Methodical Andale puts away Mulvane (+video)

ANDALE — If Andale is running its offense up to standards, the clock shouldn’t become a concern.

Like when Andale, with a significant lead over Mulvane on Friday, ran a play at the end of the third quarter even though more time remained on the play clock than on the game clock.

“At that time, we were just trying to go fast, keep pounding and pounding,” Andale coach Gary O’Hair said. “We felt like we had some momentum going, and we wanted to keep it going. We were just trying to be aggressive.”

With little regard for time – except perhaps trying to expend as little as possible – Andale ran 42 more plays and beat Mulvane 27-7, improving to 4-2 and grabbing possession of second place in AV-CTL IV.

Andale had 376 rushing yards and averaged a little more than five yards on 77 plays, above the modest but productive expectations it sets for itself.

“Our goal is, three yards is a good play,” said Andale quarterback Taylor Richter, whose 146 rushing yards included an 80-yard third-quarter touchdown. “…We get up to the line fast, we snap the ball. We eat up that clock and get yards, and get long drives and it makes it tough for the other team.”

Andale rarely wavers from its game plan, even though two reverses on Friday totaled 39 yards. Andale didn’t avoid Mulvane interior lineman Evan McElravy, who was in on most of Mulvane’s tackles for loss, charging up the middle with no qualms about sometimes needing three or four plays for a first down.

Such a philosophy requires patience from running backs such as Tristen Dagenais, who ran for three touchdowns on Friday, and Zach Meyer, who had 91 yards. O’Hair also reels himself in, cautious about thinking too big.

“I kind of had to have a talk with myself, because I was jumping around, calling too much stuff, trying to find something that works,” O’Hair said. “I realized we better just get back to our basic stuff, get something going, get some momentum going.”

Speeding up a defense the way Andale’s offense does can allow for grander moments than grinding three-yard gains. When Andale needed something more on Friday, Richter came though.

After a 42-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Price to Dillon Callaway cut Andale’s lead to 13-7 in the third quarter, Richter sprinted down the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown on Andale’s third play of the series.

Andale’s three other scoring drives lasted nearly 16 combined minutes and took 40 plays.

“It will happen,” O’Hair said of Andale’s big-play potential. “When you get a good running game going, they have to commit everybody. Once you bust through those first four or five yards, sometimes you’ll go all the way.”

This story was originally published October 9, 2015 at 11:00 PM with the headline "Methodical Andale puts away Mulvane (+video)."