DARLINGTON — Darlington (5-1, 4-0 SWAL) hit the road to face off against Mineral Point (3-3, 3-1 SWAL) in Week 6, winning 20-13,

The Pointers knew they’d have to shut down an extremely effective run game that is averaging nearly 140 yards per game.

For nearly the entire first half, the Mineral Point defense did just that,  forcing two turnovers on downs.

The second resulted from a wild snap on a punt that Maddox Goebel saved from being a touchdown or safety for the Pointers at the eight-minute mark on the Redbirds’ own 6-yard line early in the second quarter.

The save by Goebel was only a delay, as Mineral Point scored three plays later on a 15-yard connection from Gibson Sporle to Luke Filardo in the corner of the endzone with 6:48 left in the half.

Darlington wouldn’t rest without a score in the first half, and on their ensuing possession, the Redbirds turned that intention into reality.

A big third down conversion where Breylin Goebel broke three tackles to crash down on the Pointers’ 48-yard line with 5:12 gave Darlington steam it desperately needed to that point in the game.

Mineral Point broke up the next play, a nearly 30-yard pass from B. Goebel to Will Murray that would’ve put the Redbirds inside the redzone.

B. Goebel ran up the middle on second down for a 5-yard gain, and he ran on the next play up the middle for a 4-yard push.

A Darlington timeout gave them a chance to regroup, and they made the perfect adjustment.

Instead of B. Goebel running another keeper, he handed off to Tye Crist in a two-tight end I-formation.

Reagan Jackson operated as the full back and opened a wide hole for Crist to sprint through for a 21-yard gain for the Redbirds.

Darlington kept the Pointers on their heels, running the same play without a huddle.

A 5-yard gain for Crist was the result, and the Redbirds kept rolling in the same formation with a handoff to Jackson leaving Darlington at third-and-1 with two minutes to play in the half.

On the next play, a holding penalty negated B. Goebel’s connection to Murray in the endzone.

The Redbirds erased the loss yardage as Crist hauled in a 12-yard bullet from B. Goebel, leaving them seven yards from tying the game with 1:26 left in the half.

Darlington lined up in a 22-personnel package with Jackson and Crist in the backfield. 

B. Goebel motioned their lone receiver, M. Goebel, in front of the backs as a misdirect, but handed off to Crist, who barreled through two defenders for the touchdown.

Denilo Ramos-Godoy’s PAT found its mark, tying the teams 7-7.

The Redbirds kept Mineral Point from even a first down on the Pointers’ next possession as the squads went into the half.

From the opening kickoff of the second half, Darlington was concerned with catching Mineral Point off guard.

The Redbirds accomplished that with a forced fumble by Crist, who ripped the ball out of Tremaine Kennicker’s arms at the 10-yard line.

Crist got the rush on the first down play, tallying a 4-yard gain.

B. Goebel fumbled on the snap, but fell on the ball to minimize Darlington’s loss, putting the squad at third-and-goal at the 9-yard line.

The Redbirds lined up in an I-formation again, with Jackson and Crist in the back field, Murray at tight end, and M. Goebel lined up in the slot.

The Pointers stacked the box with no one guarding beyond the second level.

Darlington ran a quick play-action, and a burst of speed put Murray behind any Mineral Point player. 

B. Goebel locked in on Murray, firing a floater to him in the end zone for the Redbird touchdown.

Ramos-Godoy missed the PAT, putting Darlington at a 13-7 advantage, with the only score in the third quarter.

The Pointers locked the game at 13-13, as they capped a four-and-a-half-minute, 69-yard drive that spanned the end of third and beginning of the fourth quarters. 

The Redbirds answered on the next drive.

While the opening handoff to Jackson yielded just one yard, Darlington exploded on second down.

The Redbirds lined up in their favorite package — the 22-personnel package.

Jackson and Crist were offset in the backfield, Murray and Broker Buschor stacked Darlington’s offensive line, and M. Goebel lined up as the lone receiver on the strong side.

Kennicker was lined up across from M. Goebel, and as the ball was snapped, M. Goebel faked out Kennicker.

The fake got M. Goebel about four yards of separation from Kennicker on a fly route that broke the tie in favor of Darlington.

Ramos-Godoy redeemed himself on the PAT to put the Redbirds up, 20-13, with just nine minutes on the clock.

Darlington didn’t score again, but they didn’t need to, as their defense shut out Mineral Point to close the game.

The Redbirds forced a punt at 6:00, and iced the game with a Murray interception at 2:39, closing the game in Darlington’s favor, 20-13.

The Redbirds sit alone at the top of the SWAL conference now, sitting one game ahead of both the Pointers and Cuba City (4-2, 3-1 SWAL).

Next Friday at 7 p.m., Darlington travels for their second of three-straight away games, as they face the Cubans.

Cuba City is currently on a tear, as they beat Parkview/Albany on Friday, 40-0, and Belleville two weeks ago, 28-0.