Cardinals Celebrate Seniors

The Cardinals celebrated some of their fall sports athletes prior to last week's football game against West Side.  In addition to the four senior football players Soda Springs also honored the team manager as well as senior cross country runners.  In all the Cardinals honored ten total seniors along with their parents.  Senior football players include Chase Jacobsen, Trey Dunford, Ryder Bendtsen, Shad Stoor, and manager Lexi Sturm.  Senior cross country members are Degan Stoor, Lizzie Beutler, Rebekah Evans, India Galloway, and Gracie Moldenhauer.

Following the senior introductions the night's varsity football game got underway.  The Cardinals came into the game in last place in the district while West Side sits in third place.  The third place ranking of the Pirates is a little deceiving as the top three teams in the district are also three of the top four teams in the state.  It goes without saying that the Cardinals were heavy underdogs in this match up.  West Side received the opening kickoff and the Soda defense looked good on the first three plays forcing a fourth down play for the Pirates.  West Side opted to go for it on fourth down and broke loose for a big gain down inside the ten yard line.  The Cardinal defense fought hard again on first and second and goal but gave up the first touchdown of the game on third down.  Through the rest of the first quarter Soda Springs saw plenty of good and bad scenarios.  On one possession they started with a penalty and a sack to make it second and twenty.  They responded well to get back to a fourth and four but had to punt.  The Cardinals handed the Pirates great field position with their only bad punt of the game which West Side turned into another touchdown.  The next Cardinal punt would boom and roll down to around the ten yard line giving Soda a bit of a morale boost only to see the Pirates complete a long pass to midfield on the first play of the series that eventually led to another score.  Much of the first half went this way with the Cardinal making some impressive plays only to have their hopes dashed by a big West Side play in return.  The defense continued to make improvements at one time holding the Pirates to a fourth and nine.  However once again West Side would go for it on fourth down and not only move the chains but score on the play.  The first half would end poorly for the Cardinals with two consecutive turnovers that turned into Pirate scores.  The half ended with a score of 43-0. 

The third quarter flew by.  The Cardinals with nothing to lose decided to go for it on a fourth down just short of the fifty.  Soda came up short and the Pirates capitalized for the only score of the quarter taking a 49-0 lead into the fourth.  

The fourth quarter began with Soda on the drive.  With the help of a pass interference call against the Pirates the Cardinals made it into the red zone.  A good thrown ball by Harrison found Bendtsen for a Cardinal touchdown.  The extra point was short and the game came to an unceremonial finish with the two teams trading turnovers by way of bad exchanges.  Soda lost the game 49-6 but you could definitely see glimpses of improvement over games played earlier in the season.  The battle tested Cardinals will continue their run through the gauntlet this week as they travel to Declo.  The Hornets are currently the number two ranked team in both the district and the state behind Aberdeen who the Cardinals will have to face in the season finally.