By Bill Popkin
On Friday Sept. 29, the Morrison Pony football squad traveled west to Port-Byron-Riverdale to battle the frosh-soph Rams. Morrison tallied two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters to take a commanding 30-6 advantage at halftime. They outpointed the Rams 20-8 in the final half of action and won very convincingly 50-14.
John Winkleman had a fine evening scoring three touchdowns on just four carries for 117 yards. Morrison got on the board early as Winkleman skirted the left end at the5:08 mark in the opening stanza for 24 yard touchdown jaunt. On the Pony’s next possession, quarterback Nathan Helms connected with sophomore Nathan Mickley for a 16 yard touchdown pass completion. Nick Allen ran in for the extra point, and the score stood at 14-0 after one period.
Brhenan Linke rumbled in from the one-yard line to open the second quarter Pony scoring. T.C. Ottens caught the extra point toss from Helms. After a blocked punt on the Ram’s next possession, Winkleman sprinted in from 33 yards out to give Morrison another score. Kegan Anderson ran the point after touchdown across the goal, and Morrison was in control at the mid-game break.
After taking the second half kickoff, Winkleman again hit paydirt from 55 yards away on Morrison’s fourth play from scrimmage. Mickley ran the extra point try across the goal line, and Morrison was ahead 38-6.
On the first play of the final quadrant, Isaak Shetler snuck across the goal line from five yards out. And finally, with 4:57 remaining in the event, Jevin Smith crossed the plane of the goal from the one yard line to wrap up Morrison’s touchdown binge.
Morrison’s lines on both sides of the ball, controlled the contest from the outset. The Pony’s offense accumulated 297 total yards (273 rushing and 24 passing) and held Riverdale’s offensive production to merely 139 yards (90 passing and 49 rushing). Hats off to the linemen. They get very little credit, but are a big part off a football game’s outcome!
Morrison Statistics: rushing attempts- yards
Smith 8-20, Anderson 6-27, Mickley 4-17, Allen 5-25, Linke 8-37, Winkleman 4-117, Helms 2–1, Shetler 4-31.
Morrison passing: Helms 3-5 24 yards.
Morrison receiving: Smith 1-5 yards, Mickley 1-16 yards, Ottens-1-3 yards.