Big Plays Key Anna 26-15 Win Over Minster

By Bruce Monnin

MINSTER — The Anna Rockets has been known as a big play team throughout the season, and they lived up to their reputation in their 26-15 win over the Minster Wildcats. Anna scored on plays of 60, 82, 28 and 9 yards with those four plays accounting for 63% of their total offense on the night.

“They are a big play offense,” lamented Minster coach Eric Belcher. “Our defense played pretty well, but they have quick backs and if they get out in the open, they are going to run.”

Anna wasted no time as they received the opening kickoff and on the first play of the game completed their only pass of the night, a 60-yard scoring strike from Kyle Muehlfeld to TJ Tidwell. A fake extra point attempt failed, and the Rocket lead was quickly 6-0.

Minster tried to answer with one of their typical long drives, moving the ball 60 yards down the field. However, on a fourth down and four play they gained came up a yard short and turned the ball over to Anna on the 12-yard line.

It again took the Rockets only one play to score, this time on an 88-yard touchdown run by Sean Stewart. Another two-point attempt failed, and Anna was ahead 12-0 only 5:19 into the contest.

“I knew what was going to happen,” commented Anna coach Bryan Rioch while explaining his team’s early big plays. “The field was going to get crappy. In a lot of our series, we had a dry ball the first snap so we threw right off the bat.”

Both teams traded punts before Minster began their comeback. The Wildcats mounted another long drive of eleven plays, but his time Andrew Meyer capped off the 62-yard drive with a five-yard scoring jaunt to reduce the Minster deficit to 12-7.

The second half started with a big play by Minster. Dan Mueller went back to pass and was almost sacked. Instead, he broke free and galloped 56 yards deep into Anna territory. “Actually, the play was supposed to go the other way, but he cut it back around and made a good play out of it,” admitted Belcher. Two plays later Meyer rumbled for a 23-yard touchdown. Nate Wuebker scored on the two-point conversion try and the Wildcats had the 15-12 lead.

Minster went for the knockout blow and attempted to follow the score with an onside kick. Anna recovered and then held the field position advantage for the rest of the game. Two series later Anna drove the ball to the Minster seven-yard line, when their fourth down pass was broken up on an excellent defensive play by Keith Nerderman.

But the Wildcats again failed to move the ball, and after another punt Bryant Bensman broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run to allow Anna to regain the 19-15 lead. The Rocket defense shut down the Wildcats on two more series before a 58-yard Cory Sniffen run set up the nine-yard Stewart run which sealed the 26-15 win.

Coach Rioch was pleased with his team’s first year in the MAC. “Anybody who knows anything about anything knows this is the best small school league by far in the country. To come in the first year and do everything we did, I’m real proud of that. That team right there (Minster) is 4-6 and they would be first or second in any other league.”

Despite the losing record, Belcher also enjoyed the season. “I loved every minute of it, being around the kids and seeing their faces and talking to them after the game, that’s well worth every minute you put into it.”

Anna finishes the season with a 6-4 (5-4 MAC) mark. Minster ends the season with a 4-6 record (3-6 in the MAC).

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Anna 12 0 0 14 — 26

Minster 0 7 8 0 — 15