2005 Year in Review

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Ponies Able to Outlast Bruins

Any time a team commits five turnovers in a game it usually results in a loss of epic proportions. Add a blocked punt and a safety to that and you have a recipe for disaster. Friday night was an exception to that rule. The Morrison Ponies overcame four fumbles and an interception to beat the Peru St. Bede Bruins 6-2. Morrison’s lone touchdown came on a trick play right before halftime on a double pass that went for 34 yards. Matt Proud spearheaded a defensive attack that forced four turnovers of their own by totaling 27 tackles.

The Bruins controlled the ball for a majority of the first quarter by running 15 plays to the Ponies’ six. However, the Pony defense held tight and allowed just 22 yards in the quarter and was able to keep the Ponies in the game. On their six plays, the Ponies managed just four yards while turning the ball over on one of them. After ten minutes of play, the score remained tied at zero.
St. Bede continued to dominated the time of possession in the second quarter, this time allowing the Ponies to run seven plays. Once again though the Ponies didn’t allow the Bruins to threaten the end zone and were able to frustrate the Bruins. It wasn’t until the end of the quarter that the Ponies were finally able to move the ball with any kind of success. Ethan Goodenough set the Ponies up with a short field following an interception and return of 16 yards. The drive started with a seven-yard pass from Nate Vandermyde to Derek Ward. Following an incompletion, Vandermyde found Ward again for a 12-yard gain across the middle and a first down. Immediately after the play, the Ponies called a time-out with :10 left on the clock and the ball just inside the Bruin’s 35-yard line. Coming out of the time-out, Vandermyde threw down the line to Ward. Ward then backed up and heaved a long ball to Dustin Jones who caught the ball and fell backwards over the goal line for a 34-yard touchdown pass with just one second remaining on the clock. Seth Ashpole’s extra point was wide right and the Ponies led 6-0.
The third quarter resembled the first quarter with the Bruins controlling the ball and but the Ponies stalemating them on defense. The Ponies finally busted off a couple of long runs in the third quarter, the first coming on a 16-yard run by Nate Vandermyde. The second run came on a 12-yard run by Derek Hamstra that unfortunately resulted in a fumble that was recovered by the Bruins. The Ponies turned the ball over three times on three consecutive drives in the quarter but still were able to hold onto their 6-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Morrison’s defensive endurance was tested even more in the fourth quarter as the Bruins continued to pound out play after play while the Morrison offense watched helplessly. Once the offense did get the ball, they were unable to sustain a drive and were forced into a punt and an interception. Finally facing a punt with less than a minute left, Vandermyde took the snap and ran 25 yards backwards into the end zone and waited for the Bruins to get there before taking a knee and a safety with :23 remaining. Following the kickoff, St. Bede tried to heave one for the end zone only to have it intercepted by Derek Ward and returned 30 yards allowing the Ponies to take a knee and preserve the 6-2 victory.
Matt Proud led the defense with 27 tackles followed by Clint Shepard with 12 tackles, Derek Hamstra with 11 tackles, Seth Ashpole with 10 tackles, Derek Ward with six tackles, Nate Vandermyde and Ethan Goodenough with five tackles, Matt Urban with four tackles, Jason Smith, Taylor Boyles, and Dustin Jones with three tackles, and Jon Sumption and Will Vandermyde with one tackle each. Ethan Goodenough and Derek Ward each recorded an interception while Nate Vandermyde and Clint Shepard recovered fumbles for the Ponies.
Derek Hamstra led the Pony ground game with 28 yards on six carries. Nate Vandermyde racked up 24 yards on six carries. Matt Proud gained two yards on three carries, and Tylor Hayes was held to no yards on two carries. Nate Vandermyde was 8-14 passing for 76 yards and Derek Ward was 1-2 passing for 34 yards and a touchdown. Dustin Jones caught two passes for 39 yards and a touchdown, Derek Ward caught four passes for 61 yards, Ethan Goodenough caught one pass for seven yards, and Derek Hamstra caught on pass for five yards.
The Ponies(6-2) will bring an end to their 2005 campaign next Friday night, October 21, when they host the Newman Shooting Stars at 5:30 p.m.

by rustinl
2005-10-16 14:50:17