Tigers earn win at Elgin
Statistics @ EPPJTigers play well at Elgin
ELGIN—The Osmond Tigers football team defeated Elgin Public/Elgin Pope John Wolfpack 80-8 on Friday at Elgin.
The Tigers overcame some penalties in the early-going, but they played well for a majority of the game. This allowed the junior varsity Tigers to play a significant amount of the game.
“The major aspect of the game we’re concerned with was coming out and playing well. Our team played the game with focus and intensity.”
The Tigers scored on all three of their first quarter drives.
This began with a 32-yard touchdown run by senior Anthony Heiman.
After a punt by the Wolfpack, the Tigers used seven plays to go sixty-one yards for a touchdown. After several penalties left the Tigers at a 3rd and 25 from the 39 yard-line.
Justus Maertins (Jr.) made a great catch on a ball from Heiman. He battled a defender for the ball, tipped up the ball to himself, and then caught it running backwards.
He then turned around and ran roughly twenty yards for a Tiger touchdown. Josh Gansebom (Jr.) ran in the two-point conversion to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.
“This was really the turning point in the game,” Morrison said. “We had a few penalties in a row, and Coach Todd Schulze called timeout, which he used to encourage the offense. They responded in a big way.”
After forcing the Wolpack to punt on their next drive, the Tigers scored on their next offensive play. Heiman rushed fifty-nine yards for a score.
Then, after an EP/PJ offsides penalty that put the Tigers on the Wolfpack one-and-a-half yard line, the Tiger offensive line powered Heiman into the endzone for the two-point conversion and a 22-0 lead.
The line includes Nick Reikofski (Sr.), Alexis Solorzano (Jr.), Landon Stelling (Jr.), Justus Maertins (Jr.), and Zach Huwaldt (So.).
While the Tigers played well in the first quarter, they carried their play into the second quarter as well.
This started when the Tigers intercepted a pass on an attempted trick play. Heiman was sitting back in coverage and attacked the errant pass.
The Tigers scored two plays later. Gansebom caught a pass behind the line and advanced it for eleven yards. Heiman then ran 35 yards for a score. The Tigers were up 28-0.
Landon Stelling then jumped on a fumble caused by Zach Huwaldt and Alexis Solorzano. The Tigers took advantage of the turnover as Heiman found Maertins for his second touchdown.
Heiman’s two-point conversion put the Tigers up 36-0. They would extend the lead to 44-0 after the Wolfpack turned the ball back to the Tigers on downs.
The Tigers scored five plays later. Mason Byker’s 30-yard reception put the Tigers at the Wolfpack 11. Gansebom ran in an iso play and Maertins caught a pass from Heiman to convert the two-points.
Next the Tigers scored on a 49-yard run by Heiman. Maertins again capped the drive by catching a two-point conversion pass from Heiman, putting the Tigers up 52-0.
Connor Gutz took advantage of his opportunity to carry the ball, rushing for 16 yards and another Tiger touchdown.
“Connor ran the ball hard tonight,” Morrison said. “He did a good job getting up the field and finding holes.”
The Wolfpack nearly scored at the end of the half. Regulation ended as a Wolfpack receiver caught the ball at the Tigers one yardline.
After the halftime break, the Tigers varsity starters stayed in for the first drive defensively. They stopped the Wolfpack and then marched down the field to score a touchdown.
Heiman found Josh Gansebom for the only third 35-yard touchdown, where Gansebom ran the distance behind the Tiger line. Maertins caught his third two-point conversion pass, making the score 66-0.
Tigers junior varsity played in the fourth quarter. They scored two touchdowns, while allowing the Wolfpack their only score of the game.
Bryan Solorzano (Fr.) and Patrick Vinson (Fr.) each scored a touchdown. Vinson also ran in a two-point conversion.
Several younger players contributed to the junior varsity’s success. Of course Vinson and Solorzano took a majority of carries. However, Landon Stelling (Jr.), Logan Stelling (Jr.), Blake Bahr (So.), Parker Johnson (So.), and Brenden Gillespie (So.) all drove their team forward.
Defensively, Logan Stelling, Bahr, and Gillespie all played on the line. Vinson, Johnson, and Gutz played at inside linebacker. Hunter Beacom, Mason Bykerk, and Bryan Solorzano each played in the secondary.
The Tigers now move on host Riverside. The game will be Parents/Senior night. It will also be the return of the 1972 football team!