**ARTICLE BY MICHAEL MARKOCH**
The tides may finally be turning for the Union Red Hawks. In their first road game of the season, the Red Hawks thumped the Godwin Heights Wolverines, 48-18. After a very shaky start, the Red Hawks recovered to score 42 unanswered points, giving them at least 40 unanswered points in both games this season.
If you only saw or listened to the first quarter, this result would not have seemed likely. The Wolverines went right down the field on their opening drive. This march was capped off by a Jamarion Collins three-yard touchdown run. The Wolverines then blocked a punt on the Red Hawks first possession, but it was called back due to a penalty and the Red Hawks were able to punt the ball away safely.
At the end of the first quarter, Union began to turn it on. Najeh Thornton finished off a touchdown drive with just over three minutes left in the first quarter with a five-yard end zone trot. The Red Hawks proceeded to score three times in the next quarter on Elijah Taylor and Tommy Stevens touchdown runs, and finally on a Stevens pass to Taylor. This beautifully designed wheel route with 2:19 left in the half gave Union their 28-6 lead that they would take into halftime.
The third quarter was a very sloppy affair. Both quarterbacks turned the ball over once, and penalties were aplenty. Stevens scored his second touchdown on the ground to push the lead to 35-6, but other than that, it was a slow-playing, low-scoring quarter. Stevens also had two interceptions to go with his three total touchdowns on the evening.
Despite the miscues of the prior quarter, it was a very entertaining and close fourth quarter. After Union pushed their lead out to 42-6, the Wolverines responded with a Collins touchdown pass to Miguel Ocampo. Jesse Phillips responded with a touchdown for the Red Hawks, but Collins answered again with a 14-yard rushing touchdown, giving him three total for game.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the first quarters were what made the difference. Over the duration of this game, Union outgained Godwin Heights 465-176, and out-possessed the Wolverines by over a half hour of game time.
The Red Hawks move to 2-0 for the second season in a row, and the Wolverines fall to 1-1. Both teams enter league play next week as Union will travel to Wyoming to take on the Wolves, while Godwin Heights will travel to play the Vikings of Hopkins.
