Sausage Slaughter

ODESSA–The Sausage Bowl ended abruptly due to a forfeit by the Mary Walker Chargers of Springdale on Friday, Sept. 16 after Odessa jumped to a 68-0 lead with 4:20 left in the second quarter.

The Tigers quarterback, senior Collin Martin, scored a 84-yard touchdown with a successful two-point conversion to get the scoring going for Odessa.

Junior Chad Strebeck then got a pick six with a successful two-point conversion.

The Tigers recovered a series of onside kicks that should have been picked up by the Chargers, but they never recovered the ball.

The Tigers had one interception and recovered three forced fumbles.

Junior Zach Claassen scored a successful touchdown with a two-point conversion before disaster struck the Chargers.

Chargers quarterback Jaxson Stricker took a helmet to the knee with 2:20 left in the first quarter.

An extended timeout was needed to see if he needed medical assistance.

A backup quarterback was brought in the last two minutes of the quarter.

Freshman Troy Hardung had 26 rushing yards off of only two plays for an average of 13 yards per carry.

Gage Starkel ran through the opposing team and scored a touchdown with a successful two- point conversion.

By the end of the first quarter the Tigers were dominating the Chargers 48-0.

Martin and Strebeck scored six touchdowns apiece.

Within the first six and half minutes of the second quarter the Tigers scored three more touchdowns.

The Tigers were up 68-0 before the Chargers forfeited. They ended the game with 297 yards on offense.

Coach Jeff Nelson was disappointed Mary Walker forfeited.

"We came to play football," he said. "They gave up."

Odessa, which maintained its No. 1 ranking in the A.P. media poll Wednesday, gets that chance to play football again with a road tilt at No. 4 Wilbur-Creston on Thursday, Sept. 22. Kickoff from Wilbur is set for 7 p.m.