The Morrison Ponies upped their early season record to 3-0, using the same formula for victory in each of the three games. It takes dominance on both sides of the ball, to be able to get the results the Ponies are accomplishing. They exhibited an offense that scored 36 points and a very stingy defense that did not allowed over six points. Sounds simple enough, but it is taking a team effort to accomplish this early success.
The Ponies took the field for the first time this season without having to play with a continuous clock and without their leading rusher, John Winkleman, who is sidelined with a broken collar bone. Neither change had any effect in the final 36-6 win over the Kewanee, IL, Boilermakers.
The Friday night, September 7, 2018, contest was a mismatch. It ended with the Ponies owning possession time and executing 58 rushing plays, to Kewanee’s 20 plays, and totaling 280 yards versus the anemic 27 yards earned by the young Boilermakers. It is worth noting that the 27 total rushing yards for the evening included a 53-yard Kewanee touchdown run by quarterback Branden Ainley, with only 3:52 remaining in the game. The failure to earn a first down is credit to a very energized defense that becomes more confident each time the Friday night whistle blows.
The offense didn’t slow without Winkleman and was led by Hunter Newman (102 yds), Brhenen Linke (74 yds), Kayden White (32 yds), Alex Anderson (21 yds), and Nathan Helms (18 yds.) Helms also connected with T. C. Ottens for a 13-yard score in the fourth quarter.
The Ponies had no need for a punter this Friday. Each possession, except a dropped pass on fourth down in the third quarter, ended with a score or an elapsed time on the clock to end a half. Drive ending plays in the end zone were carried by Hunter Newman (12 and 14 yds), Alex Anderson (4 and 6 yds), and T. C. Ottens (13 yds pass.)
The Ponies will try to remain consistent as they travel to Sterling, IL, next Saturday night, September 15, to match up with the Newman Central Catholic Comets. The kickoff is at 5:30 p.m.
