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North Huskies vs Reitz Panthers - at Bundrant Stadium Oct 04 2013

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Game Recap

LATE SCORES PROPEL REITZ TO 20-16 WIN OVER HUSKIES

Despite leading by nine points with 3:30 to play in the game, the Huskies lost 20-16 to the Reitz Panthers Friday night at Bundrant Stadium.  Having played mistake free football for the first three quarters, special-teams miscues by North fueled the come-from-behind win for the Panthers.

TURI EXTENDS HIS RECORD

That North could move the ball on Reitz was apparent from the opening minutes.  After forcing the Panthers to go three-and-out to start the game, the Huskies moved quickly down field.  Running most plays out of a double-wing set with the quarterback under center, senior Jesse Millikan provided the early fireworks on a 20 yard run out of the option. 

Once inside the red-zone, however, the drive stalled out and junior Zac Turi was called upon to attempt a field goal.  Aligning up the kick from the 23 yard line, the snap was perfect, the hold was on the money, and the ball sailed through the uprights for Turi’s record-setting sixth field goal of the season and tenth of his career.

REITZ GOING NOWHERE

The most surprising aspect of the first half was the Big Green defense’s ability to stall out the vaunted Reitz running game.  On their second possession, the Panthers only had marginally better success than their first possession.  An out pass in front of their sideline yielded a first down at the 38, but from there the defense met them head on.

On second and five at the 43, Turi came from his linebacker spot and dropped a runner for no gain and forced a fumble that was narrowly recovered by the Panthers.  On third and five, sophomore defensive guard Trevor McDowell stormed through the line and sacked the quarterback for a four yard loss.

SHORT PUNT LEADS TO FIRST REITZ SCORE

After the Huskies moved the ball quickly into Reitz territory, a third down pass fell incomplete and North punted the ball away.  The punt went out of bounds after traveling only 16 yards and rather than the Panthers back in their territory, they instead took over at their 35. 

Reitz battered away at the Husky line and the line begrudgingly gave ground.  It wasn’t until two missed tackles on a sweep play (one three yards behind the line of scrimmage and another near the line of scrimmage) that a Reitz back finally slipped outside and scampered for a touchdown.  Following the extra point, Reitz led 7-3 with 11 minutes to play in the first half.

THE DEFENSE SETS THINGS UP AGAIN

Following another North drive that stalled out at midfield,  a longer punt pushed the Panthers back deep into their territory.  After a runner was stopped at the line by junior Cody Smith on first down, senior Kevin Lockett executed a perfect corner-blitz on second down.  Flying to the quarterback, he sacked him for a nine yard loss and forced a fumble.  Fortunately for Reitz, the ball bounced toward a lineman and they recovered.

On third and long, the two most heralded players on the field matched up in a duel.  Reitz’ Junior All-State wide receiver from 2012 lined up in the slot and North’s own super-junior Chase Whitler drew the defensive matchup.  On the snap, the tall and lean Panther receiver streaked down field on a post rout.  Whitler, giving away several inches in height, but owning a decided advantage in ‘heart’ and quickness, matched the All-State receiver stride for stride.  Despite good protection, a strong throw, and a footrace designed to favor the receiver, Whitler covered the distance and forced an incompletion on the play.  The defense had again stalled the Reitz offense.

JENKINS STRIKES IT BIG UP THE MIDDLE

North struck like lightning on the second play of their ensuing possession.  Senior Mason Jenkins lined up at fullback in the double wing formation.  On the snap, center Buddy Waelde and guard Bryce Brown devastated the interior of the right side of the defensive line.  Waelde stood one defender straight up and Brown laid his man on the ground.  Guard Dylan Powell took out a middle linebacker and Jenkins took a straight dive handoff into the open space in the defense.

Five yards past the line of scrimmage, Reitz’ Junior All-State player (now at defensive back) drew a bead on Jenkins.  A bit of shifty footwork by Jenkins faked the All-State defender out of his jock-strap and the North fullback was off to the races.  67 yards later North led once again.  Turi’s extra point made the score 10-7 and it stayed that way thru halftime.

SECOND HALF

Two things happened in the third quarter.   For one, junior Ryan Wargel and the defense made a statement.  For the entire period, no Reitz play gained more than five yards.  Wargel was everywhere on the field.  He made tackles on punts, he made tackles in the middle of the field, and he made tackles in pursuit.  On the night he would end with 17 tackles in all (12 solo), a thrown-for-loss, and combine with Powell on a quarterback sack.  Most of his damage came in the second half.

For the second thing, the Husky offense sprung for yet another of its patented 13 play, time consuming touchdown drives.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE GAME WINNING DRIVE

The Huskies ran the final 4:45 of the third period off the clock and ate up the first couple minutes of the fourth quarter with a beautiful example of ball-control offense.  A sweep by Whitler gained 7 yards, a pair of Jenkins dives gained 16, and a Millikan option added five more yards.

