It was about as balanced as a blowout can be.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]
Backup junior quarterback Ryan Lumpkin played in place of starter Jordan Washington and led Sylvan Hills to a 55-18 victory over Mills at Blackwood Field on Friday night, but a glance at the box score does not reflect the game's lopsided outcome.
Sylvan Hills did have 450 total yards of offense, but Mills, which played from behind early, managed 342.
Sylvan Hills Coach Jim Withrow said that Washington could have played if needed.
"He's just a little dinged up, and this was a chance to let Ryan play," he said.
Sylvan Hills (6-0, 3-0 5A-Central) struck quickly in the second half to take command. It's third play from scrimmage was a 50-yard option pass from junior slotback Deon Youngblood to senior receiver Jamar Lane that gave Sylvan Hills a 35-6 lead.
Mills (2-4, 1-2) responded with a 25-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jereme Allen to senior receiver Damon Smith, but Sylvan Hills scored two touchdowns in the next two minutes.
First, junior running back Daelyn Fairrow scored on a 21-yard run. After an onside kick, Youngblood scored on a 35-yard run and Sylvan Hills had a 48-12 lead with 5:53 left in the third quarter.
Sophomore Malik Bean took a lateral from slotback Jamier Shutes to complete a 34-yard score to drive Sylvan Hills' lead to 55-12 midway through the fourth quarter.
A 2-yard touchdown run by Mills senior fullback Brandon Bunting completed the scoring with 2:59 left in the game. Bunting led all rushers with 101 yards on 13 carries.
"Their fullback is an animal," Withrow said. "Everyone in our conference talks about him."
Youngblood ran for 98 yards on 10 carries. Lumpkin rushed for 40 yards and passed for 82.
"The score definitely seems more lopsided than the game felt," Mills Coach Patrick Russell said. "I was proud that we fought and offered them some resistance. We challenged the players to come out and compete this week and they did, and I was proud of them for their effort."
Sylvan Hills scored on its first possession of the game on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Lumpkin to junior back Ty Compton. Senior Andre Collins ran up the middle to give Sylvan Hills a 14-0 lead with 9:16 left in the second quarter.
Sylvan Hills' lead was 20-0 after senior running back Jamar Porter scored on a 19-yard run 3:37 left.
Mills turned momentum developed by Bunting's 51-yard run into 4-yard touchdown run two minutes before halftime.
Mills recovered its subsequent onside kick, but an interception returned 42 yards by senior safety Camron Flippo set up Porters' 4-yard run that gave Sylvan Hills a 27-6 lead with 19 seconds left in the half.
Sports on 10/08/2016