Written and photos by Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey.
The 0-3 Erie-Prophetstown Panthers surprised the 3-0 Morrison Mustangs, on Friday, September 15, 2023, with a score on the opening possession. The opening kickoff was returned to mid-field by Connor Keegan; Demetre Larson scored on a 40-yard gallop three plays later, to open the scoring. Grayden Church’s extra point kick upped the score to 7-0 before the Mustangs completed their first snap. Two possessions in the first quarter saw the Mustangs fail to earn a first down. The Panthers racked by 123 yards on the ground and ended the quarter on the Mustangs’s 3-yard line.
Jeremiah Kochevar on the second quarter’s second play found Demetre Larsen in the end zone, to up the score to 13-0 with 11:11 left in the period.
The Mustang offense retaliated on their next possession. Chase Newman scored on a 1-yard plunge set up by a 19-yard scamper by Quarterback Colton Bielema on the previous play, and the Mustangs were on the board with 6:13 left in the half. On their next possession, they generated a 61-yard drive. It featured an 18-yard pass completion from Bielema to Daeshaun McQueen; an 18-yard run by Carson Strating; a 10-yard run by Brady Anderson before Bielema carried it into the end zone from the 11-yard line. There was 1:50 left in the half. A 2-point conversion failed, and the half ended with the Panthers leading 13-12.
Coach Vandermyde had halftime adjustments to make, noting that the Panthers had outrushed his Mustangs 196 yards to 108 yards. Adjustments were made, as the second-half statistics show.
The game’s momentum turned on the opening second-half kickoff. Lineman Jonathon Hicks collected the on-side kickoff at mid-field and bulled his way to the Panther 6-yard line, before being stopped. Strating found the end zone two snaps later, and the Mustangs were on top 18-13. The two-point conversion was intercepted, but the Mustangs owned the lead on the scoreboard again, and the visiting Mustang crowd relaxed slightly.
The Morrison defense forced the Panthers to punt after three attempts on their next possession. The Mustang offense needed only three snaps before Newman scooted the sideline for a 27-yard score. It was followed by a Josh McDearmon extra-point conversion kick, changing the scoreboard to Morrison 24, Erie Prophetstown 13.
Defensively, the Mustangs only allowed the Panthers 44 yards rushing in the second half.
The Mustang offense struck again midway through the final quarter. Newman took the handoff and outran all defenders down the right sideline from 75 yards out, to change the score to 31-13. McDearmon put the final point on the board with his extra point kick.
The Mustangs took the short ride home with a 32-13 win and an undefeated season mark of 4-0.
The Mustangs will make the long trek to Monmouth-Roseville next Friday evening, September 22, with a scheduled 7:00 p.m. start. Monmouth-Roseville owns a season record of 3-1 and is tied with Morrison and Rockridge, with a record of 2-0 in the Three Rivers (Rock) Conference.