Silver Lake Wins "War On 24" By 1 Pt

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.