By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
SAND ROCK – What started out as a minor rushing duty for Sand Rock junior Kane Robison has turned into a featured backfield role.
Robison, a former guard, ran for 175 yards on 19 carries and scored a touchdown in helping the Wildcats earn a 34-0 Class 2A, Region 7 football victory over visiting Ider on Friday.
The win ended Sand Rock’s four-game losing skid and improved its record to 2-7 overall (2-4 in region play).
“Kane has come a really long way since starting at guard at the beginning of the season,” Wildcat coach Alan Heath said. “We kind of opened auditions for running back. I did a heavy package early in the year. He was like ‘I could run the ball better.’ I said ‘All right, we’ll put him in the heavy package’ and dad gum if he wasn’t right. He did have a problem early on not being able to hold on to the ball, but tonight he didn’t turn it over any. He ran it hard and ran it well and protected the football. I can’t ask for anything better. That’s what you want a running back to do.”
The featured running back role is appears to be one that Robison won’t be giving up any time soon.
“We had installed this play where I was at sniffer (right behind the tackle), and I had like two run plays where they would give me the ball,” Robison said. “We ran them and I was really successful at them. One day Coach (Heath) called me in and swapped me over.
“I was really excited when I got swapped over from guard. I made a lot of mistakes. I wouldn’t hit the right hole or I’d fumble a lot, but these last few games, especially this game, have really helped me out a lot to prepare for next year.”
Robison’s rushing helped set up the Sand Rock passing game. Freshman quarterback Alec Ashley completed 13-of-21 pass attempts for 209 yards and three touchdowns – all of which went to junior receiver Gavynn Cunningham.
Cunningham finished with four catches for 91 yards and touchdowns covering 13, 26 and 29 yards.
“Alec is really coming on. He doesn’t look like a freshman anymore,” Heath said. “Gavynn, for a kid who’s never really played football before, really has come on and is playing well at that receiver position as well.”
The Wildcat defense took care of the rest by posting Sand Rock’s first shutout since last year’s season finale against Whitesburg Christian (Oct. 21, 2022).
“This was the first time this year that I walked off the field really genuinely happy with how we played tonight,” Heath said. “I really am proud of how we played with intensity and fire and for our defense to get a shutout. Our defense hasn’t been our strongest unit for most of the season, but tonight to get a shutout is awesome for them and their confidence.”
Sand Rock took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Robison scored on the Wildcats’ opening possession on a 20-yard run to cap a quick 5-play, 78-yard drive. Following an Ider punt, Sand Rock scored again on the first of three Ashley-to-Cunningham connections. This one went for 13 yards. On the ensuing 2-point conversion, Cam Gifford tossed a pass to Ashley in the right corner of the end zone.
Ashley found Cunningham again for a second score on a 26-yard pass with 4:17 to go in the first half, which Sand Rock led 21-0.
The Wildcats put the game away in the fourth quarter on the third Ashley-to-Cunningham connection (29 yards) and Gatlin Cox’s 7-yard run with 5 minutes remaining.
“These kids work hard. They want to be at Sand Rock, and that means more to me than anything else,” Heath said. “Tonight they showed when you put in the time and effort, you don’t give up and you continue to work then you get rewarded for being that kind of kid. That’s the kind of kids I want around here. I’m excited about their performance tonight. I’m hoping we can send out our three seniors (Kaden Sweat, Jimmy Cochran and Cody McLane) again as winners next week in our final game of the season (at Whitesburg Christian).”
Kaleb Cronnon led Ider with 161 yards on 23 carries. The Hornets (2-6, 1-5) close out their season next Friday by hosting Fyffe.