Back

North Huskies vs Mater Dei Wildcats- at Budrant Stadium Sep 19, 2014

Game Stats    Game Recap   

Offense

Sep 19 NORTH vs Harrison VARSITY Offensive Stats  
2014                
Passing                
Player Att Com % Yards TD INT Notes:  
PATE 10 3 30% 27 0 0    
WHITLER 1 1 100% 31 1 0 1-31yd TD (B.Johnson)  
TOTAL 11 4 36% 58 1 0    
               
Rushing                
Player Att Yds Avg TD Long Fum Notes:  
WHITLER 9 50 5.6 0 28 0    
WARGEL 6 28 4.7 0 8 2    
JOHNSON, F. 2 13 6.5 0 7 0    
PATE 20 10 0.5 0 28 1    
JENKINS 3 7 2.3 0 3 0    
TOTAL 40 108 2.7 0 28 3    
               
Receiving                
Player Rec To " Yds Avg TD Long Notes:  
JOHNSON, B. 1 3 31 31.0 1 31 1-31yd TD (Whitler)  
JENKINS 1 1 16 16.0 0 16    
WHITLER 2 5 11 5.5 0 13    
JOHNSON, F.   1   ####        
HIRSCH   1   ####        
TOTAL 4 11 58 14.5 1 31    
  * thrown to          
               
Returns                
Player Type No. Yds Avg. TD Long Notes:  
WHITLER KO 2 71 35.5 0 37    
PATE KO 1 23 23.0 0 23    
WHITLER Punt 1 14 14.0 0 14    
TOTAL   4 108 27.0 0      
               
Kicks                
Player Type No. Yds Avg. Long   Notes:  
TURI KO 1 50 50.0 50   1-squibbed; 1-onsides  
WHITLER Punt 1 32 32.0 32      
TOTAL   2 82 41.0        
               
Scoring                
Player Total TD rush TD rec TD ret 2pt XP XP kick Special  
JOHNSON, B. 6 0 1 0 0 0    
TURI 4 0 0 0 0 1 1-32yd FG  
  0 0 0 0 0 0    
TOTAL 10 0 1 0 0 1 0  

 

Team Stats

Sep 19 NORTH vs Mater Dei Team Stats  
2014        
  NORTH   MATER DEI  
13 FIRST DOWNS 15  
11 Rushing 10  
2 Passing 5  
0 Penalty 0  
108 RUSHING YARDS 169  
40 Rushing attempts 39  
2.7 Avg yds per rush 4.3  
58 PASSING YARDS 116  
11 Attempts 18  
4 Completions 12  
36% Completion % 67%  
14.5 Avg yds per completion 9.7  
2 / 17 Sacked / Yards Lost 3 / 22  
166 TOTAL YARDS 285  
51 Plays 57  
3.3 Avg yds per play 5.0  
3 TURNOVERS 2  
3 Fumbles lost 2  
0 Passes HAD intercepted 0  
0 Points scored off turnovers 14  
3 / 15 PENALTIES / YARDS 7 / 50  
3 / 10 3rd down conversions 3 / 9  
3 / 6 4th down conversions 1 / 3  
       
SCORING        
QTR TIME PLAY SCORE  
1st 9:53 Fritch 41yd TD reception (Wilderman) 0 - 6  
    Moll XP kick 0 - 7  
  3:17 B.Johnson 32yd TD reception (Whitler) 6 - 7  
    Turi XP kick 7 - 7  
2nd 4:47 Pokorney 24 yd TD reception (Wilderman) 7 - 13  
    Moll XP kick 7 - 14  
  3:27 Richardt 2yd TD run 7 - 20  
    Moll XP kick 7 - 21  
3rd 9:52 Turi 32yd Field Goal 10 - 21  
4th 4:36 Richardt 1yd TD run 10 - 27  
    Moll XP kick 10 - 28  
       

 

