Styler Blackwell has been carrying a football across the turf at G.M. Tennant Stadium since he was a child starting out in Polk County Youth Football.
Friday night, in his final game on that field, Blackwell saved his biggest rushing performance for last.
The Polk County senior ran for a career-high 218 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Wolverines close their home schedule with a 48-9 Western Highlands Conference victory over Madison on Senior Night.
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Polk County wasted no time setting the tone.
The Wolverines opened the game with a short kickoff, raced downfield and recovered the ball at the Madison 24. Blackwell took it from there, gaining 17 yards on his first carry before scoring from seven yards out on the next snap.
Polk’s defense quickly created another opportunity. Easton Greene was sacked on third down and fumbled, with Andy Serrano recovering at the Madison 14. Blackwell scored on the next play, and Brody Wolfe’s extra point gave Polk a 14-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.
The Wolverines stretched that advantage to 20-0 later in the opening quarter when Brody Wilkins flipped a short pass to RJ Simpson in the backfield. Simpson raced around left end, picked his way through the Madison defense and turned the play into a 56-yard touchdown.
Blackwell struck again early in the second period.
Polk began at its own 19 and covered 81 yards in five plays, with Blackwell carrying three times for 63 yards on the march. His 45-yard touchdown run pushed the lead to 27-0.
Madison finally found the end zone in the closing minute of the half. Greene connected with Ransom Lopez for an 8-yard touchdown with 42 seconds remaining, making it 27-7 at halftime.
Polk made certain there would be no second-half suspense.
Taking the opening kickoff, the Wolverines drove 72 yards, with Wilkins finding Dre Thompson for a 39-yard touchdown. Madison punted on its next possession, and Polk struck again, Wilkins and Thompson connecting for a 31-yard score that made it 41-7.
The Wolverines forced Madison to punt six times on the night, a marked change after struggling in recent weeks to get opposing offenses off the field. Serrano also recovered two Madison fumbles.
Madison’s final two points came in unusual fashion early in the fourth quarter. Thompson intercepted Greene at the Polk 2, stepped back into the end zone and was tackled there by Asa Fox. Officials ruled a safety, trimming Polk’s lead to 41-9.
Polk answered with one final scoring drive.
The Wolverines covered 71 yards in 10 plays, doing almost all of the damage on the ground. Zach McCraw carried for 11 yards to the Madison 22, then broke a 20-yard run to the 2 before scoring on the next play.
Blackwell finished with 218 yards on 22 carries. McCraw added 63 yards on eight carries as Polk piled up 325 rushing yards.
Wilkins completed 5-of-6 passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns. Thompson caught two passes for 70 yards, both for scores, while Simpson had two receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.
Polk County finished with 476 yards of total offense while holding Madison to 210.
The victory improved the Wolverines to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in Western Highlands Conference play and sent them into an open week with their second victory of the season.
“It was definitely nice to get that win before the bye week,” Polk County head coach Dustin Fry said.
Polk County returns to action Oct. 23 at Avery.
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