Smooth sailing for Woodmen

The first showdown between Greenwood football coach Mike Campbell and former assistant Brett Cooper didn’t produce much in the way of drama.

Senior quarterback Seth Gallman ran for three touchdowns and passed for two more, complementing a suffocating defensive effort as the Woodmen rolled to a 40-7 win at Indian Creek on Friday night.

“Our defense played exceptional again,” Campbell said. “They had nice schemes and did some nice things, but we were physical and we answered the bell.”

The Woodmen (2-0) jumped on top quickly. After Noah Compton returned a short opening kickoff to the Braves’ 45-yard line, Brandon Rosado ran 43 yards on the next play to set up first and goal. Gallman scored three plays later on a 1-yard sneak, giving the visitors a 6-0 lead after just 75 seconds of action.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

Following an Indian Creek three-and-out, Greenwood went 58 yards in 11 plays, with Gallman again finishing the drive himself. His 6-yard keeper, followed by a 2-point pass to Conner Battinau, gave the Woodmen a 14-point edge with 5:51 left in the first period.

The Braves (1-1) had a golden opportunity to get back into the game when Zeke Davidson recovered a fumble at the Greenwood 28, but the Woodmen came up with a goal-line stand, stopping Avery Welch on fourth down on the first play of the second quarter.

Indian Creek forced punts on Greenwood’s next two possessions and got into the red zone a second time, but the Braves stalled at the 14-yard line — and on the next snap, Rosado found a seam in the middle and rumbled 86 yards for a score, stretching it to 20-0 with 6:17 on the first-half clock.

Rosado sat out the second half but still finished with 144 yards on 10 carries.

Greenwood then delivered the kill shot with a pair of quick strikes late in the half. Gallman took advantage of a Logan Roddy fumble recovery on a punt return, hitting R.J. Meyers for a 49-yard score. After a three-and-out and a partially blocked punt set the Woodmen up at the Indian Creek 43, Gallman went to Luke Raker on first down for yet another TD, sending the visitors into the break with a 34-0 cushion.

Gallman added a 9-yard scoring run in the third quarter. Indian Creek averted the shutout with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Voris to Isaiah Lacey.

“I’m happy with our effort,” Campbell said after the win. “We still have a lot of things we’ve got improve on, so we’ll get back to work on that in the morning.”