No. 4 Cairo shuts down Westover, 25-0

ALBANY — It wasn’t a beatdown. It wasn’t a runaway.

It just wasn’t Westover’s night.

No. 4-ranked Cairo controlled the line of scrimmage, capitalized on two costly Westover mistakes and handed the No. 9 Patriots a 25-0 loss Thursday night at Hugh Mills Stadium in a Region 1-4A matchup.

The Syrupmakers produced two sustained touchdown drives. Their other two scores came courtesy of their defense and special teams — a blocked punt that set up a touchdown from the 3-yard line and a pick-six that put the game away.

For Westover coach Corey Joyner and the Patriots, those were the kinds of breaks that turned a competitive game into a lopsided score.

Early, it looked more like a chess match.

On Westover’s first offensive snap, Joyner sent his offense to the line, saw how Cairo had aligned defensively, and immediately called a timeout to change the play. Both teams spent much of the opening quarter adjusting formations and personnel, looking for an advantage.

Cairo eventually found its advantage up front.

The Syrupmakers harassed Westover quarterback Gabriel Hopper throughout the night, sacking him four times and rarely allowing him time to settle into the pocket. Running back Malik Young was bottled up for most of the game, breaking loose only a couple of times.

Hopper created a few plays with his legs, but Cairo’s pressure never went away.

It made an impact almost immediately.

After the Patriots failed to move the ball on their opening possession, Cairo blocked Westover’s punt and recovered at the Patriots’ 3. On the next play, running back Bryian Duncan vaulted over the line and into the end zone for a touchdown.

Westover responded with what became its best offensive possession of the night.

A facemask penalty helped move the Patriots to the Cairo 36 before Hopper scrambled around the right side to the 21. He then connected with Mikhail Simmons for a completion to the 12, and Westover eventually reached the 7.

Facing third and fourth down, Hopper twice looked for 6-foot-8 tight end Josiah Daniels in the end zone. Cairo defenders broke up both passes, ending the threat.

Westover never got that close again.

The Patriots’ defense kept them within striking distance through most of the first half despite both teams battling penalties.

Late in the second quarter, however, Cairo took possession at the Westover 36 following a punt and drove inside the 10. The Patriots forced fourth-and-6 from the 7 with only 37 seconds remaining.

Quarterback Bryce Puckett delivered.

Puckett fired a slant to Laderrick Persons, who caught the ball in traffic and carried Westover defenders across the goal line. The extra point was no good, but Cairo went to halftime with a 13-0 lead.

If Westover had designs on a second-half comeback, Cairo quickly made the task much more difficult.

The Syrupmakers received the second-half kickoff and methodically marched 85 yards, draining approximately seven minutes off the third-quarter clock. Duncan, Perkins and Xiaquavian Teal churned out yards on the ground while Puckett mixed in short completions.

By the time Cairo reached the end zone, most of the third quarter was gone and the lead had grown to 19-0.

Westover spent much of the remainder of the game backed up in its own territory, unable to escape a Cairo defense that continued bringing pressure.

Then came the final blow.

With Hopper attempting to throw from near his own goal line, Cairo’s Kelverrick Greene intercepted the pass and raced into the end zone for a pick-six and a 25-0 advantage.

The final score looked decisive.

For Westover, though, the difference was a handful of costly plays combined with one problem the Patriots could never solve: Cairo’s defensive front.

On this night, the Syrupmakers owned the line of scrimmage — and eventually, the game.