Iron Horses title hopes hinge on road trip to Battery Creek

The Philip Simmons High School football team rolled to its sixth consecutive victory with a 51-26 Region 5-AA victory at Timberland on Oct. 23. 

The Iron Horses improved to 6-3, including 4-0 in league play. They have outscored league foes 183-68 but face their biggest test this weekend with a road trip to Battery Creek High School to face a Dolphin team that is 8-1, including 3-1 in league play. The Iron Horses can wrap up their third straight region championship with a victory. 

It was more of the same against the Wolves in the penultimate regular-season game of the season. 

The Iron Horses used big plays on offense and a swarming defense to take a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter and then expanded the margin to 35-13 at halftime. 

Quarterback Hayes Goddard completed 8 of 15 passing for 230 yards and three TDs while adding a score on the ground. 

Freshman wide receiver Tyrus Alton caught touchdown passes of 71 and 62 yards, while Patrick Clarke had four receptions for 94 yards, including a 45-yard TD pass. 

Another freshman, James Shultz, recorded his third straight 100-yard effort on the ground. He carried 15 times for 134 yards and a pair of scores. He now has 530 yards rushing, and eight of his 10 TDs have come on the ground. 

Diavante Irving and Nathaniel Elsey both had monster games on defense. Irving logged 17 tackles and had a tackle for a loss and fumble recovery. Elsey had 16 tackles, including four for a loss.