Defensive Stats

  NORTH VS MATER DEI  9/19/2014 - DEFENSIVE STATS  
                   
PLAYER SOLO ASST. T-FL SACK C FUM R FUM INT BK POINTS
RYAN WARGEL 8 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 20
CAGE STREET 7 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 20
TRAIS LOWE 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 9
BRYCE BROWN 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 9
AUSTIN CURTIS 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 9
CHASE WHITLER 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
TRE NEIGHBORS 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6
ZAC TURI 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
CODY SMITH 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4
MASON JENKINS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
RILEY FIDLER 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
TASHAWN HAZELWOOD 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
TREVOR McDOWELL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
FORD JOHNSON 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
TOTALS 36 12 1 3 1 2 0 0 98

 

Game Recap

FUMBLES FOIL HUSKY UPSET ATTEMPT IN 28-10 LOSS TO WILDCATS

Despite a gallant effort by the defensive front seven, North fumbled away a chance at an upset in a 28-10 loss to Mater Dei Friday night.  Led by stalwart linebackers Ryan Wargel and Cage Street, the Husky defenders battled the Wildcats to a standstill up front and even managed to force two turnovers.  The standout night by the line and linebackers went for naught but it was the closest any team has come against the #2 ranked and undefeated Wildcats.

KICKOFF GAMBLES FAIL

Mater Dei gained great field position on North’s first two kickoffs when intentionally short kicks (one onsides, one squibbed) put the Wildcats at midfield on each of the ensuing possessions.  It appeared that the defense would make a stand at the Husky 41 in the game’s opening minutes, however, a defensive back in one-on-one coverage lost containment and what should have been a short gain went for a touchdown.  North trailed 7-0 barely two minutes into the game.

WHITLER AGAIN FINDS A WAY

As has been the story for much of the 2014 season, just when the Huskies needed him most, senior captain Chase Whitler answered desperation’s call.  When Mater Dei’s ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, the Huskies took over at the 35 and chipped away at the Wildcat defense.  Ten plays of grind it out offense brought North to the Wildcat 31 but the defense stiffened and North faced fourth-down-and-nine.  Outside of field goal range and facing fourth and long, the Huskies were too close to the goal to punt.  They were in no-man’s-land.

Enter Chase Whitler.

Whitler has found a way to keep the Huskies in games by most any means available to a football player.  He runs, he kicks, he catches, he defends, he returns, and he forces turnovers.  Until Friday, his arm was the only tool that North had failed to utilize in its efforts to win games.

On fourth and nine in the middle of no-man’s-land, he started in motion and took a pitch on what appeared to be a jet sweep around right end.  The defense had obviously watched enough North film to know what was coming and bit on the run.

Except Whitler pulled up short of the line, set his feet, and arced a perfect spiral 30 yards down field to wide receiver Brock Johnson.  Johnson didn’t even need to break stride as he hauled in the pass and trotted untouched into the end zone for North’s first and only touchdown of the game.  Zac Turi’s kick tied the score at seven.

DEFENSIVE STAND GIVES WAY TO OFFENSE DISASTER

The defense brought their “A” game on Friday.  After North’s attempted on-sides kickoff left Mater Dei with the ball at midfield, the Huskies needed a big stand to thwart southern Indiana’s most vaunted offensive juggernaut.

Turi dropped the quarterback for no-gain on first down.  Whitler thwarted a pass completion on second down.  Junior Tre Neighbors stood tall on third down and batted away another pass attempt.  When the Wildcat punt rolled out of bounds after going just 20 yards, North looked to be in good position to threaten the Wildcats.

And then the first of five fumbles (three lost) occurred on North’s very next play from scrimmage

TRAIS LOWE STANDS TALL

Mater Dei had the ball at the North 30 and the Huskies needed to summon something extra if they wanted to keep momentum in check.  The last few games have witnessed the growth of junior defensive end Trais Lowe as a presence on the field.  Friday he did his best to hold off the Wildcats.

