The South Fork Ponies battled on the road Saturday night against the Macon-Meridian Hawks, but an explosive first half from Meridian created a deficit the Ponies were unable to overcome. The Hawks went on to secure a 53-14 victory over South Fork on September 12.
Meridian wasted little time establishing control. Hawks quarterback Bryce Brown (#9) opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown at the 9:30 mark of the first quarter, followed by a successful extra point to give Meridian a 7-0 advantage.
The Hawks continued to build momentum later in the opening quarter. Brown connected with Trenton Dowdy (#27) on a short touchdown pass with 3:56 remaining, pushing the lead to 13-0. Meridian struck again before the quarter ended, finding Cam Dean (#7) near the goal line for another touchdown. A successful two-point conversion stretched the Hawks’ advantage to 21-0.
South Fork responded early in the second quarter. Colton Puccetti (#4) provided the Ponies with their first points of the night, breaking free for a touchdown run of approximately 15 to 20 yards. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, but the score brought South Fork within 21-6 with 10:10 remaining in the half.
Meridian quickly answered with one of the biggest plays of the night. Brown caught a short pass and turned it into a long touchdown of approximately 60 yards, restoring the Hawks’ three-score advantage at 27-6.
The Hawks added another touchdown just before halftime when Ethan Long (#12) connected with Brody Reed (#1) on a short scoring pass. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, sending Meridian into the break with a commanding 33-6 lead.
After halftime, Meridian continued to control the game. The Hawks added another touchdown in the third quarter before the margin eventually resulted in a running clock midway through the period.
Meridian’s Isaac Hanson (#8) added the Hawks’ final touchdown of the night on a short run from around the two-yard line in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 53-6.
Despite facing a significant deficit, South Fork continued to compete through the final whistle. The Ponies put together one final scoring drive in the closing moments, with Liam Morgason (#30) hauling in a short touchdown pass with 28 seconds remaining. South Fork successfully converted the ensuing two-point attempt to produce the 53-14 final score.
The Ponies received their two touchdowns from Puccetti and Morgason as they continued to battle against a Meridian offense that found success both through the air and on the ground throughout the night.
For South Fork, Saturday’s contest provided another opportunity for a young roster to gain valuable game experience. Despite the result, the Ponies showed fight by finding the end zone in both halves and continuing to compete all the way through their final possession.
Final: Macon-Meridian 53, South Fork 12
