Indians Seniors Shine in 43-21 Win Over Park Crossing

WETUMPKA, Ala. — Wetumpka celebrated Senior Night in impressive fashion Thursday, Oct. 8, defeating the Park Crossing Thunderbirds 43-21 at the Wetumpka Sports Complex behind a dominant performance from senior Deon Floyd and a defense that delivered when the Indians needed it most.

Floyd rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries, helping Wetumpka overcome a second-half surge from Park Crossing. The Indians also received two rushing touchdowns from sophomore Carson Tate, while Andre Coward accounted for two more scores, including a late touchdown reception that put the finishing touches on the victory.

The win improved Wetumpka to 5-3 on the season and snapped a two-game losing streak.

Wetumpka wasted little time establishing control, scoring touchdowns on its first two offensive possessions.

Head Coach Bear Woods opened the game with Coward at quarterback and Tate in the backfield, a change that immediately produced results. Coward connected with Jordan Hill on a 40-yard completion that moved the Indians inside the Park Crossing five-yard line. After the Thunderbirds held firm on three consecutive plays near the goal line, Tate powered across on fourth down for the game's first touchdown.

Cyrus Bullock added the extra point, giving Wetumpka a 7-0 lead.

After the Indians forced a three-and-out on Park Crossing's opening possession, Tate took over at quarterback and directed another scoring drive. Floyd helped move the ball downfield with a physical run, and Tate connected with Kaleb Ballard for a 23-yard gain that brought Wetumpka near the goal line.

Tate finished the possession himself, keeping the ball on a read-option play and powering into the end zone for his second touchdown of the opening quarter.

Wetumpka carried a 14-0 advantage into the second quarter, but Park Crossing began finding success offensively.

The Thunderbirds turned to quarterback Quay Walker, whose mobility created problems for the Wetumpka defense. Walker eventually scored on a short quarterback run to cut the Indians' lead to 14-7.

Wetumpka answered with Floyd's first touchdown of the evening. Following a strong kickoff return from Jeremiah Sears, the Indians moved into Park Crossing territory before Floyd found an opening and raced into the end zone.

Bullock's extra point extended the advantage to 21-7.

Park Crossing refused to go away, however, putting together another scoring possession before halftime to cut Wetumpka's lead to 21-14.

The Indians had an opportunity to add points before the break after senior Kingston Johnson intercepted a pass, but the possession ended without a score. Bullock's long field goal attempt as time expired fell short, leaving Wetumpka with a seven-point halftime lead.

Park Crossing came out of halftime determined to erase the deficit, putting together a lengthy touchdown drive on its opening possession of the third quarter.

Walker found Jaylen Sankey in the end zone for a touchdown, and the ensuing extra point tied the game at 21-21 with approximately seven minutes remaining in the period.

What followed proved to be the turning point of the contest.

After the Thunderbirds had scored 14 unanswered points, Wetumpka needed just two plays to regain control.

Floyd picked up six yards on first down before breaking free up the middle on the next snap. Once he cleared the line of scrimmage, the senior outran the Park Crossing secondary for a 69-yard touchdown, his second of the night.

The Indians regained a 27-21 advantage after the extra-point attempt was unsuccessful.

Wetumpka's defense immediately followed with another momentum-changing play.

A mishandled snap by the Thunderbirds resulted in a loose football, and senior Ethan Bielen recovered it deep in Park Crossing territory. The turnover gave Wetumpka an opportunity to extend its lead without having to drive the length of the field.

The Indians capitalized.

Following a run by Tate and a penalty against Park Crossing, Floyd powered into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the night.

A failed two-point conversion left Wetumpka ahead 33-21, but the Indians had turned a tied game into a 12-point advantage in just a matter of minutes.

The defense continued to frustrate Park Crossing throughout the remainder of the third quarter, with junior Cooper Wilson helping lead the charge.

Wilson finished with a team-high 13 tackles, including eight solo stops, three tackles for loss, and three sacks. Christian Wilkes added 11 tackles, while Bielen, Leland Blalock, and Kingston Johnson each recorded seven.

Wetumpka carried its 33-21 lead into the fourth quarter and continued to control the game.

The Indians put together another drive deep into Park Crossing territory, but a series of plays near the goal line prevented them from reaching the end zone. Bullock came on and connected on a 27-yard field goal, extending Wetumpka's advantage to 36-21 with 9:12 remaining.

The junior kicker finished the night with four successful extra points and a field goal, accounting for seven points.

Park Crossing still had time to mount a comeback, but Wetumpka's defense again delivered.

Johnson intercepted his second pass of the evening, returning it 23 yards and giving the Indians possession with less than five minutes remaining. The senior's two interceptions highlighted a defensive effort that forced three turnovers, including Bielen's fumble recovery.

Wetumpka then worked to drain the remaining time from the clock.

Facing third-and-long, Tate found Coward on a short pass. Coward turned upfield, broke into the open, and raced 61 yards for a touchdown, giving Wetumpka its final points of the evening.

Bullock's extra point made it 43-21.

Tate finished 9-of-13 passing for 138 yards and a touchdown while adding 110 rushing yards and two scores on 15 carries. Coward completed his only pass attempt for 40 yards and added 61 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Floyd's performance was particularly impressive considering his limited opportunities. In addition to his 161 rushing yards, he caught six passes for 48 yards and contributed 41 kickoff return yards, finishing with 250 all-purpose yards.

Jordan Smoke added 40 rushing yards on three carries, while Hill recorded a 40-yard reception and Ballard contributed 23 receiving yards.

The Indians finished with 328 rushing yards and 178 passing yards, totaling 506 yards of offense.

For Wetumpka, the victory was especially meaningful after a difficult stretch of the season.

Following the game, Woods credited his team's response to the challenges presented during the first half. After allowing Park Crossing to tie the game early in the third quarter, the Indians regained control through explosive offensive plays and a defense that forced turnovers and made critical stops.

The performance also provided a memorable Senior Night for Floyd, Johnson, Bielen, and the rest of Wetumpka's graduating class.

With the victory, Wetumpka improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in region play, keeping its postseason aspirations alive heading into the final stretch of the regular season.