On first down he stopped a running back for no gain when Mater Dei threw everything but the kitchen sink at Lowe’s position.  After a screen pass yielded a first down at the North 20, it was Lowe who then raced in and sacked the quarterback for a seven yard loss.  The Husky front seven did their part in holding Mater Dei to just four yards on the next two plays and with the Wildcats facing fourth and thirteen at the 24, it appeared that Lowe’s big plays would pay off.

A Husky defensive back “bit” on a pump fake and a wide receiver slipped behind the defense and Mater Dei got a cheap score to go up 14-7.

WHITLER’S LEGS CONTINUE THE FIGHT

Fielding the ensuing kickoff at the 18 yard line, Whitler returned the kick up the middle, passed through the wedge and made his way 33 yards into Mater Dei territory.  Quarterback Zach Pate ran for 11 yards on first down and Whitler took a pitch on the next play and went another eleven yards.  In nearly no time at all the Huskies had made their way to the Wildcat 26 and appeared ready to even the score.

A blitz up the middle caused the quarterback to be tackled for a loss on first down.  A lineman jumped off sides to move the ball back five more yards.  What appeared to be a naked bootleg to the left was sniffed out by the Mater Dei defense and the quarterback was dropped for a six yard loss on second down.  A third down flat pass to Mason Jenkins gained some of the yardage back.

Facing fourth and eight at the 24, the Huskies appeared to be within Turi’s field goal range.  North called a time out to consider its options.  Returning to the field, North appeared to line up to go for it, but the coaches did not like the matchup and called rare back-to-back time outs.

Lining Whitler up in a stack with Brock Johnson wide to the left, a pass attempt sailed over his head as he drew double coverage immediately.  North had lost its best chance to regain the initiative in the game.

CREAM RISES

There is a reason that Mater Dei is ranked as highly as they are.  Given a reprieve by the North offense, the Wildcats executed a text book drive down the field for their third score.  The defense yielded gains in small chunks but failed to stop Mater Dei on a pair of third and three situations.  A dive play on the twelfth play of the drive put them up 21-8 as the first half wound down.

SECOND HALF

Whitler took the second half kickoff and streaked 37 yards to midfield.    He then gathered in a bubble screen pass in front of the North sideline and jetted 13 yards thru four defenders to the Wildcat 36.  Pate then read a ‘Midline’ option play perfectly and rolled past the Mater Dei line and into the secondary.  It appeared he would score until the one man between him and the end zone—the official—got in the way.  Having to cut at an awkward angle to avoid the backfield judge, Pate gave up his momentum and the Wildcats caught up with him at the nine yard line.  Two plays to Whitler yielded nothing and North attempted a naked bootleg play to the left again on third and goal.  Mater Dei was not fooled and the quarterback was thrown for a loss.

Zac Turi, by almost all measures, is the finest kicker in North football history.  His field goal totals are more than double his closest rival.  He has kicked critical game winning extra points in howling rain storms.  He has taken away opponent return games with touchback kickoffs.  He has an exceptionally high percentage of extra points made.

On a night with perfect weather, the ensuing 32 yard field goal attempt was as near to ‘automatic’ as such kicks can be.  It is a testimony to his career that the North faithful consider such kicks ‘points on the board’ before the snap.  Turi made it 21-10 with his strong right leg.

THE DEFENSE MAKES STAND AFTER STAND AFTER STAND

Mater Dei knew that they were in for a game.  They faced a North team that was gaining confidence and a new face up front was primarily responsible.  Junior Bryce Brown was drawing double duty and made his presence felt.  On first down, he teamed with Ryan Wargel to hold a runner at the line of scrimmage.  From his defensive tackle position, he blew past the guard on second down and sacked the quarterback for a five yard loss and effectively ended the possession for Mater Dei.

Whitler took the Wildcats’ ensuing punt at midfield and returned it near the 30 yard line.  The offense could do nothing in four downs and gave the ball back to Mater Dei.

