The rivals from Fulton, IL, visited E. M.”Bud” Cole Field in Morrison, IL, Friday night, October 2, 2015, hoping to claim the “king of the neighborhood” bragging rights and the traveling Wooden Shoe trophy. They did just that, as they outlasted the Mustangs in a hard fought game, 42-16.
Morrison received the opening kick, was unable to generate a first down, and punted to the Steamers. They started on their own 20-yard line and moved through the Morrison defense with ease. Senior Trey Simmons gained 67 of the 80 yards to the Morrison end zone on end sweeps. With 6:01 left in the first quarter, Fulton led 7-0. The ensuing kickoff bounded off a Mustang, and the Steamers recovered on the Morrison 44-yard line. Simmons and Austin Rash needed only six carries to have a first-and-goal on the Mustang 7 yard when a Mustang penalty moved it to a first-and-goal on the two. Rash fumbled the next handoff, and Morrison recovered to end the Steamer threat on the 1-yard line. Three plays later, Justin Jensen punted out of the end zone. Fulton ended the first quarter with the ball on the Morrison 49-yard line, leading 7-0.
The Fulton drive opening the second quarter featured a 15-yard gain by Rash and a 15-yard pass completion from quarterback Tyler Sweenie to Kegan North. It ended with a 1-yard score by Michael Pidde, and the score expanded to 14-0 with 8:01 left in the half. The Mustang offense retained possession on their own 35-yard line and immediately moved to the Steamer 20-yard line, with two nine-yard scrambles by Dylan Keller, a 9-yard run by Andy Bird, and a 9-yard pass completion from Keller to Matthew Nichols. Tthe Mustangs were first-and-ten on the 20. With 4:17 on the clock, Keller took a short drop and hit Tate Renkes in the end zone, to move the Mustang within eight points of the Steamers. The two-point-conversion featured a circus-like catch by Joey Brackemyer. He caught a tipped pass while falling to his back, to earn the two points and move Morrison to within six, 14-8. The offense success excited the defense, as they stopped the Steamers on three runs and received the ball back on a “booming” punt by Jack Lemke at the 8-yard line. With only 1:51 remaining in the half, the Mustangs used the pass. Keller and Brackemyer connected for completions of 15 and 13 yards. With 8.1 seconds remaining, they were intercepted on the 10-yard line to end the first half with Fulton leading 14-8.
Having tightened the defense in the second quarter and finding some offense that featured both run and pass, the Mustangs entered the second half with added enthusiasm. Fulton’s initial drive started on their own 35-yard line. Following a 5-yard loss on a fumbled handoff, the Steamers gained 23 yards on an end reverse, with Rodney Gossard carrying the ball to the Morrison 47-yard line. Twelve plays later, Sweenie rolled to his right and threw back to the middle of the end zone to Devon Ballard, for the touchdown and a 21-8 lead with 5:08 left in the third quarter. Following the kickoff, Morrison gained one first down with a Keller-to-Bird pass completion, but the home team was forced to punt after three, consecutive incomplete passes. Morrison ended the quarter with the ball on the Fulton 37-yard line, after forcing the Steamers to a three-and-out. The quarter ended with Fulton leading 21-8.
The final quarter opened with an 11-yard pass completion to Brackemyer, a seven-yard run by Bird, plus a Fulton penalty. The Mustangs were first-and-goal on the 9-yard line. Cody Southern quickly found the end zone with a hard run over left tackle, and the score tightened to 21-14. The two-point-conversion was good when Keller connected with Payton Cook, and the score shortened to a Fulton advantage of 21-16, with 10:31 remaining in the game. Fulton started their next possession on their 35-yard line and faced a determined Morrison defense. Two Steamer passes only netted six yards, and a penalty moved them to a third-and-nine on the 36-yard line. Quarterback Jack Lemke rolled out to pass and was chased by Ben Vanderlaan. After slipping out of his grasp at the 25-yard line, Lemke found Simmons for a 44-yard pass completion. They were lined up with a first-and-ten on the Morrison 20-yard line. The Morrison defense stuffed Rash for no gain on the next play and then recovered a Simmons fumble on the 18-yard line, to end the threat and ignite the Morrison loyals. On the second snap Keller was throwing to Bird when Lemke dove in front for an interception, and Fulton owned the ball on the Morrison 20-yard line. Next came a 3-yard loss by Rash and a penalty, and the Steamers were moved back to the 33-yard line. Lemke connected with Kegan North in the right flat and scampered in for the score; with 7:05 remaining the Steamers owned a 28-16 advantage. Following the touchdown, Morrison fumbled the first snap on their possession, North scooped it up easily, walked from the 18-yard line, and stretched the score to 35-16 with 6:50 remaining. Morrison charged back on the ensuing possession and moved to the Fulton 18-yard line, with the aid of a 13-yard completion to Brackemyer and three Futon penalties. This drive ended when Cole McClary intercepted a Keller pass on the Fulton 16-yard line. That was followed with a Morrison player ejection for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. The mood was totally disrupted from the competitive game of the first three and one-half quarters. The first play following the possession transfers saw Simmons break tackles and end the evening’s scoring with a 69-yard touchdown run, to create the final score of 42-16.
The 2015 Morrison Mustangs own a 1-5 record. That record doesn’t define their effort or how big plays continue to shadow the progress they are making. After allowing the Wooden Shoe to return to Fulton, the Mustangs will direct their attention to their Homecoming game on Friday, October 9.