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By: Nichlos Cutrell

The Ellwood Eagles walked into Friday night’s matchup against Verbena as underdogs, but they showed heart, grit, and flashes of explosiveness even as the Red Devils rolled to a 46-12 win.

Verbena came out swinging, leaning on their power run game to build a 22-0 lead midway through the second quarter. But Ellwood wasn’t about to fold. With the half winding down, Michael McCants turned broken coverage into brilliance, escaping pressure and racing 75 yards to the house as the horn sounded ending the half and putting Ellwood on the board. Though the two-point try failed, the Eagles went into halftime with life, down 22-6.

That energy was carried right into the second half. From kickoff Omarion Underwood silenced Verbena’s sideline and lit up the Ellwood crowd with a dazzling 50-yard return touchdown. In an instant, the Eagles had clawed back to 22-12, showing the fight and speed they’re capable of.

From there, Verbena’s depth and ground game attack wore down the Eagles, piling on four more touchdowns to close the game. Still, Ellwood’s defensive front forced tough conversion attempts all night, keeping the Red Devils from running up the score even further.

For Ellwood, the game highlighted both the work ahead and the bright sparks already shining. Michael McCants proved he’s a playmaker under pressure, breaking free for big yards when the team needed it most. Meanwhile, Omarion Underwood’s electric kickoff return touchdown gave fans a reason to roar and showed the Eagles can strike at any moment.

Though the final scoreboard read 46-12 in Verbena’s favor, Ellwood walked off the field knowing they had fought to the end, and knowing they’ve got weapons that can turn games around in a heartbeat.

The Ellwood Eagles will return home next week when they face the Central-Hayneville Lions.