The Montgomery Bell Academy football team produced a lot of two things Friday night: points and smiles.
The Big Red (5-0, 2-0 DII-AAA East/Middle) blew out Father Ryan by a score of 45-7 to remain undefeated on the season.
MBA senior quarterback Marcel Reed had another spectacular start behind center. The Ole Miss commit completed nine of his 13 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown and carried the ball eight times for 125 yards and three touchdowns.
The win comes two weeks after a marquee victory over defending state champion McCallie and a dominant 35-10 win over Christ Presbyterian Academy last week. The Big Red were still able to maintain their focus against Father Ryan.
“I was really concerned after the McCallie game, the way we won it,” said MBA head coach Marty Euverard after the game. “We kept going into a really good CPA team and then, this rivalry with us and Ryan. (I’m) just proud of our guys, staying level-headed and keeping their eyes forward.
“I think that’s the biggest thing, take it one game at a time. You don’t listen to outside noise. You judge yourself on how you practice, and that’s pretty much how you’re going to play.”
“We just know that last week’s win is not going to be the same as the next,” Reed added. “We’ve got to focus on who’s next. It’s 1-0 every week. That’s our mentality. We go into every game thinking it’s a 0-0 record, first game of the season.”
Liam Hackett’s 31-yard field goal gave the Big Red a 31-0 lead by the end of the first half. That margin gave Euverard time to put in less experienced players.
MBA junior Nate Holder had tallied only one tackle this season before Friday night. At the end of the third quarter, Holder intercepted Father Ryan’s JoJo Crump and ran 45 yards to dive into the end zone for a touchdown. The team celebrated the moment, despite holding a 45-0 lead.
“It’s great to see a kid that works hard in practice every day (get) an opportunity and make a play,” Euverard said. “All the kids just feed off that and love it.”
“I couldn’t dream it any better,” Holder said. “It was a miracle. I thank God for that. It just happened. I’ve got to thank my teammates and my coaches.”
Fellow MBA junior Morgan Holzapfel also had his first interception of the season against a school that his family knows well.
“It was great,” Holzapfel said. “It was so fun. I have some history with Father Ryan. My granddad was the athletic director at Father Ryan for a while, so it felt a little bit personal to get that pick and run that way.”
As fun as the win over Father Ryan was, the Big Red will have to lock in once again next week at Brentwood Academy (4-1). The last time MBA traveled to Brentwood Academy in 2020, they fell 24-14.
“We didn’t win the last time we were there, and I’m mad about that,” Reed said. “My sister went to BA, so I got the bragging rights my freshman year, not my sophomore year. Last year I did, but I’m just looking forward to being in their home. We’re just trying to keep it rolling.”
Father Ryan (2-3, 0-2) will host Bowling Green (Ky.) next Friday night before traveling to Knoxville Catholic to continue region play.
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