Photos provided and article written by Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey.
IHSA State Playoffs create an excitement unrivaled in High School sports. On Saturday, November 4, 2023, the Round Two playoff between the Morrison Mustangs and the Annawan-Wethersfield Titans was no exception. Blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s set the forecast for a perfect day of High School Football, and anxious fans filled the stands 45 minutes before the 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
Both teams, noted for their explosive rushing game. They used up the first 23 minutes of the first half. Then the Titans’ Zeb Rashad connected with Quarterback Dillon Horrie on a 9-yard completion, which set up a 10-yard scoring gallop by Rashad with only 53.7 seconds left in the first half. Mustang Chase Newman blocked the extra point attempt, but the Titans took a hard-fought 6-0 lead.
The Mustangs were not ready to enter the half-time pause with a deficit on the scoreboard. They initiated a drive on their 39-yard line with 40.9 seconds on the clock. Quarterback Colton Bielema connected with Newman for a 3-yard gain, followed by a 12-yard completion to Daeshaun McQueen, before the next three snaps were halted by penalties. Finally, with 2.9 seconds left in the half, Bielema found Blake Adams in the west end zone to tie the score at 6-6. A penalty on the extra point attempt moved the ball back to the 18-yard line for the next extra point attempt. Josh McDearmon’s kick was wide left, and the half ended in a 6-6 tie.
The second half saw a “grind-’em out” gameplay by both teams. Together, they only threw the ball five times and connected on one completion. The Mustangs’ only possession of the third period saw them march from their 40-yard line down to the Titans’ 6-yard line, when they were faced with a fourth-and-goal situation. Coach Vandermyde chose the option of attempting a field goal, but the McDearmon kick barely missed entering the uprights. The kick failed wide left, giving the Titans the ball on the 20-yard line.
Highlighted by a 28-yard scamper by Zeb Rashid, the Titans generated a drive that ended the third quarter on the Mustang 21-yard line. Morrison had owned the ball for 35 plays–compared to the Wethersfield 17–and the 6-6 tie carried into the fourth quarter
The final quarter started with a Mustang 10-yard penalty. The Titans needed only two snaps to find the end zone. Koeyn DeClerq bulled into the end zone from the 5-yard line with the clock showing 11:40 left in the game. After completing a successful extra point kick, the Titans led 13-6.
Each team owned the ball without successfully generating a first down, Mustangs started their final possession 91 yards from the line that needed to be crossed to tie this contest. With 7:34 remaining, their possession included 18 rushing plays and one 20-yard pass completion between Bielema and Brady Anderson to set up the exciting ending. The Mustangs had advanced to the Titans’ 3-yard line and owned a fourth-and-goal situation, when a timeout was called by Coach Vandermyde. With 12.3 seconds remaining, Bielema took the snap, rolled to his right, and floated a pass into the corner of the end zone, where Karder White was unable to complete the reception. The ball was turned over on downs where the Titans kneed out the victory, to advance to the next week’s third round Playoff against Lena-Winslow.
The final loss will be remembered with disappointment, but the successful season just completed by these Mustangs should never be forgotten.
