandis Gwen Inabnet, passed on from social media from Colt’s sister, Callie Sparks.
Callie wrote: “Update: Colt is stable right now, he can move and talk. My parents are with him along with my grandfather and a close family friend. I am in Dallas and I will be giving updates as I get them. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.”
We will, Callie, and thank you, and thank you to Kandis for passing that along.
Colt was injured while stretching for yardage at the 5-yard-line when he collided head-on with a New Diana defender. New Diana was leading with 1:58 left in the third quarter.
What follows are the details of the game that at this point do not matter.
The Cardinals won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Eagles started their drive on their 44. They quickly moved the ball, as Jaiydyn Johnson found the seam and went for 31 yards. This was followed by a 13-yard gain by Tavarus Williams.
The Sabine defense held, though, and forced a 34-yard field goal by Christian Gomez, giving the Eagles an early 3-point lead.
The Cardinals began their drive on their 35 and managed to move the ball to midfield before the Eagle defense forced a punt. New Diana’s offense stayed with the ground game before quarterback DeJuan Johnson found Ja’Davian Sanders for 11 yards. This was followed by a touchdown pass to Sanders. T Williams converted the two points to give the Eagles an 11-0 lead.
Sabine wasn’t able to move the ball and was forced to punt again to end the first quarter.
The Eagles went on a 12-play drive to begin the second quarter. Davyon Mapps amassed 50 yards on 3 carries and the drive was capped with T Williams taking it in from the 3.
Gomez’ extra point put the game at 18-0, New Diana.
Again, Sabine’s offense could not get anything going and turned the ball over on downs, giving the Eagles a short field. Johnson went to work and on the second play he found Colt McDowell for a 36-yard touchdown.
The quarter ended with the Cardinals forcing a punt and then Sparks was intercepted by Hadley Overby, who snagged the ball with one hand to end the quarter.
The Cardinals took the third quarter kickoff at their 37. Even though they were down they continued to run the ball with Cason Patterson. The Eagle defense stopped them on downs and took over. Sabine forced a turnover on downs, as well. On the first play of the next drive, there was a fumble, and Williams recovered for the Eagles.
The teams traded punts, but on New Diana’s next drive, on the second play, Johnson weaved his way for a 64-yard score and what would be the final. The next drive for the Cardinals saw Sparks hit Hudson McNatt for a 39-yard pass and then Patterson rumbled for 14 setting them up near the goal line, when the injury occurred.
Sparks ended the night with 50 yards passing and 64 yards rushing. McNatt had 38 receiving yards and Patterson added 59 on the ground. For the Eagles, they were led by Johnson, with 144 yards passing and two touchdowns, and 117 on the ground and a score. Sanders had 83 receiving and a score, and Mapps had 112 rushing.