It appeared that the drive could stall at the Reitz 35 when the Huskies failed to convert a third-and-long opportunity.  However, as they have so many times this season, Millikan and Whitler hooked up on a fourth-and-twelve pass that gained 14 yards and a first down at the 20. 

On the next play from scrimmage, Powell slid thru the line and stood the middle linebacker straight up with a block and Cody Smith pummeled the outside linebacker with a rolling block.  Millikan “optioned” the lone defensive end, the end committed to tackling Millikan, and Millikan slid the ball into Jenkins’ bread basket.  Jenkins ran through the empty space and bulled over a defensive back on his way to the eight yard line.

Three straight runs by Maalik Butler carried the ball to the two yard line.  On fourth-and-goal-to-go, Millikan sent a back in motion to the right, took the snap from center, and looked to pass while starting to roll to his left.  He ran a ‘naked bootleg’ while junior Riley Draper and Bryce Brown walled off as much pursuit as they could and Millikan won a foot race to the flag.  The Huskies led 16-7 at that point.

SPECIAL TEAMS LET DOWN BEGINS

The final ten minutes of the game were moments of highs and lows.  It would feature a dramatic “high” with a Husky defensive stand in front of its goal later in the game.  The “lows” began with a problem on the extra point kick.  Something happened in the exchange between the snap and the hold and North failed to get a kick attempt.  The missed point would later haunt the Huskies.  In the game’s final minute, they trailed by four points and had the ball deep in Reitz territory.  But for the missed extra point, they could have attempted short passes designed to get them into field goal range in order to send the game into overtime.  Instead they were forced to throw low-percentage deep passes to the end zone and came up empty handed.

THE DEFENSE EARNS ITS STRIPES

The high point of the Huskies season to date should have come with five minutes remaining.  Trailing by nine points, Reitz was in desperation mode and they strung together a drive that moved the ball in small chunks.  Wargel and Company yielded ground at a snail’s pace, forcing precious minutes off the clock.  They bent but they did not break.

Having taken 12 plays to make it inside the Husky ten yard line, the drive bogged down when senior DeOshay Johnson made the game’s most tenacious tackle.  With Reitz running “student body right” wherein practically everyone in the backfield and on the line rolls right as protection for the running back, Johnson looked very alone as he stood poised to turn the run inside.

He dove through the wall of blockers and grappled for the runners ankles.  Briefly it appeared he might bring the runner down, but his momentum carried him past the runner without affect.  Turi in the meantime had battled two blockers, sealed the North perimeter, and forced the runner to cut back.

From his knees, Johnson dove a second time for the runner and this time snared him with a text book wrap-up of the runners legs and dropped him for a two yard loss.

WARGEL VERSUS THE BULL

On fourth-and-three at the Husky 5 yard line, there was little doubt to whom Reitz would hand the ball.  Their fast but stout tailback had carried the ball seven times on the drive and had twice converted third-and-short.  That he would carry again was not in doubt.

How to stop him was more the question.

Ryan Wargel proved to be the answer.  On the snap, the Retiz offense executed a misdirection play designed to isolate the linebacker in a one-on-one situation with his momentum going the wrong way.

That might work on some middle linebackers.

It didn’t work on Ryan Wargel.

Wargel read the misdirection and stepped into the opening as the runner hit the hole.  The unstoppable force met the unmovable rock and something had to give.

Wargel threw the runner to the ground short of the first down.

North had the ball with five minutes to play and they led by two scores.

The game should have been all but over.

DEBACLE

A punt with 3:34 to play resulted in a kick that was very nearly blocked and rolled dead at the North 30.  Reitz quickly scored a touchdown and trailed by two.

The Huskies got the ball back with 3:19 to play and ran the clock down to 1:26 to play before they had to punt.  The snap sored over the punter’s head, rolled all the way to the five, the punter managed to scoop it up, kicked the ball with his left foot, and North got a generous bounce so that it would roll dead at the 35.  The total distance of the punt netted out at five yards.  Reitz scored the winning touchdown two plays later.

The Huskies got the ball back with under a minute to play, drove to the Reitz 34, and made several “last ditch” passes at the end zone until the clock ran out on them.  A game tying field goal to extend the game to overtime was not an option due to the botched extra point.

North had managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in just under 2 minutes and 30 seconds of play.

ANOTHER DAY

The Huskies will travel to Castle with a 2-5 record that is not indicative of how well they have played.  The Knights have their weakest team in five years and are primed for an upset.  North has played well enough to win three of their last four games.  If they can execute on the little things, Friday night could be a sweet night for the Husky faithful.

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