By Jerry Lindsey, Assistant Editor.
Friday, September 5, 2025, was a perfect High School Football evening, as the Morrison Mustangs (0-1) welcomed the Wildcats from Eastland-Pearl City (1-0) to E.M (Bud) Cole Field.
The Mustangs won the coin toss, chose a second half-possession, and gave the opening kickoff to the EPC. The Wildcats handed the ball on 12-of-the-first-16 plays to halfback Draven Zier. EPC moved the ball to the Mustang nine-yard line, before they were stopped on a fourth-down attempt, and the Mustang regained possession. The Mustangs were unable to generate a first-down and punted the ball back to EPC to end the first quarter.
The Wildcats generated a scoring drive, highlighted by a 31-yard pass and a 22-yard Zier scamper into the end zone. Zier added two more points, by parting the defense on a right-end sweep; the Wildcats led 8-0 with 11:43 remaining in the first half. Morrison responded on their next possession and marched end zone bound, until Carson White was intercepted in the end zone to end that drive. Both teams had possessions but failed to generate much offense. The half ended with the Wildcats leading 8-0.
The second half began with a seldom seen kickoff, as EPC’s kicker “whiffed” the kickoff, and it failed to roll the required ten yards. So, Morrison took possession on the Wildcats’ 46-yard line to start the second half action. A holding penalty and two incomplete passes ended the Mustang possession, with a punt that was returned to the Morrison 26-yard line. Three snaps later the endline was crossed and the Wildcats upped their advantage to 14-0. The two-point extra-point attempt was stopped. The Mustangs found themselves down by a 14-0 score with 9:05 remaining in the third quarter. The quarter later ended with the Mustangs in possession, but the drive ended on the EPC 28-yard line after three incomplete passes.
The Wildcats took possession and used 14 running plays to eat the clock, before Zier dove in from the three-yard line, to up the score to 20-0 with only 2:55 left on the game clock. The Mustang offense ended the game with possession on the 48-yard line and headed to the locker room with their second defeat of the season.
Next Friday, September 12, the Mustangs will travel to Pecatonica, IL, to challenge the Durand-Pecatonica Rivermen. They field a powerhouse team, featuring 16 Seniors returning from a team that advanced in the 2024 State playoffs. Kickoff there is 7:00 p.m.