The Morrison Fresh-Soph football team has rolled to a 2-0 season start. They had hopes of continuing their strong season start at Kewanee, IL, on Friday night, September 8, 2017.
As the officials prepared the opening whistle, the scoreboard went dead! After a delay the officials decided to play without a scoreboard. All the first quarter time was kept on the field, but it didn’t alter the outcome of a Morrison 40-0 shutout.
The opening possession of the young Boilers collected two of the only four earned first downs of the entire game. They managed to to approach mid-field, where Nathan Mickley sacked the Boiler’s Brandon Ainley, for a 15-yard loss on a fourth down attempt. The Mustangs took possession with 4:14 left in the quarter at mid-field. A five-play drive featured a 26-yard run by John Winkleman, before Keegan Anderson scored from the 8-yard line, putting Morrison up 6-0.
Kewanee’s next possession included only two yards rushing; a poor punt gave Morrison possession at the Kewanee 40-yard line. Winkleman was given the first snap and skirted left end for a 40-yard score. Anderson tacked on the 2-point conversion, and the Mustangs were up 14-0. On their ensuing possession, the Boilers’ Rhett Charlett fumbled. T.C. Ottens recovered the loose ball on the Kewanee 33-yard line and the Mustangs were on the march again.
The drive moved into the second quarter, where Winkleman broke loose for another 26-yarder, and Anderson followed with a 6-yard score. Anderson’s rushing conversion made the score 24-0 with 8:43 left in the first half. The Mustang defense held the Boilers to a -9 yards on their next possession. An Anderson fumble was recovered by Kewanee only two downs into the Morrison possession. Three plays later, Kewanee returned the turnover favor and Izaak Shetler recovered the fumble on the Kewanee 42-yard line. Morrison headed for the end zone with an eight-play drive that recorded gains by Jevin Smith (8), Nick Allen (9), Anderson (18), and Shetler (9), before Anderson scored from the 3-yard line, to close the first half action with the Mustangs totally in charge at 32-0. The Morrison defense held the Boilers to only 26 total offensive yards in the opening half, while rolling up 197 yards.
The second half action was limited by the implementation of the running clock–due to a 40-point advantage–at the 6:51 mark. Smith scored from eight yards out, and Winkleman strolled into the end zone for the 2-point conversion. The Mustang defense remained in control. The young men allowed the Boilers only 12 total yards in the second half and 38 yards for the entire four quarters.
The 40-0 win upped the season record to 3-0. The Fresh-Soph squad hosts the neighbors from the east, Sterling, IL, Newman Comets, next Friday, September 15.
Morrison Summary Stats:
Rushing: 247 yards (Winkleman-106, Anderson-32, Helms-26, Allen-31)
Passing: Helms (1/2 = 3 Yds.)
