Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey filed the report and photo.
With the opportunity to play in the IHSA State Football Playoffs on the line, the Morrison Mustangs and Erie-Prophetstown Panthers took the field on Friday, October 21, 2022, at E. M. “Bud” Cole Field in Morrison, IL. Above-average temperatures, blue skies, and an enthusiastic crowd set the stage for the action to follow.
Following a Panther three-and-out, the Mustangs needed only eight plays to find the end zone. Quarterback Danny Mouw connected with Daeshaun McQueen for a 20-yard scoring pass. McQueen’s extra point kick upped the score to 7-0 with 5:54 on the clock. The Panthers retaliated two minutes later, when Jeremiah Kochevar scampered left end for a 46-yard score. The failed extra point kick left the Panthers down 7-6 as the quarter ended.
The second quarter opened with the Mustangs pinned on the Panther 20-yard line. Three snaps later, Mouw found Chase Newman for a 48-yard pass completion, establishing good field position. The drive continued until Mouw completed a 1-yard pass to Karder White, to increase the score to 13-6. The Mustang defense protected the lead, by limiting the Panthers to only six total yards in the second quarter, to take a 7-point advantage into the halftime locker room.
The Panthers only owned the ball for five snaps in the third quarter. The Mustangs upped their advantage to 19-6, on a 9-yard scoring drive by Carson Strating. Those five Panther snaps were not without some excitement. Jase Grunder displayed his evasive running skills and galloped 61-yards through the Morrison defense. But he fumbled on the 1-yard line, and the ball was recovered in the end zone by Morrison’s Brady Anderson for a dramatic touchback.
Mouw and McQueen connected again, to open the fourth quarter with a 15-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 25-6. The Panthers fought back on their next possession with a score by Grunder, following a seven-play drive featuring Grunder’s talents on every play. That included a Grunder-to-Demetree Larsen 19-yard pass completion. Morrison only needed to secure a couple first downs to drain the clock and secure their win. But they turned the ball over on a lost fumble at the 2:51 mark. The Panthers used the remaining time. The exciting game ended with Morrison’s Colton Bielema intercepting a Panther pass–on their 1-yard line. Time expired, sending the Mustangs to the Playoffs with a 25-14 win.
