Trojans and Dragons have strong offensive start
By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor
Daily Journal Sports Editor
Aug 31, 2008 - 08:08:46 CDT
POTOSI - Mark Casey started his high school coaching career off on a good start as the Potosi Trojans were able to utilize a solid ground game to dominate the visiting Owensville Dutchmen for a 27-14 win.
The Trojans never trailed, posting a 14-0 halftime score and trading touchdowns in the second half with the Dutchmen. Moving the down markers was not a problem as the Trojans ran inside and outside the line nearly at will.
“Our offensive line did a tremendous job of controlling the game. They made our running game go for us,” said Casey.
Brandon Bourbon carried the mail for the most part with 21 carries in the game for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Brian Greer scored the other two TD’s and had five carries for 49 yards.
Quarterback Matt Marler was 5-15 in passing for 44 yards and had only one interception. Marler also answered one of Casey’s preseason concern by making three of four extra point attempts.
Defensive back Justin Laramore led the team in tackles with six and a half, and Will Dobbs, Damian Beacham and Hunter Belfield recorded five each. Belfield also made two sacks, Dobbs made one, and lineman Chris Kelly came up with one fumble recovery.
Ste. Genevieve 49, Dexter 19
STE. GENEVIEVE - The Ste. Genevieve Dragons scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter and then cruised on in for a 49-19 win over the Dexter Bearcats.
With D-1 prospect Kory Faulkner at the helm, the Dragons were able to move the ball consistently in the air, making long drives in a short amount of plays. Six of their seven touchdowns were on pass plays to four different receivers.
“Our passing really clicked well. We were able to spread the passing around and had three receivers with over 100 yards in the game,” said Ste. Genevieve football coach Bob Stolzer.
Faulkner completed 31 of 40 passes for 401 yards, and Matt Pfaff was 1-1 with a touchdown pass to Keith Pfaff for the Dragons’ last score.
Josh Meyer made 10 receptions for 131 yards, Dustin Noll caught the ball 10 times for 106 yards, and Cody Schmelzle hauled in four passes for 104 yards.
The Dragons first score came on the end of a three-play drive which started on their 16-yard line. A 73 yard pass to Schmelzle set up a six-yard pass to Noll for the touchdown. Noll also added the PAT.
The second drive went seven plays with Meyer catching a 14 yarder for the score, and after the Dragons held the Bearcats to a four and out for the second time, it took only six plays until Faulkner hit Noll with another six-yarder for the TD.
Jeremy Vaeth supplied a defensive bright spot with an interception in the second quarter, running it back for a five-yard touchdown. A safety by the Dragons gave them eight points in the quarter.
Faulkner hit Schmelzle on a 13-yard pass in the third quarter for the Dragons’ fourth touchdown to make the score 35-0 before Dexter was able to get on the board with a 20-yard pass. The Bearcats second score came on a 24 yard pass after a Faulkner to Schmelzle seven-yarder scored. They added another passing touchdown after Pfaff’s completion.
The Dragons rushed 18 times for 100 yards with Faulkner making nine carries for 62 yards. The Bearcats carried the ball 32 times for 144 yards.
Ste. Genevieve, ranked fourth in the state preseason poll in Class 3, will travel crosstown on Friday to play town rival Valle next.
Maplewood 34, Central 7
ST. LOUIS - The Central Rebels took the ball 55 yards in six plays on their opening drive of the 2008 season for a quick touchdown against the Maplewood Blue Devils, but it would be the last time the Rebels would cross the goal line as the No. 1 ranked team in Class 2 went on to defeat Central 34-7.
Tony Martin ran the ball on five of the plays for 53 yards, the last a five yard carry into the end zone.
D-1 prospect Bryant Allen picked off a pass for Maplewood later in the quarter and ran it back 75 yards for their first score. The Blue Devils converted a two-point play for the lead with six minutes left in the quarter. Quarterback Les Wiliams ran the ball in from the one twice to round out the halftime score of 21-7.
Turnovers and penalties were Central’s downfall. The Rebels turned the ball over four times with one fumble happening on the one-yard line to kill a drive in the fourth quarter.
“We probably averaged eight yards a carry, but penalties killed us when we would have to go 20 or more yards on three downs,” said Central head football coach Kory Schweiss. “They never stopped us on offense. We stopped ourselves.”
Martin carried the ball 26 times for 243 yards, and Tyler Friend ran it nine times for 58 yards.
The Rebels were yellow-flagged 10 times for a loss of 85 yards.
Central’s Brad Bales and Matt Ketterer came up big on defense with eight tackles apiece. Bales also had three sacks.
Maplewood went strictly to the air with Williams connecting twice with receiver Tony King for touchdowns in the second half. The Blue Devils passed 27 times, connecting on 21 for 267 yards, and rushed 27 times for 100 yards.
Central will host St. Vincent (1-0) this Friday.
Herculaneum 28, Valle 13
HERCULANEUM - The Valle Warriors scored first, trailed by only one point going into the fourth quarter, but two unanswered touchdowns gave the home team Herculaneum Blackcats a 28-13 win in the two-teams’ season opener.
“Most of the mistakes we made we can fix,” said Valle football coach Judd Naeger. The Warriors fumbled the ball only once, but gave up four interceptions as well, two of which were at the goal line.
