Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey wrote this report and submitted the pictures.
The Morrison Mustangs earned their second victory of the aging season, by showing an offense that has been limited by injuries. Alex Anderson returned to full speed and led all rushers, with 112 yards. Carson Strating remained the steady workhorse with 22 carries for 61 yards. The limited passing game in previous outings became a weapon in the arsenal, as Danny Mouw completed ten-of-17 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
The tone was set on the opening possession. The Mustangs marched 40 yards with the open possession that ended with a 4-yard touchdown sprint by Alex Anderson. A failed extra point gave the lead to Morrison, 6-0, with only three minutes used off the clock.
The second quarter started in a similar fashion as the Mustangs owned the ball following a fumble recovery on the on the twenty-yard line by Beau Brackemeyer. Carson Strating immediately found the end zone and the score expanded to 14-0 after an Anderson two-point conversion. The Rams reacted immediately on their next possession as Cole Jennings skirted end for eighteen yards and quarterback Gage Hugart sprinted untouched into the end zone from forty-four yards out to put the Rams on the scoreboard with 10:08 remaining in the first half.
The last minutes of the first half told the tale of the contest as the Mustangs upped the score to 22-6 on a drive that included two pass completions of thirteen and nine yards by Trey Strating and a 34-yard completion to Chase Newman before Carson Strating scored on a 6-yard pass completion to up the score to 20-6. Anderson added the two-point conversion.
The Rams needed only twelve seconds to nullify the Mustang score when Hugart connected with Jennings for an 85-yard touchdown followed by a two-point conversion by Eli Hinde to cut the margin back to 22-14 with 1:03 left in the half.
The Mustangs took the next possession at mid-field when Thomas Dauphin skirted left end for 22-yards and three snaps put the ball on the 25-yard line with 2.9 seconds before break. The half ended with a Mouw pass into a crowded end zone and Chase Newman out manned the mass to secure the aerial to allow the Mustangs to enter the half with a 28-14 advantage.
The scoreboard was unchanged in the third quarter until Anderson scored from 3-yards out with 30.4 seconds left to form the final score of 34-14.
The Rams unsuccessfully used the pass in an attempt to get back into the scoring column in the final quarter and completed eight of twelve attempts that ended when their last possession was a failed fourth down on the Mustang 11-yard line and they returned to Port Byron, IL, with a 34-14 loss to the energized Mustangs.
