Friday night’s game between the Morrison Mustangs and the Amboy Clippers saw each team collect numbers that had a big influence on the outcome. On the Amboy side, senior Jason Bontz recorded impressive numbers as he carried the ball 24 times for 163 yards and the Clippers executed five plays that gained over 20 yards each.
The numbers on the Mustang stat sheets revealed an explosive offense as Mason Sitzmore completed 11 of 16 passes for 208 yards with Ryan Mayberry collecting four of the aerials for 106 yards. The Mustangs excited the Morrison loyals with eight plays gaining over twenty yards, the unfortunate numbers missing are the 90-yard kickoff return that was called back for an illegal block in the back and the two touchdowns that were nullified due to penalties. The number that no one wanted to record is the two concussions received by the already injury laden roster.
The opening pace of the game got the homecoming crowd excited early as the Clippers took the opening kickoff and drove 60-yards in nine plays to take the early lead 7-0 with 8:46 remaining before Morrison touched the ball. The ensuing kickoff was received by Kolin Burn on the 17-yard line and he returned it to mid-field. The Mustangs needed only three minutes to cover the fifty yards as quarterback Mason Sitzmore turned a broken play into a thirty-one yard touchdown scramble and the Mustangs trailed only by 7-6 with 4:59 left in the quarter.
The next Amboy possession saw Bontz carry six consecutive plays before Kolin Burn intercepted a Liam Ohlendorf’s pass attempt on the 4-yard line to end the drive with only 40 seconds remaining in the period. Austin Shoup moved the Mustangs into better territory with a 42-yard carry over left tackle and gave the offense some room to execute. And execute they did as Sitzmore found Mayberry sprinting the left sideline and led him perfectly to move the score to 12-7 in Morrison’s favor with 40.9 seconds left in the first quarter. The quarter ended with Amboy’s Damon Quest returning the kickoff to the 39-yard line and Bontz taking the final quarter snap 20-yards to Morrison 42 yard line before the teams changed ends.
At the 10:00 minute mark of quarter two, Ohlendorf connected with Quest for a 30-yard touchdown and the Clippers edged the Mustangs by a13-12 margin.
A short kick gave the Mustangs possession on their own 40-yard line to start their next drive. Eight plays later, Stizmore and Mayberry connected again on a 39-yard pass completion and the Mustangs regained the lead with 6:21 remaining. 18-13. The ensuing kickoff saw Quest again give the Clippers good field position with a return to the 45-yard line. Three plays and a first down later,Ohlendorf found an open Ryan Leffelman over the center for a 35-yard gain that placed the ball on the 14-yard line. Chris Jones carried to the nine before Bontz carried the final four yards into the end zone to regain the lead 21-18. The back and forth of the scoring really had the fans excited and hopeful on both sidelines. The action continued on the following kickoff as Andy Bird received the kick on the 10-yard line and handed off to Mayberry on a reverse and some key blocks helped Mayberry find the end zone and the Mustangs fans were jubilant until they were notified of the yellow hanky lying on the thirty-five yard line. The touchdown was nullified due to a Morrison penalty for a block in the back and the Mustangs had to settle for a first and ten at their own 9-yard line. After three plays gained only three yards, Quest received the Jensen punt at the 40-yard line and returned it to the six to give the Clippers a first and goal with 1:20 on the clock. With 49 seconds left, Ohlendorf found the end zone on a quarterback sneak and they took a 27-18 lead. The Mustangs didn’t roll over though as the started the last 39 seconds on the 19-yard line and with the aid of a 23-yard run by Austin Shoup had a first and ten on the Amboy 48-yard line. Sitzmore completed a14-yard pass to Mayberry and moved the ball to the Amboy 34. Sitzmore tried to connect with Mayberry as the clock ran out but was intercepted by Quest and the half ended with Amboy leading 27-18.
Morrison’s first possession of the second half ended in a punt, but not before Sitzmore completed a 26-yard pass to Bennett Klima. Amboy kept the ball on the ground as they executed a time consuming eleven play drive that ended in a failed fourth and seven play from the Morrison 16-yard line. Morrison ended the quarter by moving the ball from the 16-yard line to the 46 with the aid a a 33-yard pass from Sitzmore to Andy Bird to end the third quarter action with Morrison on the move.
Morrison opened the final stanza with a well executed pick and roll as Sitzmore threw a short pass to Mayberry who then pitched out to a trailing Bird and the play gave Morrison a first and ten on the Amboy 26-yard line. Immediately, Sitzmore found running room around the left side and was stopped at the Amboy 9-yard line. A fumble and a penalty moved the ball back to the 22-yard line where Sitzmore threw into the corner to Austin Keller who was knocked out of bounds at the one-foot line. The next play was a cause of much confusion as Sitzmore attempted a quarterback sneak and crossed the goal, but the official flagged the Mustangs for aiding his progression and waved off any score and moved the ball to the six-yard line. The Mustangs were not able to recover from the call and ended the drive with a failed pass completion to Mayberry in the end zone at the 8:29 mark of the quarter. Amboy ended the game with a ground attack that saw Bontz carry eight times for 48 yards and the Clippers kneeing out the clock to seal a hard fought 27-18 conference and homecoming win.
Statistics;
Morrison: Rushing 159 yards (Sitzmore-70, Shoup-79)
Passing 208 yards Sitzmore-11/16 Mayberry-4 catches for 106 yards
Amboy: Rushing 262 yards (Bontz-163, Jones-61)
Passing: Ohlendorf 3/5 for 80 yards