2007 Year in Review

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A Win is a Win!

By Jerry Lindsey

The Morrison Mustangs came out Friday night against an undermanned Erie Prophetstown team and built a 34-0 lead before the reserves were given the opportunity to gain playing time. The next quarter and a half wasn’t pretty as the Mustangs fumbled away their possession four times and the great field position allowed the Panthers to cut the lead to 34-18 before Coach Rickles sent the first team back on the field to secure the seventh win of the season.

Morrison needed only three snaps before Matt Proud scampered 31 yards for the first score 53 seconds into the first quarter. Christoph Erber booted the extra point and the Mustangs were out quickly to a 7-0 lead.

The Panthers fumbled their first snap before the ‘Stangs held them to no gain on the second try. The third snap was mishandled and Clint Sheppard recovered the fumble on the 18 yard line of the Panthers. The offense quickly stung the defense again with Nate Vandermyde finding Dustin Jones in the corner of the end zone to extend the lead before three minutes had elapsed off the clock.

The Panthers second possession resulted in three rushing attempts that totaled three yards and they were forced to punt. Starting on their 40 yard line, Derek Hamstra gained two yards before Tyler Hayes rushed for a first down. Following another Hayes carry, Hamstra bulled off tackle and broke loose for a 54 yard touchdown. Erber again centered his extra point kick and the Mustangs extended their first quarter lead to 21-0.

The Panthers started their next possession on their own 31 yard line and were forced to punt the ball away after three snaps only gained one yard. Tyler Hayes returned the punt back to the Mustang 49 yard line. The next snap was fumbled at mid-field and E-P-T recovered and first quarter ended with the Panthers on the 24 yard line.

The second quarter started with two rushing attempts for no yards and an incomplete pass into the end zone. A fourth and 12 yard pass fell incomplete and Morrison took over on their own 24 yard line. A pass interference call moved the ball out to the 41 yard line when Devon Mouw found Dustin Jones to complete a pass for an 18 yard gain placing the ball the Panther 41 yard line. Following a seven yard jaunt around left end by Tyler Hayes, Matt Proud broke two tackles and was finally caught at the 6 yard line. Derek Hamstra bulled the last six yards on the next play and the lead was extended to 28-0 after Erber finished another extra point.

The Panthers were unable to move the ball again and punted to the Mustangs, but the receiver fumbled the return and E-P-T recovered on the Morrison 6 yard line. The first play ended in an incomplete pass in the end-zone and the second play resulted in the Mustang’s Adam Cook recovering a loose ball on the 9 yard line and the threat ended for the Panthers.

Derek Hamstra took the first snap from Devon Mouw and broke tackles before exploding into the open and lumbered 91 yards for another Mustang score with only 1:56 left in the half. Christoph Erber’s kick ended the scoring for the first half with Morrison holding a commanding lead at 34-0.

E-P-T received the second half kick-off, but was unable to advance against the Mustang’s second team and gave the ball back to the Mustangs on their own 29 yard line. Devon Mouw fumbled the first snap and the loose ball was recovered by E-P-T on the 29 yard line. The Panther excitement lasted only one play as Dustin Jones intercepted a pass and gave Morrison the ball back on the 28 yard line. The Mustangs used the ground game to move the ball down to the Panther 33 yard line when another snap was mishandled and they lost possession again to the Panthers.

After two rushing attempts, Panther quarterback Mike Henrekin found Lucas Jepson in the end zone to make the score 34-6. The ensuing kick-of was poorly fielded by the Mustangs and E-P-T recovered the loose ball and was focused on the end-zone again from the Morrison 16 yard line. Following a Mustang penalty, Vinnie Miles converted on his third rushing attempt to make the score 36-12.

The kick-off was again mishandled and the Mustangs were pinned on their own 7 yard line to start their next offensive possession. Unable to move the ball, a punt gave the Panthers possession on their own 29 yard line and they were fired up to score again. After pushing the Morrison defense back the Panthers were able to score again on a fourth and goal from the one yard line and the gap closed to 34-18.

The next offensive possession after the touchdown saw the return of the Mustang starting eleven. This drive included four penalties, one nullifying a Matt Proud touchdown run from the 8 yard line, before Hamstra carried tacklers into the end zone from the thirteen yard line and the Mustang ended the E-P-T surge and upped the score to 40-18.

The last Panther drive ended on the last play of the game with a pass interception by Derek Hamstra and the Homecoming crowd left with a win by the undefeated Mustangs.

Next Friday, the Mustangs journey west to face the Fulton Steamers in Fulton. Fresh-Soph game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.

by dzuidema
2007-10-07 10:43:09