Minster Takes Advantage
of Scoring Opportunities in 28-14 Victory Over Fort Recovery
By
Bruce Monnin
FORT RECOVERY — It
was a contrast of styles Friday night as the Minster Wildcats traveled to Fort
Recovery to take on the Indians. Minster
ran the ball 52 times for
While the Indians completed 23 passes, their
quarterbacks were pressured all night long by a Wildcat defense who registered
four sacks to go along with four interceptions.
“We had to put pressure on him (Fort Recovery
quarterback Greg Kahlig) and
I think tonight we had a record number of sacks since I’ve been here,”
explained Minster coach Eric Belcher.
“We kept trying to put pressure on, hoping for mistakes, and I think our
four interceptions are the result of that.”
Robert Gruber grabbed the first interception on
the third play of the game to get the Wildcats started at the Fort Recovery
35-yard line. Three plays later they had
first and goal at the 4-yard line. But
the Indian defense stiffened, and Minster turned the ball over on downs at the
1-yard line.
After both sides exchanged punts, Kahlig set-up the first Indian score by completing a 70-yard
pass to Craig Tobe.
Matt Braun followed with a 10-yard touchdown run for the early 7-0 lead.
Minster answered right back as Austin Baumer hit Gruber for a 56-yard touchdown strike to tie the
game after one quarter at 7-7.
Fort Recovery started the second quarter with a
12-play drive which ended in a punt after a crucial Minster sack took the
Indians out of four down territory. A
Tyler Jutte fumble recovery gave the ball back to Fort Recovery, and this time
Frank Thien hit Cody Fiely
with a 15-yard touchdown catch to make their lead 14-7.
Minster responded before half with a 13-play
drive of their own. With the clock
running down and the ball on the Indian 11-yard line, Baumer
connected with Brian Mueller on a flair pass which Mueller took to the corner
of the end zone, diving in for the score with just two seconds left on the
clock to tie the game 14-14 at half.
“Brian Mueller came to me before the half when
we were down 14-7 and he told me to run this play because it was going to
work,” said Belcher. “He made a big
catch and went diving for the end zone.
This is huge because when they tell you they will get something done you
see them do it now. They are making big
plays.”
Minster scored early in the third quarter to
take a lead they would never relinquish.
The big play was a keeper on an option play by Baumer,
who showed astonishing speed in outrunning several defenders for a 52-yard
gain. A Baumer
one yard quarterback sneak followed for the go-ahead touchdown.
Minster’s final score was set up when Zach Hoelscher blocked a Fort Recovery punt to give the Wildcats
the ball at the Indian 24-yard line. Ty Whitford ran for the first
But the game was far from over, and it would
take the Minster defense to seal the win.
On the next Fort Recovery drive, Sam Otting
intercepted an Indian pass on the 10-yard line.
The following Fort Recovery possession ended when the Wildcat defense
held on a fourth-down play at midfield.
The Indians put together a solid drive the next
time they had the ball, but on the fourteenth play of the drive Reid Heitkamp
grabbed an interception at the 11-yard line.
Fort Recovery’s final hope was ended when Heitkamp intercepted another
pass, this time at the 6-yard line with less than two minutes remaining in the
game.
The win pushes Minster’s record to 3-1 and ends
a streak of eleven straight losses in league play. “It’s been a long time since we won a MAC
game, 2006 against Parkway,” confirmed Belcher.
“It’s a big win but we still have a long way to go.”
Next week Minster tries for their fourth road
win as they travel to face the 1-3 New Bremen Cardinals. 2-2 Fort Recovery also travels to play the
2-2 Parkway Panthers.
SCORE
BY QUARTERS
Minster 7 7 14 0 — 28
Fort
Recovery 7 7 0 0 — 14