by Jerry Lindsey
The final game of the 2013 season for both Morrison and Riverdale was played under a typical fall evening but what played out on the field was not a typical Friday night on most football fields in Northwest Illinois as Riverdale edged the Morrison Mustangs 16-8.
The evening started with the Morrison Ponies falling to the younger Rams 28-8. The between game activities included the introduction of the Riverdale departing seniors and then the coin toss that gave the Rams the opening possession. The following action created a list of unusual Friday night results: 1- Morrison only gained 12 yards the first half, 2-neither team completed a forward pass to their own receivers all night (3-intrceptions) , 3- five fumbles (Morrison’s extra point conversion was scored on a fumble recovery), 4-sixteen penalty flags were thrown on the evening, and 5- one player (Terry White of Riverdale) carried the ball 39 times. With all of the unusual statistics being recorded the game was still very much in doubt until the final 1:27 of the fourth quarter.
The Rams started the game on their own 30-yard line and five snaps later were first and ten on the Morrison 11-yard line due partially a run of 25-yards by Nathan Rocker and power drives up the middle by fullback Terry White of 13 and 16-yards. The drive ended in the Riverdale end zone when Morrison’s Kollin Burn intercepted a pass intended for White and the Mustangs started the other way.
The offensive tone of the evening was initiated on the first drive by the Mustangs. The Morrison possession started on the 20-yard line and included ten snaps, two penalties, a dropped pass, a fake punt for a first down, but the drive ended on the 27-yard line in a Mustang punt. The quarter ended without the end line being crossed and the Rams recorded 138 rushing yards to none for the Mustangs.
The second quarter was much of the same. The Mustangs could only generate nine rushing yards on the period while the rushing of Terry White dominated the quarter with 73 yards gained including touchdown runs of 3 and 34-yards to make the halftime score 16-0 in favor of the Rams.
The craziness of the evening didn’t end in the first half as Riverdale fumbled the kickoff and Andy Bird recovered on the Morrison 45-yard line. Halftime adjustments by the Mustangs resulted in an opening drive that saw Andy Bird take over the offensive carries. Bird immediately found success over the right side with gains of six and six and 31 yards, but a penalty nullified the 31-yarder. Bird found daylight following the penalty for gains of 21 and 13-yards and the drive ended when Bird scored on a fourth and goal to make the score 18-6. The extra point conversion was handed to Mason Sitzmore but was fumbled as he spun on the goal line, but recovery was given to the Mustangs after a delayed unpiling and the score moved to 16-8 with 4:33 left in the third period. The only Ram possession saw White carry the ball six consecutive times and the Rams turned the ball over on downs near mid-field.
The Mustangs ended the quarter with possession of the ball on the Riverdale 41-yard line. The first eight snaps by the Mustangs resulted in three penalty flags and forced the Mustangs to relinquish the ball on downs on the Riverdale 28-yard line at the 7:48 mark.
The Rams handed the ball to #27, Terry White, the next nine consecutive plays, but the drive ended with a failed fourth and one on the Morrison 24-yard line with 1:32 left in the game. With last minute heroics in mind, the Mustangs immediately were flagged and the ball moved back to the 19-yard line. Needing yardage in big chunks, the Mustangs went to the pass and quarterback Austin Keller was intercepted on the first attempt and the Rams were able to knee out the clock and preserve a 16-8 season ending victory.
The play calling tactics by the Rams was exposed at game’s end when the announcer congratulated Terry White for becoming the all-time rushing leader in Riverdale history. White was credited for 225 yards of the Ram total of 280 yards on the ground.
The uniqueness of some of the events of the evening somewhat sums up the season for the Mustangs as the played through injuries and low player numbers and unusual game situations, but competed to the best of their abilities as a team.