2005 Year in Review

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Mustangs Comeback to Beat Clippers

Just when it looked like they were down and out, back came Amboy. When it looked as if Morrison was against the ropes, back came the Mustangs. In a game of monumental momentum shifts, the Amboy Clippers and Morrison Mustangs stood in and slugged each other until finally the Clippers dropped. Trailing 21-20 at the end of the third quarter, the Mustangs dug deep on both sides of the ball and poured out everything they had into the final twelve minutes. Morrison suddenly dominated the line of scrimmage on the both sides of the ball and were able to stop the Clippers and wear down the clock by running the ball. The celebration began when Nick Vandermyde scuttled through a hole and dove across the first down marker allowing the Mustangs to take a knee and secure a heart-stopping 26-21 victory.

The Mustangs looked to be in trouble early when Daniel Saunders broke the second play from scrimmage for a gain of 44 yards before being hauled down at the eight-yard line. Two plays later the Clippers held a 7-0 lead barely over a minute into the game. The Mustangs looked to retaliate when Sammy Biggs broke the first play for a 21-yard gain before the drive stalled and the 'Stangs were forced to punt. The Morrison defense dug deep and drove the Clippers back on their next three plays and forced the punt. This time the drive would not stall. The Mustangs hacked it out on the ground gaining four and five yards before finally Nick Vandermyde broke free up the middle for 34 yards and the following the extra-point by Jorge Hernandez, the score was tied at seven apiece.
The Clippers were once again stopped in three plays on their next drive and now holding all the momentum, the Mustangs went after the lead. Nathan Neighbour started the drive with a six-yard run up the middle. Nate McBride and Vandermyde combined for a first down before McBride was hauled down for a loss on a sweep. The Mustangs reached into their bag of tricks on the next play with amazing results. Schisler rolled out and sucked in a defender before releasing a shovel pass upfield to Biggs. Biggs then used tremendous down-field blocking by Chris Scott to run the remaining 37 yards for a touchdown. Hernandez added the extra point and the with 1:14 remaining in the first quarter, the Mustangs led 14-7.
The Clippers tried again unsuccessfully to move the ball and would punt it back to the Mustangs. Vandermyde started the drive by running twice for eight yards. McBride picked up the first down on a four-yard run. Biggs broke free for a nine-yard gain and the sticks were moved again on a Vandermyde two-yard blast. McBride and Biggs set the Mustangs up with third and a yard to go from the Clipper four. On third down, Schisler sprinted down the line, tucked the ball in and bowled his way across the goal line for the touchdown. Hernandez' extra-point attempt was blocked and the score stood at 20-7.
Amboy retaliated quickly and used only two minutes of clock to bring the ball back down the field. Finally connecting on his passes, Kyle Henkel moved the Clippers 46 yards on two passes before Taylor Kaleel eventually ran it in from two yards out. Matt Walter added the extra point to make it 20-14. Neither team would try to score before halftime and the lead stuck at six.
For the fourth straight game, the Mustangs fumbled away the opening possession of the second half and the Clippers took over in Mustang territory. Amboy would drive its way to the six-yard line before Biggs intercepted a Henkel pass intended for Derek Lovgren and the Mustangs took over from their own two-yard line. Two plays later, the Clippers would get the ball back when once again, Morrison fumbled the ball and Amboy scored on the first play. Walter's extra point was good and Amboy took a 21-20 lead with 6:20 remaining in the quarter.
The Mustangs then went to work on proving Murphy's Law to be correct. Whatever can go wrong, did for the Mustangs. After one play gained three yards, Schisler's pass was intercepted by Saunders at his own 30-yard line. The Clippers would take to the ground and wear out the clock and the Mustang front line. On just the third play of the final quarter, the Mustangs rebounded with a takeaway of their own. Henkel lofted a pass into the corner of the end zone, but Schisler went up and took the ball away from Lovgren for the interception and touchback. The Mustangs were able to pick up a first down on a sliding catch by Greg Frickenstein on third and nine for a gain of 14 yards. The Mustangs would be forced to punt but the momentum swung back to the visitors and their spirits picked up.
On the Clippers' first play of their drive, the ball popped loose and Adam Rumfelt dove on it to give the Mustangs possession deep in Amboy territory. Biggs and Vandermyde combined for five yards before Biggs took it off-tackle for eight yards and a first down. On the next play, Vandermyde took the ball and started right before reversing field and running 16 yards for the touchdown. McBride looked to have stretched the ball inside the pylon on the two-point conversion, and it was ruled no-good making the score 26-21. After the Mustangs were flagged with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing the call, Ryan Scott, who had already had a 65-yard touchback, booted it 55 yards and pinned the Clippers deep in their own territory with almost seven minutes to go.
Amboy tried unsuccessfully to spark a drive, but smelling victory, the Mustangs were stubborn and forced a punt. Vandermyde broke the first play for another 16 yards and a quick first down. the drive would be unable to gain another first down but was successful in running the clock down to just three minutes remaining when the Clippers took over. Morrison tightened the line and then forced three incomplete passes to resume possession again on the Clipper 31-yard line.
Vandermyde and Biggs set the Mustangs up with third and two but Schisler was sacked for a four-yard loss on third down to make it fourth and six. Having put in a new play at halftime, the Mustangs pulled it out and Vandermyde broke up the middle for seven yards and the important first down that sealed the deal. Schisler fell to a knee once and the final six seconds quickly wound off while the Mustangs celebrated a hard-fought 26-21 victory on the road. With the win, the Mustangs joined Newman and Bureau Valley as the only three remaining undefeated teams in the conference.
Ryan Schisler was 1-5 passing for 14 yards; that pass was completed to Greg Frickenstein.
Nick Vandermyde led the rushing attack with 103 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. Sammy Biggs ran carried 12 times for 101 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Schisler and Nate McBride each carried for 19 yards with Schisler running for one touchdown. Nathan Neighbour ran one time for six yards.
Jorge Hernandez was 2-3 on extra point attempts.
Nick Vandermyde and Greg Frickenstein led the Mustangs with nine tackles followed by Austin Rickels and Dustin Vandermyde with eight tackles, Brent Beveroth with six tackles, Nathan Neighbour, Chris Scott, and Roman Fernandez with five tackles, Sammy Biggs with three tackles, and Chuck Cady, Ryan Schisler, and Adam Rumfelt with one tackle apiece. Schisler and Biggs each had an interception and Rumfelt recovered a fumble.
The Campaign for Champaign rolls on next Friday night, September 23, when the Mustangs (4-0) travel south to take on the #6 Bureau Valley Storm (4-0)at 7:30 p.m. With control of the Big Rivers Conference title on the line, the Mustangs could use another large and raucous crowd on hand to support them.

by rustinl
2005-09-18 16:56:15