Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey reported the action and caught it in photos.
On Tuesday, September 7, 2021, the Morrison Ponies journeyed to Kewanee, IL, to challenge the young Riveters. They took the field to dominate the first half and held the Riveters in check, to take home a 20-0 victory.
Morrison took the opening kickoff and marched 61 yards in ten plays, to open the scoring with 5:13 left in the quarter. Donny Reavy gained 35 yards with seven carries and crossed the goal line, on a ten-yard sweep, to put the Ponies up 6-0. The defense stopped the Riveters’ opening possession. This forced a punt that Chase Newman returned 65 yards for a touchdown, to up the Morrison margin to 13-0, after Reavy ran the extra point in from the three-yard line.
Kewanee used the pass to mount an attack with their second possession. The Ponies threw Quarterback Brady Clark for a seven-yard loss on a fourth down attempt from the ten-yard line, to end the drive. The second snap of the Ponies’ next possession saw Chase Newman cut back against the flow and collect 69 yards, before being caught at the 11-yard line. Deshaun McQueen covered the remaining 11 yards to the end zone and put the Ponies up 20-0, with 4:41 remaining in the first half. The Riveters were held to only 21 yards rushing and 23 yards passing, as the Ponies’ defense controlled the first two quarters of action. The Riveters owned the ball three times in the second half and were unable to cross the endline. Their first possession of the second half ended with a fourth down pass falling incomplete in the endzone. Morrison’s Jason Hall recovered a Kewanee fumble to end their second possession. Their final possession ended in a failed fourth down at mid-field, to send the Ponies home with a 20-0 win.
The Pony offense was headed by Chase Newman’s 95 yards gained rushing plus his 65-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Donny Reavy gained 55 yards with 13 carries, that included a ten-yard touchdown, to add to the team total of 197 yards rushing.
The Morrison Ponies will make a long road trip for their first journey to Monmouth-Roseville, for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff, next Monday, September 13.
Top photo: Evan McDonnell (50) reaches around Kewanee’s Cruz Paredes (20) to tackle Devantee Jordan (5.) Middle: Quarterback Cooper Bush (17) sprints around the left end for a 5-yard gain. Bottom: Mustang Karder White (14) makes a cut, in one of his five carries against the Kewanee Riveters.
