Sunday, October 28, 2007 11:08 PM CDT
Fast start helps Arcola advance
By Mike Monahan Staff Writer
mmonahan@jg-tc.com
ARCOLA – In the first home football playoff game at Thomas-Bradford Field (named Oct. 4, 2002) Arcola had the ball for 16 plays compared to just two for South Fulton in the first nine minutes of the game and led 13-0 in the IHSA Class 1A contest Saturday. The Purple Riders led 19-0 outgaining the Rebels 226-121.However, South Fulton railed to within six with five minutes, 10 seconds left in the game. Arcola, who was held to 94 yards in the second half, had two interceptions in the final three minutes to preserve a 19-15 victory. Arcola, the No. 7 seeded team is to travel to top seeded and third ranked Jacksonville Routt Saturday in a second round contest. The Rockets had to rally for a 16-12 victory over Nokomis Friday.
“We are in the top 16 right now and we know we have our work cut out for us next week at Routt,” said Arcola coach Jarod Kiger, who left not long after the game to see his alma mater Carrollton fall to top ranked Tuscola 60-0. “We just know we have to prepare and at this point in the season they are all good teams and we are happy to be one of them.”
South Fulton won the toss, but elected to receive the ball in the second half and Arcola took advantage as they received the opening kickoff and marched 57 yards in nine plays with Cameron Anderson gaining 26 yards on six carries and the big playing an 18-yard run by quarterback Mark Klinger as he rolled around the right side of his line. The extra point was wide to the right, but the Purple Riders led 6-0.
On the Rebels second play from scrimmage Kenneth East made the first of his two interceptions and returned it nine yards after at first juggling the ball before gaining control. The Purple Riders took eight plays to march the 43 yards for the score. Dylan VanVeldhuizen caught a 10-yard pass from Klinger on the second play and two plays later Beau Fishel picked up 17 yards on a run, making it first and goal at the nine. South Fulton held Arcola to five yards on three plays, but jumped offsides on fourth and goal from the four, putting the pigskin at the two. Anderson scored on the next play and Mikey Robinson booted the extra point, putting the Purple Riders up 13-0 with 2:58 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Rebels first drive of the second quarter began at their own eight. South Fulton moved the ball into Arcola territory for the first time on a 16-yard pass to Levi Porter from quarterback Matt Abernathy, who finished 13-of-28 for 188 yards and a touchdown. Abernathy hooked up with Zeke Meehan for a gain of 12 at the Purple Riders 29. Arcola’s defense held and the Rebels went for the first down on fourth and 11 and fell three yards short as Brennan Parks caught an eight-yard pass.
Arcola began what would not only turn out to be its final scoring drive of the game, but one that included history. The first bit of history occurred when Anderson gained nine yards on the first play as he went over the 1,000 mark for the season. Zac Ozee caught a 19-yard pass from Anderson and two plays later another piece of history occurred when Klinger connected with David Myers for a gain of 11 and a first down putting Klinger over the 1,000 yard mark. Klinger becomes the third player in Arcola history to pass for over 1,000 yards in a season (Nathan Mohr and Brad Clark are the others) and Anderson and Klinger become only the second 1,000 yard rusher and passer in the same season behind Mark Monahan and Brad Clark in 1991. A 21 yard pass to Ozee put the ball on the two and Anderson scored his third and final touchdown of the game on the next play. The extra point failed, but Arcola led 19-0 to the delight of the Arcola faithful.
South Fulton set up its first score after an interception by Parks n the Arcola 40. A pass interference penalty and a 14-yard pass from Abernathy to Tyler Perry moved the ball to the 11. Nick Shawgo scored on an 11-yard run and Aaron Eddington made the extra point.
“To get that first score-those things energize you and the team and gets everybody going and believing,” said South Fulton coach Dave Wilson. “I was pleased with the kids not quitting and not hanging their heads and keep battling. I knew if the shoe was on the other foot Arcola would comeback because I have seen that on the films I have watched. You have to keep playing and play each play and don’t get caught up in the past and something positive should happen.”
Arcola nearly put the game away on its next drive picking up a first down on a fourth and inches on an eight-yard run by Klinger, who was 7-of-10 for 85 yards and had 14 carries for 116 yards. Klinger’s 19-yard run made it first and goal just inside the 10. South Fulton stopped Arcola on three running plays and on fourth and three with 8:36 left in the game, stopped a run a yard short.
“We just had a better effort then,” said Wilson. “We didn’t make any adjustments and didn’t talk about them much at halftime. We talked about playing with pride and more energy.”
The Rebels took over at the one and Bryce Kelly, who entered the game with three receptions overall, caught a tipped pass on a third and 10 for a gain of 21. Shwago gained 26 yards two plays later and Porter caught a 17-yard pass as the Rebles moved the ball to the Purple Rider 33. On fourth and three Arcola applied pressure on Abernathy, but he got away and threw a 26-yard pass to Kelly in the back of the end zone. The extra point attempt failed, but the Rebels had moved to within six.
Meehan blocked an Arcola punt and the Rebels took over at the Purple Rider 27 as the Rebel fans, who made the two hour plus drive, cheered the team on. East picked off a pass just outside of the end zone on the third play and Arcola took over on their own one. With 1:33 left Kiger called a time out to tell the punter, Hugo Martinez, to step on the end line and take a safety.
“We had not practiced it a lot and obviously it is not something you want to have to do, but we thought looking at the score that they would still have to score to get us. Daniel Torres is a great kickoff guy and puts the ball down there and so we took the safety and it worked out for us.”
South Fulton returned the kick 15 yards to its own 48 with 1:16 left. After a 12-yard pass to Porter Torres hit a pass attempt and freshman Garrison Stenger caught the deflection to seal the victory.
“They were trying a lot of quick outs,” said Kiger. “Porter is a great receiver. He does a nice job of catching the ball when it is around so what they try and do is get the ball in his hand and let him work downfield. So, we had to get some pressure up front and we finally got it the last couple of drives and knocked the ball down and Garrison got the big pick.”
Wilson said Arcola did do some things he had not seen on film.
“We saw a couple of the same formations, but they did some different things out of them which was a nice twist for them,” said Wilson. “They did a nice job of mixing it up and showing some things different.”
Contact Mike Monahan at mmonahan@jg-tc.com or 238-6854.
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