A bit of bad tackling on an inside running play allowed the Wildcats to escape their territory but once again the defense answered the call of duty.  When they made it to the North 35, senior Mason Jenkins stormed in on a blitz and hurried the quarterback into making what turned out to be a ‘backward pass’ and sophomore Cage Street recovered the ball at the North 40.  The defense had again risen to the occasion.

The offense lost seven on first down when interior penetration blew up an option play, gained nothing on a second down run, and the right side of the line broke down on a pass play resulting in an eight yard sack.  Whitler’s punt was then inadvertently touched ‘down’ by a North player in coverage just as it hit the ground and began to bounce.

DEFENSE REFUSES TO BREAK

With the game entering the fourth quarter, Mater Dei had the ball at their 32 and a 21-10 lead.  They began another drawn out march toward the North end zone.  The defense continued to yield ground in small bites but the progress was steadily backward and the clock was moving.  When the Wildcats reached first and goal at the North ten, everyone in Bundrant Stadium knew the game was reaching its end point.

Everyone but the Husky defense, that is.

On first down, Street stopped a runner for just two yards.  On second down, senior Cody Smith stopped a run for just one yard.  Looking at third and goal at the seven, Mater Dei chose to pass the ball.

North’s defense had plenty of ‘beef’ up front, but the Wildcats chose to meet it with double wide outs to both sides.  As a result, junior Austin Curtis, lined up at left outside linebacker, had no end between him and the backfield.  He failed to ‘bite’ on a fake handoff into the middle and instead bore down on the undefended quarterback.  Nailing him at the 15, he stripped the ball cleanly away from him  whereupon Smith snatched it up at the 26 and made his way to the North 35.

North stood poised to make a game of it.

WHITLER GIVES IT ONE MORE TRY

A first down option run lost three.  A second down pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage.  North went ‘back to the well’ again with the naked bootleg on third down.  A blitz up the middle snuffed out any chance and the Huskies lost nine more yards.  Facing fourth and twenty-two at the North 21, desperate times called for desperate measures.

North chose to fake a punt.

The Huskies put their faith in Chase Whitler.  Again.

Taking the deep center snap with senior Ford Johnson running in motion, Whitler faked a handoff to Johnson and began the long journey back towards the line of scrimmage.  When he began his run, he stood on the North six yard line and needed to get to the 49 if the Huskies were to have a chance.

He juke-stepped a defender at the ten.  He somehow darted between two would-be tacklers at the 20.  He cut away from another at the 25 as he passed the line of scrimmage.  He broke into open space but faced one of the Wildcats best players one-on-one as he neared the 45.  To be stopped short of the 49 would make the effort all for naught.

Whitler did a stutter step that left the defender’s jock strap on the turf and then he battered a shoulder into the next set of defenders before going down at the Mater Dei 49.

NO OVERCOMING MISTAKES

Seven minutes remained and when North punched the ball to the Mater Dei 34, it appeared that finally the “magic” of Bundrant Stadium would work for the 2014 Huskies.  The night was beautiful and the evening as orchestrated by the Booster Club had provided a festive atmosphere.  A score here would transform the Stadium into bedlam and make a statement.

North's offense then fumbled the ball away to Mater Dei and the air went out of the collective balloon of Bundrant.

The Wildcats went 65 yards against a demoralized defense and North lost 28-10.

SILVER LINING

The defensive front seven went toe-to-toe with one of Indiana’s best teams and held their own.  Other than two poor choices in the defensive backfield, the Huskies held a potent offense well below their customary production.

The addition of Brown and Smith to the defensive front yielded positive results, A number of juniors are showing exceptional growth over the last two games on defense.

There is reason to believe that North, as it enters the toughest part of its schedule, could gel and produce “the unexpected”.  The talent is there.  The execution needs to follow.

 

 

 

 

 


BACK TO TOP