Minster Holds on to Defeat Marion Local 27-26

By Bruce Monnin

MARIA STEIN — The battle between the Marion Local Flyers and the Minster Wildcats featured few penalties, few turnovers, and many critical third and fourth down conversion. By the end of the game, the difference was extra point kicking and a failed two-point conversion attempt. Last year Marion Local won a close one-point game, but this year it was Minster’s turn to claim the one-point victory.

Marion Local received the opening kickoff and immediately staked their claim to the lead. The Flyers put together an 11-play scoring drive, where they faced a fourth down and four to go at the Minster 23-yard line. Kyle Muhlenkamp lofted a 23-yard touchdown pass to Charles Huelsman for the early 7-0 lead.

Minster tried to match their opponents by driving to the Marion Local 32-yard line and facing their own fourth-down play. A Jacob Niemeyer pass to Trent Roetgermans came up four yards short and the Flyers took over on downs.

Four plays later the Wildcats forced a fumble which was recovered at the Marion Local 47-yard line. This time Minster converted a fourth-and-four situation when Alex Schmitmeyer ran for 10 of his 184 yards on the night. Niemeyer later connected on a 17-yard scoring pass to Brendan Bornhorst to tie the score at 7 apiece.

The Flyers immediately reclaimed the advantage. A 43-yard completion from Muhlenkamp to Blake Schwieterman took the ball deep into Minster territory, then Brandon Fleck scored on a five-yard run. Another Alex Klosterman extra point made the score 14-7.

The Wildcats used most of the rest of the half to even the score. The drive featured a 15-yard completion to Roetgetman on a third down and 14 to go, and nine Schmitmeyer runs. Niemeyer finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Bryan Falk. Falk’s extra point made the game 14-14 at the half.

Minster received the second half kickoff and found themselves facing a fourth down with 16 yards to go at the Flyer 30-yard line. Once again, the Wildcats converted, this time on an 18-yard pass to Schmitmeyer. Niemeyer would later score on a four-yard run to give Minster its first lead of the night, 21-14.

"We made some critical, critical, key down situations," stated Minster coach Geron Stokes. "That’s how you win big time ball games. This group wanted this game. Awesome, awesome effort."

As seemed to happen frequently on the night, Marion Local responded quickly. On the third play of their drive, Muhlenkamp again connected with Huelsman, this time for a 34-yard touchdown. When Minster jumped offsides on the extra point try to move the ball to the one-yard line, the Flyers decided to go for the two-point conversion. Fleck attempted to run the ball in but was stopped by a group of Wildcats led by A.J. Heitkamp, leaving Minster with a 21-20 lead.

“That’s what we do in big games,” explained Flyer coach Tim Goodwin of the decision to go for two points. “I wish I had that play call back, but credit to them, they made the stop.”

Minster used a familiar formula to press the advantage at the start of the fourth quarter. Schmitmeyer ran the ball eight times on the drive, including gaining four yards on a fourth down when three yards were needed. A Niemeyer two-yard pass to Falk completed the scoring drive, but a missed extra point gave Marion Local new life, as the Wildcat lead was only seven points, 27-20.

The Flyers used another big play on the ensuing drive. This time Muhlenkamp kept to the ground, scoring from 50 yards out to chop the deficit to 27-26. A bad snap on the extra point prevented the tying extra point kick, and a desperation pass by the holder failed, leaving Minster in the lead by one point.

With 1:40 remaining in the game, Brendan Bornhorst intercepted a Marion Local pass. Minster tried to run out the clock, but the Flyer defense forced a Wildcat punt after using all three of their timeouts. Marion Local drove to the Wildcat 31-yard line, facing a fourth down. Muhlenkamp appeared to pick up the first down on a run, but a holding penalty nullified the gain and left the Flyers with the need to gain 12 yards on their next fourth down try. Muhlenkamp’s pass fell incomplete and Minster survived with the 27-26 victory.

“I’m proud of the way our kids played,” complimented Goodwin. “Minster played great. They obviously controlled the line of scrimmage and controlled the clock. It was a great football game. I just wish we had won.”

Minster dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 20 minutes more than the Flyers. This was due to Minster running Schmitmeyer 41 times for 184 yards behind the dominant Wildcat offensive line.

"We like those guys (the offensive line)," added Stokes. "They are a unit, a group that cares. They also have a lot of weight behind them, so we like to lean on people and move people."

Both quarterbacks had good nights. Niemeyer complete 16 of his 19 attempts for 148 yards and three touchdowns. Muhlenkamp threw for a lesser percentage, completing only 10 of his 20 attempts. However, he averaged 18.6 yards per completion, tallying 186 yards and two touchdowns on the evening.

Bornhorst was Minster’s top receiver with six catches for 45 yards, though Roetgerman’s three receptions for 47 yards all seemed to come at critical game moments. Huelsman was Marion Local’s top receiver, earning 104 yards and two touchdowns on his five catches.

7-1 Minster (5-1 in the MAC) will return home next Friday to host 3-5 Versailles. Marion Local falls to 6-2 (also 5-1 in the MAC) and will hit the road next week to face 3-5 Fort Recovery.

Score by quarter 1 2 3 4 Total

Minster 0 14 7 6 27

Marion Local 7 7 6 6 26

First Quarter:

ML – Charles Huelsman 23 yd pass from Kyle Muhlenkamp (Alex Klosterman kick), 7:29

Second Quarter:

MIN – Brendan Bornhorst 17 yd pass from Jacob Niemeyer (Bryan Falk kick), 10:16

ML – Brandon Fleck 5 yd run (Alex Klosterman kick), 7:56

MIN – Bryan Falk 3 yd pass from Jacob Niemeyer (Bryan Falk kick), 2:17

Third Quarter:

MIN – Jacob Niemeyer 4 yd run (Bryan Falk kick), 6:09

ML – Charles Huelsman 34 yd pass from Kyle Muhlenkamp (run failed), 5:01

Fourth Quarter:

MIN – Bryan Falk 2 yd pass from Jacob Niemeyer (kick failed), 11:18

ML – Kyle Muhlenkamp 48 yd run (kick failed), 9:24

Team statistics MIN ML

First downs 21 13

Rushes - yards 50-189 20-142

Passing yards 148 186

Comp - att - int 16-19-0 10-20-1

Total yards 337 328

Punts - average 1-28.0 1-44.0

Fumbles - lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties - yards 7-41 2-25

Time of possession 34:36 13:24

Individual statistics

Rushing: Minster, Schmitmeyer 41-184, Niemeyer 9-5; Marion Local, Muhlenkamp 9-95, Fleck 9-37, Meier 2-10

Passing: Minster, Niemeyer 16-19-0-148; Marion Local, Muhlenkamp 10-20-1-186

Receiving: Minster, Bornhorst 6-45, Falk 5-25, Roetgerman 3-47, Schmitmeyer 1-18, Ketner 1-13; Marion Local, Huelsman 5-104, Otte 3-16, Schwieterman 2-66