Editor’s note: Photos are by Jerry Lindsey.
The Morrison Mustangs opened the 2018 football season with a first-time trip to Sherrard High School, new uniforms, new head coach and coaching staff, and a hard-fought win of 14-6.
The Mustangs scored on their first possession as they marched 54 yards in ten plays, centered around a 13-yard scamper by Nick Allen, before Keegan Anderson (shown below) skirted right end for a 10-yard touchdown, with 3:31 left on the first quarter clock. Allen sealed the drive with a two-point conversion, and the Mustangs led 8-0.
The remainder of the first half saw both teams trying to find a combination that worked effectively. Morrison could only muster two more first downs after the scoring drive. They were a result of Jacob Schlegel’s ability to scramble after a broken pass attempt, when he gained 19 and 11 yards to keep the drives alive. Sherrard never advanced closer to the goal line than the 35-yard line in the second quarter. Morrison ended the half with a failed field goal attempt by Riley Wilkens, as the clock expired to end the half with the Mustangs up 8-0.
The rain threat that altered game times appeared to subside, but the humidity, first game conditioning, and lack of offense by both teams allowed the defense little rest. Several delays resulted from the player cramps due to the conditions. The second half was a defensive struggle. Morrison failed to generate a first down until its sixth possession, that started with 9:03 left in the fourth quarter. Sherrard snapped the ball 47 times in the second half to Morrison’s 30, but the Morrison defense reminded the fans of the ol’ saying, “They bend but don’t break.”
Sherrard got on the scoreboard with 6:11 left in the third quarter, following a 62-yard drive, highlighted by a 16-yard run by Caleb McWhorter and three pass completions from Kyle Yeater to Garett Hoffpauir. The third catch by Hoffpauir was in the end zone. The tying extra-point attempt was foiled, as Yeater overthrew Bryce Davis in the corner of the end zone. The Mustangs held the lead, going into the fourth quarter 8-6.
The Morrison offense struggled, and the defense protected the lead–by stopping the Tigers on a fourth down incomplete pass from the 11-yard line and, again, when Mustang Jarrett Wiebenga intercepted a Yeater pass at mid-field. The final Mustang possession was set up by a Wiebenga deflection of a Yeater pass, that forced the Tigers to punt from their own 6-yard line. With 3:16 remaining the Mustang took possession on the Tiger’s 29-yard line. Fullback Riley Wilkens broke tackles and bulled for a 22-yard gain to open the drive. Wilkens carried three more plays to place the ball on the 5-yard line. On fourth down, with 1:41 on the clock, Schlegel lofted a pass to the back-end zone line to end Kolten Sage, who batted the pass into the air and recovered, to complete the score and stretch the lead to 14-6.
A two-point conversion would secure the win considering the time remaining, but Schlegel and Nathan Mickley couldn’t connect on the pass attempt. The defense would have to secure this win with 1:35 left to play. The Sherrard Tigers didn’t quit, as they took possession on their own 35-yard line. Yeater attempted 12 passes in the short time frame and connected on five of them, securing four first downs and placing the ball on the 14-yard line, with 4.4 seconds remaining. As the snap started the clock, it also started the Morrison defense. They swarmed Yeater as he rolled to his right, and the clock expired on the first win of the new season.
The Mustangs will host the Spring Valley (Hall) Township Red Devils next Friday night with the Fresh-Soph game starting at 5:30 p.m.
Morrison defense held Sherrard to 159 yards of total offense: rushing = 29 carries for 46 yards; passing=12/29 for 113 yards.
Morrison offense generated 167 total yards: rushing = 156 yards; passing 3/10 for 11 yards.
Rushing yards: Schlegel 66, Wilkens 39, Allen 23, Anderson 17, Smith 11.