Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey wrote the report.
Friday, October 11, 2024, was a perfect fall night for High School Football, as the Morrison Mustangs traveled north, to match up against the Stockton, IL, Blackhawks. The rivalry of small schools has been put on hold for several decades. The Mustangs fans entered Stockton with high hopes of recording their fourth win of the season.
The Mustangs gave the fans something to cheer about as Rylan Alvarado scored on a 69-yard touchdown on the second play of the game. Joshua McDearmon kicked the extra point. Tthe Mustangs owned a quick 7-0 advantage with only 17 seconds off the opening clock. The excitement was short-lived, as the Blackhawks retaliated with a 6-play scoring drive, capped by a 58-yard scamper by Carter Blair. Jack Mensendike scored the two-point conversion. The Blackhawks took an 8-7 lead with 8:59 left in the opening quarter. The Mustangs went three-and-ou,t before Stockton found the end zone again on a 39-yard scoring run by Mark Detwiler. Nolan Larson ran the three yards for the two-point conversion that gave Stockton a 16-7 advantage. The Blackhawks scored again on their next possession, on a 4-yard Mark Detwiler touchdown. Mensendike added the two-point extra point to make the lead 24-7.
Early in the second quarter, the Mustangs needed only one snap to find the end zone again. Rylan Alvarado scampered 63-yards for the score. McDearmon made the score 24-14. The remainder of the second quarter belonged to Stockton. Morrison earned only one first down in three possessions, while Stockton scored on all their second quarter possessions. Following the Detwiler touchdown to open the second quarter, Detwiler scored again from 4-yards out. The extra point failed, but the Blackhawk lead edged up to 30-14. The first half ended with a 22-yard touchdown on a Noah Larson pass completion to Eli Larson, with only 43.3 remaining. Larson connected with Carter Blair for the two-point conversion, to establish the halftime score of 38-14.
Stockton opened the second half with a 15-play drive covering 65-yards, ending with a 2-yard scoring plunge by Detwiler. Mensendike scored the two-point conversion, to stretch the lead to 46-14. Mustang offense was held to 18 yards rushing and 11 yards in the air, with two possessions in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter saw Carter Blair score on a 31-yard run early in the period. Mensendike scored the two-point conversion to create the 40-point advantage (54-14) that ignited the continuous clock. The Mustangs owned the ball the most of the final quarter, generating a drive that gained three first downs. But it ended with a failed fourth-down on the Blackhawk 16-yard line.
The Mustangs will host Eastland-Pearl City next Friday, October18, as their final home game of the season, with a kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.