By Don Bachman
MINSTER – Minster
High’s grid warriors were looking for their first victory today and unless they
snap out of doldrums they may be looking when the season ends. The Wildcats, who showed signs of promise in
a losing effort to Bradford, fell completely apart Friday night and were
trounced 33-7 by a Lima St. Rose club that is below average of past Cardinal
squads.
To say Minster did
not look good Friday night would be the understatement of the year. The defensive play, particularly the second
half, consisted mainly of hoping long runs would be nullified by
penalties. Once again, the offensive
line failed to open holes for the backs and the Cats gained only 95 yards
rushing.
The passing was
pathetic with one completion in 14 attempts.
A look at statistics on the last two games tells the story of defensive
failure. Friday marked the second
straight game the Cats were not penalized, and while penalties can hurt a team,
lack of them shows little aggressiveness.
The Cats had plenty
of scoring chances but were able to dent the goal line only once. St. Rose’s O’Connor fumbled on the first play
and Bob Clune recovered on the visitors’ 38.
Two running plays picked up only two yards and a pass was
incomplete before Frericks punted in the end zone.
St. Rose advanced
to the Minster 41 before their attack bogged down. On fourth down they punted and as the ball
was ready to roll into the end zone Zimmerer picked
it up and was downed on the one. Frericks punted to the 26 on first down. The Cardinals moved to the ten before an
offside penalty pushed them to the 15. O’Connor
pitched out to Andrews and the Card back went around his own right end for the
tally. O’Connor’s kick made it 7-0.
With six minutes in
the half the Wildcats were completely fooled as the visitors executed a reverse
play to send Mikesell 46 yards for the score without a hand laid on him. O’Connor got a bad pass from center on his
placement attempt but recovered and passed to Schroeder for the point, and St.
Rose led 14-0.
Following that
score the Wildcats caught fire but the flame died out soon. After Dahlinghaus
returned the kickoff to the 30 the locals went 70 yards in thirteen plays for
the score. Frericks
cracked through the middle two yards with only eight seconds left in the half
for the six-pointer. The big plays in
the drive were a 12-yard blast over tackle and a 10-yard end run by Jon Hogenkamp and Frericks’ 28-yard
drive through the middle. Zimmerer’s placement made in 14-7 at halftime.
St. Rose fullback
Drew Dimond gathered a punt on the Minster 46 and went all the way for the
score to start the second half slaughter.
O’Connor’s kick made it 21-7.
Minster returned a
punt to its own 24 late in the third period but a couple of fumbles in the
backfield pushed the Cats to the nine.
Mike Smith picked
up a Frericks aerial and returned it for a touchdown,
but a clipping penalty nullified the score.
With the ball on the 24 Schroeder sped around his own left end for the
score. A bad pass from center ruined the
point try.
A pass put the ball
on the Minster eight as the third period ended and Dimond opened the final
quarter with a touchdown blast over the right tackle. The point try was blocked, and St. Rose led
33-7.
A holding penalty
that nullified Smith’s 47-yard run and a couple of fumbles stopped the Cards
from scoring any more in the last stanza while the Wildcats were unable to
connect on any desperation passes.
Next Saturday night
the locals travel to Piqua Catholic in a league game. Piqua was trounced 52-0 by Marion in the only
league action Friday.
Scoring by quarters:
Lima St. Rose 7 7 13
6 — 33
Minster 0 7 0 0 — 7
Team
statistics LSR MIN
First
downs 11 7
Rushing
yards 181 95
Passing
yards 41 24
Comp
- att - int 3-10-1 1-14-1
Punts
- average 4-31.2 8-30.0
Fumbles
- lost 3-1 3-1
Penalty
yards 75 0