By Jerry Lindsey, Assistant Editor.
The “Wooden Shoe” trophy, that is presented to the victor of the annual, Morrison/Fulton Football game winner, was returned to Morrison, IL. The Mustangs topped the Steamers on October 17, 2025, by a 31-21 score. The trophy has not been in Morrison since 2019. The Mustangs will retain possession until the victor of next year’s (2026) game is determined.
On a perfect night for High School Football, Morrison’s E. M. “Bud” Cole Field was packed. The rivalry between the two neighboring schools continued with much excitement and enthusiasm.
Morrison opened the scoring on their first possession. Brady Anderson scored on a 4-yard plunge, and Joshua McDearmon kicked the extra point, to take a 7-0 lead. The Steamers responded on the following possession. Wyatt Connor scampered 42-yards to paydirt and kicked the extra point, to tie the game at seven in the first quarter.
The second quarter opened with Morrison’s offensive drive stalling. McDearmon was successful on a 42-yard field goal to up the Mustang advantage to 10-7. The struggle continued, but the scoreboard was not altered as the teams entered the half with Morrison leading 10-7.
Morrison received the second half kickoff. They turned the ball over when a Carson White pass was intercepted and returned to the Mustang 4-yard line. Wyatt Connor took the first handoff into the end zone. An Eddie Qunaj extra point gave the Steamers a 14-10 lead in the third quarter. The Steamer lead did not have a long life. Morrison scored on the first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, when Carson White connected with Joshua McDearmon in the flat. He scampered 57 yards down the sideline to give the lead back to the Mustangs. McDearmon’s extra point kick was successfu,l and the Mustangs led 17-14 with 10:04 remaining in the third period. Fulton ended the next Morrison possession, when Easton Spooner intercepted a White pass on the Mustang 35-yard line. The Steamers closed the third quarter with the ball on the Mustang 2-yard line. The chains were moved the length of the field to open the final period.
Fulton’s Wyatt Connor took the first snap of the fourth quarter into the end zone. Qunaj’s extra point gave the Steamers a 21-17 lead with only four seconds off the fourth quarter clock. Again, the Steamer lead was short-lived. The second play of the Mustang’s possession saw Brady Anderson break tackles and run 66-yards to paydirt, to return the lead to Morrison at 23-21. McDearmon’s foot upped the edge to 24-21, with 11:02 remaining in the game. Mustang defense stiffened, to force a Steamer kick on the ensuing possession, and they took possession at midfield. Eight plays later the scoreboard changed again. White connected with Colin Renkes for a 9-yard touchdown pass. McDearmon upped the score to 31-21 with a perfect extra-point kick. Fulton’s last possession used most of the remaining. Then, a DeAngelo Dodd fumble was recovered by Morrison’s Noah Stout on the 13-yard line, and the Steamer effort ended. They fell to the Morrison Mustangs by a 31-21 score.
The Mustang offense was anchored by another 100+ yards gained by Brady Anderson and two touchdown pass completions by Quarterback Carson White.
The Mustangs close out the 2025 football schedule with a home game next Friday, October 24, with a non-Conference contest against Ottawa Marquette (4-3), beginning at 7:00 p.m.