From the Capital-Journal Sept 15. 2019
SILVER LAKE — With a one-point differential in the
final score in Silver Lake’s 14-13 War on 24 victory over Rossville on Friday
night, the natural assumption is that the game boiled down to a missed
extra-point kick.
Technically,
that’s correct. A bobbled snap on a fourth-quarter Rossville touchdown led to a
missed kick that ultimately proved to be the difference.
But the
argument could be made that the game was really decided on a pair of
fourth-down plays in the third quarter, both looming large for Silver Lake. As
Rossville coach Derick Hammes succinctly put it, “they made the fourth-down
play defensively and they made the fourth-down play offensively.”
First, the
defensive play. Tied 7-7 at halftime, Rossville took its opening possession of
the second half and moved it quickly into Silver Lake territory, a 24-yard pass
from Torrey Horak to Bo Reeves setting the Bulldawgs up with a first down at
the Eagle 4.
After a
3-yard run by Tyree Sowers got it to the one, Silver Lake’s defense stiffened.
Two plays netted no yards, and on fourth down from the 1, the Eagles stuffed
Sowers for no gain, not once, but twice after an offsides penalty gave
Rossville a second crack on fourth down.
“That
goal-line stand when they have it first and five or whatever it was,” C.J.
Hamilton said. “That was huge. It tested our character for sure.”
It also gave
the Eagles a lift as they went 99 yards for a go-ahead score. A 43-yard pass
from Cody Hay to Nate Boyden set the Eagles up at the Rossville 23, but after
three plays they were facing a fourth-and-9 situation from the 22.
Hay was
pressured, but lofted a pass to the end zone that Trey Koelzer snagged with a
nice grab for a 22-yard touchdown, the PAT kick by Logan Matzke making it 14-7.
Rossville had
an immediate answer, though. Passes of 20 yards to Kaleb Badura and 28 yards to
Kaiden Brown set up a 3-yard scoring pass from Horak to Randy Morelli with 8:48
left in the game.
But on the PAT try, the snap was bobbled and Reeves’ timing and kick was well
off, leaving the Bulldawgs down one.
Rossville got
the ball back at their own 17 with 4:08 left and passes of 16 and 14 yards got
the Bulldawgs to the Silver Lake 43. But a sack and holding penalty on first
down put Rossville in a tough spot and on fourth down, Horak was picked off by
Matzke to seal the Silver Lake win.
“There were
some schematic things that we weren’t as good on as we needed to be and I’ll
take the brunt of that,” Hammes said. “The kids played hard and their kids
played hard. They made the two plays they had to make and we didn’t.”
The turnover
was the third of the game for Rossville, but not nearly as costly as the first.
With Rossville leading 7-0 on the strength of an 8-yard touchdown pass from
Horak to Reeves in the first quarter, the Bulldawgs came up with their second
interception of Hay.
But on the
next play, Silver Lake defensive lineman Caden Cromer ripped the ball from
Horak’s hands on a rush up the middle and rambled 18 yards for a game-tying
touchdown.
An expected
strength coming into the season, Silver Lake’s defense came up big.
“I like the way we’re playing,” Hamilton said of his defense. “We’re playing
aggressively.”
Hay finished with 182 yards passing for Silver Lake, while Horak threw for 155
yards for Rossville.
SILVER LAKE 14, ROSSVILLE 13
Rossville
(1-1, 0-1);7;0;0;6;—;13
Silver Lake
(2-0, 2-0);0;7;7;0;—;14
Rossville —
Reeves 8 pass from Horak (Reeves kick)
Silver Lake —
Cad. Cromer 18 fumble return (Matzke kick)
Silver Lake —
Koelzer 22 pass from Hay (Matzke kick)
Rossville — Morelli 3 pass from Horak (kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing —
Rossville: Brown 2-0, Reeves 6-24, Horak 8-12, Sowers 12-9, Rezac 7-40. Silver
Lake: G. Reamer 17-76, Hay 17-7, Redmond 1-6, Kaniper 1-minus 3.
Passing —
Rossville: Horak 13-28-3, 155 yards. Silver Lake: Hay 14-25-2, 182 yards.
Receiving —
Reeves 3-35, Morelli 6-65, Klesath 1-7, Badura 2-12, Brown 1-28. Silver Lake:
Matzke 5-62, Kaniper 5-54, Reamer 2-1, Boyden 1-43, Koelzer 1-22.
