Despite a historic 2016 season in which the CA football team made the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, coach Robin Miller’s squad entered this year with many concerns. First, a fantastic graduating class left eight starting spots up for grabs. Also, the Vikes’ leading receiver in each of the past two seasons transferred schools. But Academy showed no signs of regression on Friday, August 25, as the Vikings hammered a talented Bishop Ready squad, 31-0.
The two teams traded punts for the first seven minutes of the game, attempting to shake off the opening night jitters. With CA pinned at its own 4-yard line, senior running back Herman Moultrie took matters into his own hands. He broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and burst into the clear. At midfield, he juked a Silver Knights safety and sprinted home for a touchdown, sending the Vikes’ student section into a frenzy.
Ready was forced to punt again, and it kicked it away to the other Moultrie brother, Dorrian. This standout junior had an electric return, setting Academy up deep inside Ready territory. Yet a questionable flag negated the huge play, and the first quarter ended with the Vikes up 7-0.
The momentum-killing penalty seemed to slow down CA’s offense for the majority of the second quarter. Luckily, the impressive Vikings’ defense, led by senior linebacker Davis Friedman, continued to put the clamps on the Silver Knights. With just over a minute left in the half, Academy pounded the ball down to the 1-yard line. Herman Moultrie’18 punched it in from there, capping off an impressive drive.
Then, on the ensuing drive by Ready, Moultrie’18 jumped on a bad snap in the end zone, scoring again. It was his third touchdown of the game. Before the Silver Knights knew what hit them, they faced a 21-0 deficit heading into the locker room.
The Vikings picked up right where they left off, tacking on a field goal early in the third. Ready tried desperately to find a spark offensively, but Academy’s suffocating defense wouldn’t have it.
With Ready marching down the field in the fourth quarter, CA’s defense punched the ball loose. Junior defensive tackle Deven Cobb, making his first career start, jumped on it to put the nail in the Silver Knights’ coffin.
Senior running back Josh Pearson pounded his way into the end zone from short distance for good measure, and Academy coasted to an impressive win.
The Vikes will go on their first road trip of the season to Linden McKinley on Friday, September 1st, to take on the Panthers.
