Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey wrote this report and submitted the photos.
The rains stopped just prior to kickoff, but the wet field didn’t slow the Kewanee, IL, boilermaker offense. They ran up a 21-0 half time score and held off the Mustangs for a 28-6 victory, on Friday, September 3, 2021, at E. M. Bud Cole Field in Morrison, IL.
Kewanee opened the scoring on the second snap of the second quarter. They ended a nine-play drive that covered 43 yards, with a 6-yard pass completion from Quarterback Will Bruno to Jordan Johnson. Brady Clark kicked the extra point, and the Boilermakers led 7-0, with 11:10 left in the half. Following a Morrison three-downs-and-out, Kewanee marched 65 yards on seven plays. They upped the score to 14-0, on a Quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line and another perfect Brady Clark extra point. The scoreboard changed again at the 00:44 mark of the first half. Kewanee covered 74 yards on pass completions of 38-yards to Cam Conley and 46 yards to Jordan Johnson around a 10-yard penalty, to up the score to 21-0. The Mustangs responded on the ensuing kickoff, as Alex Anderson returned it to midfield. Carson Strating bulled over right guard for 13-yards. Anderson caught a Danny Mouw pass for 35-yards, before Anderson skirted into the end zone, with 18 seconds on the clock. The extra point failed; the half ended with the Boilermakers in charge at 21-6.
Adjustments at half exposed a different Mustang offense. They dominated the ball in the third quarter, allowing the Boilermakers the ball for only four snaps. Morrison drove the opening drive of the second half down to the Kewanee 9-yard line. There, Danny Mouw was intercepted in the end zone to end the possession. Kewanee failed to earn a first down; their fourth down punt rolled dead on the 3-yard line. The ensuing drive featured six carries by Carson Strating and two, 12-yard pass completions to Carson Strating and Trey Strating. But the drive ended in a fumble recovery by Kewanee’s Josh Nimick at the Kewanee 34-yard line.
Statistically, the game was much closer than the final score of 28-6. Kewanee collected 280 total yards compared to Morrison’s 218 yards. Carson Strating led the Mustangs with 93 yards rushing. Danny Mouw completed 8 passes in 14 attempts, totaling 115 yards.
The Mustangs will host the Titans from Monmouth-Roseville, as they make their first appearance on E. M. Bud Cole Field. The 7:00 p.m. kickoff will take place next Friday, September 10.
Top, Morrison’s defensive line prepared to attack the Kewanee Boilermakers’ offense. Below, the Mustangs gang tackled an unidentified Boilermaker; left-to-right were Trey Strating (88), Nate Anderson (4), and Tyler Shambaugh (73.)
