Parkway Survives Late
Minster Surge for First Win of Season, 17-15
By
Bruce Monnin
MINSTER — When a 1-6 football
team plays host to an 0-7 team, sometimes both teams do not put forward their
best effort. That was far from the case
at Minster as the Parkway Panthers earned their first victory of the season
with a hard fought 17-15 win over the Minster Wildcats.
Both teams engaged in a rugged defensive
struggle with Parkway’s two long returns for touchdowns on the night being
enough to hold off a late fourth quarter Minster surge.
Parkway coach Ed Kuhn was extremely pleased with
both the effort and the result on the night from his Panthers. “I just have to say I have to praise God for
these guys, what they’ve fought through,” complimented Kuhn. “I am proud of these guys. We spend a lot of time at Parkway talking
about character. Character counts in
life and in football. It is a credit to
their character that they haven’t quit the whole year.”
The game was still young when Parkway put up
the only score of the first half. Both
teams were forced to punt after their first possession, but Matt Dugan fielded
the Wildcat punt on his own ten-yard line and took the return ninety yards for
an early 6-0 Panther lead.
The rest of the half consisted of both teams
advancing into their opponent’s territory but failing to come away with any
points. Minster advanced in Parkway
territory four times without hitting paydirt, while the Panthers moved in
Wildcat territory twice, including once where they reached the Minster 2-yard
line before being stopped by an interception by Lou Fullenkamp.
Minster started the second half looking to even
the score. They drove for twelve plays
and used half of the third quarter to reach the Parkway 6-yard line. The Panthers turned potential disaster into
opportunity when Jonathan Fent stepped in front of a Wildcat receiver to
intercept a pass and then outran the entire Minster team for a 92-yard
interception return for a touchdown. A
successful two-point conversion increased the Parkway lead
to 14-0.
“He did what he has been taught. He made a tremendous break on the football,”
added Kuhn. “It was a humongous play.”
The Wildcats tried to respond. After recovering a Parkway fumble of a punt,
Minster drove to the Panther 25-yard line.
Another interception ended this drive, this time by Shawn Miller.
The Wildcats were not done yet. Midway through the fourth quarter they put
together another 10-play drive. This time they were rewarded with points when
Adam Niemeyer found Ross Heitkamp in the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown reception
cut their deficit to 14-7.
Parkway immediately showed that their offense
could also score in the fourth quarter.
On their first play after the kickoff, Bryce Bedwell connected with
Caleb Rodriguez for a 41-yard gain.
Another pass to Dillon Long for
But the Wildcats were not done. Using their hurry up offense, Minster took
just six plays before Niemeyer found Daniel Gusching
for a nine-yard touchdown reception with 1:18 still remaining. The two-point conversion which followed
brought the Wildcats within two points at 17-15.
The game came down to the ensuing onsides kick. Wildcat
fans had their hopes raised when the kick deflected off one Panther player, but
when the referees dug to the bottom of the pile, they found Parkway in
possession. The Panthers ran out the
clock to secure their first victory of the season.
1-7 Parkway returns home next week to take on
4-4 New Bremen. Minster, also now 1-7,
goes on the road to face the 7-1 Coldwater Cavaliers.
SCORE BY QUARTERSParkway 6 0 8 3 — 17
Minster 0 0 0 15 — 15