Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey submitted the report.
The Tuesday, September 6, 2022, Morrison High School Fresh-Soph game against the Kewanee, IL, Boilermakers ended in a two-point loss (14-12.) The game carried many situations that echoed the recent Friday night, September 2, loss to the Varsity Boilermakers (16-14.)
The opening quarter showed little offense on either side of the ball, but the second quarter kept the scoreboard in a mood of constant change. Boilermakers scored three plays into the quarter, on a 49-yard scoring pass from Landon Sheets to Preston Stabler, followed by a successful extra point kick. The visitors led 7-0 with 8:41 remaining in the first half. Less than a minute evolved, before the Mustangs retaliated, by completing a 45-yard touchdown pass from Colton Bielema to Asher Ernst. The extra point attempt failed, and the Mustangs trailed 7-6. The ensuing kickoff led to a nine-play Kewanee scoring drive, ending with an eight-yard touchdown pass completion from Sheets to Dontaveon Thomas. The extra point kick upped the Kewanee advantage to 14-6 with 2:46 left in the half. The visitors shifted their attack to the air, after regaining ball possession with 1:20 left in the half. Two pass completions preempted a 38-yard touchdown with 50.1 seconds remaining, but the play was nullified due to a Kewanee penalty. A Morrison penalty and a 30-yard pass completion from Sheets to Waylon Lambert put the ball on the six-yard line with 22.1 seconds remaining. Two short gains and a spike left the Boilermakers with a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, with 5.2 seconds remaining. A quarterback sneak by Sheets was stopped, to end the first half, with the Mustangs trailing 14-6.
The Morrison defense controlled the excitement in the third quarter, when Collin Renkes intercepted a pass to end the Kewanee opening second half possession. The second Boilermaker possession ended with a Jakeb Strobbe interception, but the Mustangs offense failed to generate a third quarter first down. The third Kewanee possession ended when Strobbe scooped up a Kewanee fumble and returned it 37 yards for a Morrison touchdown, with 2:15 left in the quarter. The extra point attempt failed, and the Mustangs faced the same two-point challenge experienced by the Varsity a few nights earlier.
The Kewanee offense took play into the fourth quarter. Morrison defense held again when Adam Helms intercepted a pass on the 17-yard line and returned it to the 40-yard line, to give the home fans new hope. Excitement peaked two possessions later, when Bielema completed a touchdown pass to Ernst that would have given the Mustangs the lead, but it was nullified by a Mustang holding penalty. Two plays later, following a Bielema sack back to the 17-yard line, it was fourth-and-goal for the potential win. Levi Milder was stopped short, and the Boilermakers took over possession with 3:41 remaining. They held possession to end the game.
Similar to Friday’s loss by the Varsity, the young Mustangs took a loss, but they played a good game and stayed competitive against a good opponent. Final score: Kewanee 14, Morrison 12.