Middle School Playoffs Stillwell vs Gilbert

And then there were two!!  Four teams went into Thursday Night’s playoff games vying for a chance to advance to the middle school city championship game. Gilbert and Mandarin came into the contest red hot and undefeated. While Fletcher and Stillwell battled their way through their divisions to the tournement. It was Gilbert vs Stillwell and Fletcher vs Mandarin for the chance to play for the title!

 

Stillwell vs Gilbert

Gilbert the winners of the North division faced off against Stillwell the winners of the west in the first round of the playoffs. Gilbert came into the contest red hot and undefeated at 7-0. The Panthers havent lost a game in 62 previous contests, making them the heavy favorties coming into the game. Stillwell won their division with a three way Kansas City tie breaker, and looked to show the city that the Patriots  belonged on the big stage.

 

 

The first quarter was filled with action as Gilbert struck first. A steady ground attrack behind their massive offensive line quickly got them in the red zone. IMG_3400#4 Jovan Barsil punched it in from five yards out to give Gilbert the early lead. On the ensuing possession, Stillwell drove the ball deep into panther territory on the legs of RB Omari Fiffer. Then on 3rd down QB Cameron Sapp stepped up nicely in the pocket to deliver a strike to WR Corvus Whitaker in the back of the endzone. The conversion was good by FB Jared Lewis  and the game was knotted at 8.

 

 

 

Gilbert’s ground attack got on a roll again in the second quarter as they pounded the rock off tackle. This set up a play action pass completion that got the Panthers deep into Patriots territory. Two plays later, Barsil powered his IMG_3406way in the endzone again for the score, complete with a spin move at the end. Eric Horne added the conversion to put Gilbert up 16-8.  It was time for Stillwell to repsond and that they did. A mix of pass and run orchestrated by Coach Malvis Campbell kept the panther’s defense guessing. A 30yd pass by Sapp to a wide open WR Dillon Gregory got the Patriots on the board for the second time in the contest. Fiffer added the conversion to tie the game going into halftime.

 

 

In the second half Gilbert took control of the game. Coach Dorsey and Coach IMG_3391Holloway of Gilbert deployed a  ball control ground attack to keep the ball out of the hands of Stillwell. Then on defense they capitalized on Stillwell attempting to score quickly by clamping down on their playmakers and harrassing the QB. Gilbert added the go ahead score and stayed ahead for good. Final Score: Gilbert-24 and Stillwell 16. Gilbert would face the winner of Fletcher and Mandarin.

 

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About the author

Andre' Ellis, Founder/ Lead Writer DuvalSports.com Florida Times Union All-City 1998,LB, Sandalwood Florida A&M Unv, BA , MBA