Valle scored first on a 75 yard pass to Zach Weiler from halfback Nathan Geile with his only pass in the game. In the third quarter quarterback Michael Greminger hit Garrett Kertz with a 10-yard touchdown pass. Greminger finished the game 24-40 for 230 yards and he also ran the ball for 60 yards.
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The Trojans never trailed, posting a 14-0 halftime score and trading touchdowns in the second half with the Dutchmen. Moving the down markers was not a problem as the Trojans ran inside and outside the line nearly at will.
“Our offensive line did a tremendous job of controlling the game. They made our running game go for us,” said Casey.
Brandon Bourbon carried the mail for the most part with 21 carries in the game for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Brian Greer scored the other two TD’s and had five carries for 49 yards.
Quarterback Matt Marler was 5-15 in passing for 44 yards and had only one interception. Marler also answered one of Casey’s preseason concern by making three of four extra point attempts.
Defensive back Justin Laramore led the team in tackles with six and a half, and Will Dobbs, Damian Beacham and Hunter Belfield recorded five each. Belfield also made two sacks, Dobbs made one, and lineman Chris Kelly came up with one fumble recovery.
Ste. Genevieve 49, Dexter 19
STE. GENEVIEVE - The Ste. Genevieve Dragons scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter and then cruised on in for a 49-19 win over the Dexter Bearcats.
With D-1 prospect Kory Faulkner at the helm, the Dragons were able to move the ball consistently in the air, making long drives in a short amount of plays. Six of their seven touchdowns were on pass plays to four different receivers.
“Our passing really clicked well. We were able to spread the passing around and had three receivers with over 100 yards in the game,” said Ste. Genevieve football coach Bob Stolzer.
Faulkner completed 31 of 40 passes for 401 yards, and Matt Pfaff was 1-1 with a touchdown pass to Keith Pfaff for the Dragons’ last score.
Josh Meyer made 10 receptions for 131 yards, Dustin Noll caught the ball 10 times for 106 yards, and Cody Schmelzle hauled in four passes for 104 yards.
The Dragons first score came on the end of a three-play drive which started on their 16-yard line. A 73 yard pass to Schmelzle set up a six-yard pass to Noll for the touchdown. Noll also added the PAT.
The second drive went seven plays with Meyer catching a 14 yarder for the score, and after the Dragons held the Bearcats to a four and out for the second time, it took only six plays until Faulkner hit Noll with another six-yarder for the TD.
Jeremy Vaeth supplied a defensive bright spot with an interception in the second quarter, running it back for a five-yard touchdown. A safety by the Dragons gave them eight points in the quarter.
Faulkner hit Schmelzle on a 13-yard pass in the third quarter for the Dragons’ fourth touchdown to make the score 35-0 before Dexter was able to get on the board with a 20-yard pass. The Bearcats second score came on a 24 yard pass after a Faulkner to Schmelzle seven-yarder scored. They added another passing touchdown after Pfaff’s completion.
The Dragons rushed 18 times for 100 yards with Faulkner making nine carries for 62 yards. The Bearcats carried the ball 32 times for 144 yards.
Ste. Genevieve, ranked fourth in the state preseason poll in Class 3, will travel crosstown on Friday to play town rival Valle next.
Maplewood 34, Central 7
ST. LOUIS - The Central Rebels took the ball 55 yards in six plays on their opening drive of the 2008 season for a quick touchdown against the Maplewood Blue Devils, but it would be the last time the Rebels would cross the goal line as the No. 1 ranked team in Class 2 went on to defeat Central 34-7.
Tony Martin ran the ball on five of the plays for 53 yards, the last a five yard carry into the end zone.
D-1 prospect Bryant Allen picked off a pass for Maplewood later in the quarter and ran it back 75 yards for their first score. The Blue Devils converted a two-point play for the lead with six minutes left in the quarter. Quarterback Les Wiliams ran the ball in from the one twice to round out the halftime score of 21-7.
Turnovers and penalties were Central’s downfall. The Rebels turned the ball over four times with one fumble happening on the one-yard line to kill a drive in the fourth quarter.
“We probably averaged eight yards a carry, but penalties killed us when we would have to go 20 or more yards on three downs,” said Central head football coach Kory Schweiss. “They never stopped us on offense. We stopped ourselves.”
Martin carried the ball 26 times for 243 yards, and Tyler Friend ran it nine times for 58 yards.
The Rebels were yellow-flagged 10 times for a loss of 85 yards.
Central’s Brad Bales and Matt Ketterer came up big on defense with eight tackles apiece. Bales also had three sacks.
Maplewood went strictly to the air with Williams connecting twice with receiver Tony King for touchdowns in the second half. The Blue Devils passed 27 times, connecting on 21 for 267 yards, and rushed 27 times for 100 yards.
Central will host St. Vincent (1-0) this Friday.
Herculaneum 28, Valle 13
HERCULANEUM - The Valle Warriors scored first, trailed by only one point going into the fourth quarter, but two unanswered touchdowns gave the home team Herculaneum Blackcats a 28-13 win in the two-teams’ season opener.
“Most of the mistakes we made we can fix,” said Valle football coach Judd Naeger. The Warriors fumbled the ball only once, but gave up four interceptions as well, two of which were at the goal line.
Valle scored first on a 75 yard pass to Zach Weiler from halfback Nathan Geile with his only pass in the game. In the third quarter quarterback Michael Greminger hit Garrett Kertz with a 10-yard touchdown pass. Greminger finished the game 24-40 for 230 yards and he also ran the ball for 60 yards.