Willy Ivery Erupts for Five Touchdowns in Sulphur Springs’ 65-38 Rout of Hallsville

[By Roger McKenzie, Special to ETSN.fm]

SULPHUR SPRINGS -- A lopsided road loss last week to District 14-4A leader Texas High gave Sulphur Springs coach Greg Owens and his Wildcats their first district loss. On Friday night, they faced another tough game against the Hallsville Bobcats, who came into the game 2-0 in the district.

Hoping to trade places, the Wildcats used a high-octane offense powered by quarterback Larry Pryor and running back Willy Ivery to do just that in a 65-38 win that, as Owens described, helped “put the wheels back on” that came off last week.

A quick play scoring tempo helped the Wildcats jump out to more than 500 yards of offense and a 44-17 lead at the half.

Hallsville, behind quarterback Macailyn Wilder, hung around, but it was too much offense by the Wildcats who matched Hallsville score for score in the second half.

Ivery, a senior, scored five touchdowns and had a two point conversion while sitting out a good portion of the second half. He ran for two points, then scored TDs on a pass reception for 80 yards, a run from 2 yards out, another catch good for 78 yards, and a dazzling run of 43 yards in the first half. The latter including a reversal of direction twice as the running back weaved his way through almost the entire Hallsville defense.

He added a 53-yard touchdown run in the second half.

Pryor, a junior, was just as exciting. He threw for five touchdowns and scored on a 24-yard run. He had one interception.

The Wildcats’ defense recorded an interception and a fumble and kept Wilder from making the game closer. The Bobcats’ quarterback was just inches away from at least three touchdown pass completions that would have made the game much closer.

Coach Owens said about Hallsville before the game, “They are a well-coached group of feisty kids who play hard. We’ll have to play our tails off to get a win.”

That’s exactly what they did. The Wildcats play at Pine Tree next week.