Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey wrote the report and took the photographs. Marie Popkin submitted the team statistics.
The evening at E. M. Bud Cole Field held all of the features of hope for the Morrison Mustangs, to generate some offense that had been lacking in games one and two. The scoreboard only displayed six points in each of the Mustangs’ first two contests. The sidelines had injured players who have the ability to shore up the offense. The opponent from Monmouth-Roseville was a first-time visitor to Morrison, IL. They offered no comparative history, so the hopes were high.
Morrison received the opening kickoff and drove 61 yards to score at the 7:37 mark, on a Carson Strating one-yard dive. The drive saw Senior Alex Anderson gain 59 of the yards on eight carries, but failed to add the extra point conversion. Still, the Mustangs were up 6-0.
Morrison’s short kickoff gave the Titans possession on their 35-yard line, when Derek Chandler took the opening hand-off and ran straight off tackle for a 38-yard gain. The offensive atmosphere was set for the evening. Rhett Whitman gained 13 yards on the next carry, and three snap later the Titans were in the end zone. Adding the two-point conversion, the Titans led 8-6 with 5:46 remaining in the first period. The Titans attempted an on-side kick, but the Mustangs recovered the ball on their 46-yard line. Two snaps later, Alex Anderson took the pitch running left and cut back to the right, to gallop 55 yards for the second Mustang score. Thomas Dauphin covered the three-yard conversion. Mustangs were on top again 14-8, with 4:47 remaining in the opening period.
The Titans retaliated with a 14-play drive that ran into quarter two. It ended with a Quarterback keeper from the two-yard line, to net the score at 14. The extra point attempt was blocked, but the offensive display was ongoing. The Mustangs again took possession after a short kickoff at midfield, with every hope of retaliating on the scoreboard. Six plays later the game was halted due to an injury to Alex Anderson, who exited the game and did not return. At Anderson’s exit point, he had gained 125 yards of the Mustangs’ 129 total yards.
At the 3:24 mark, Titan Eddy Esparza skirted right end for a 24-yard touchdown, to end a seven-play drive that covered 58 yards. A two-point conversion upped their advantage to 22-14. The Anderson injury forced the Mustangs to the air. Danny Mouw connected with Andre McQueen, for a 40-yard touchdown pass completion followed by a failed two-point conversion. The numbers 22-20 marked the scoreboard at halftime.
The third period told the tale of the evening. Monmouth-Roseville blocked a Mustang punt on their opening possession and recovered the ball on the Morrison 21-yard line. The Titans scored seven plays later to up the margin to 28-20. The score moved to 36-20 on their next possession, as they generated a 60-yard drive aided by two pass completions of 19 and 18 yards.
The third quarter for the Mustangs totaled only two total yards of offense while owning the ball for three possessions. The first drive ended in a blocked Deshaun McQueen punt; the second failed to gain a first down before having to punt; the third drive lasted one play, ending in a lost fumble.
The Titans added another seven points in the fourth quarter. The Mustangs scored after Beau Brackemeyer recovered a Titan fumble on the 19-yard line in the last two minutes. That ended with a Danny Mouw Quarterback sneak and a Logan Baker two-point conversion, to end the evening with a Titan victory of 43-28.
The Mustangs will try to right the wrongs, as they journey to Spring Valley Hall for a 7:00 p.m. tilt, on Friday, September 17.
Morrison
Rushing: Dauphin 9-17 yds, Anderson 12-120 yds, Carson Strating 11-39 yds
Passing: Mouw 2-3 52 yds
Receiving: Andre McQueen 1-44 yds, Baker 1-8 yds
Monmouth-Roseville
Rushing: Chandler 19-139 yds, Braun 11-59 yds, Johnson 15-90 yds
Passing: Braun 7-14 for 87 yds, 1 int.
Receiving: numerous pass catchers.
Top: Alex Anderson (4) runs behind Mustang blocking. Middle: Nate Schafer and Tyler Shambaugh attack the Monmouth-Roseville offense. Bottom: Tyler Shambaugh and Andre McQueen and Morrison’s defense await the Titan snap.
