Defense Stands Tall in 21-0 Shutout of McKendree
DeMarco Sanders avoids McKendree defenders on his way to a 25 yard TD run
Oskaloosa–Whether it was a conference game or not, Saturday’s 21-0 shutout win over McKendree exacted a huge level of revenge and continues the William Penn football program on a road of destiny.
The #5 Statesmen (5-0), now winners of eight in a row dating back to last October, knocked off the Bearcats (0-3) to eradicate some of the pent up pain caused by their only 2010 loss (24-14).
In contrast to the team’s first four games in which William Penn outscored its opposition 190-30 and averaged 481.5 yards (415.8 rushing), Saturday’s matchup was as close to a defensive struggle as fans are likely to see in 2011. The shutout is the program’s second this year (also 56-0 over Bethel (Kan.) on September 3) and is the first time the Bearcats have been shutout since 2008 (third overall since its revival in 1996).
The Statesmen claimed a 210-148 edge in total yardage, but started very slowly, picking up only 20 yards in the first stanza.
The second quarter was much of the same with just 53 yards, but a monumental turnover in McKendree territory gave the home team the break it desperately needed.
On third-down-and-long on his team’s own 35, the Bearcats’ Chris Montgomery was stripped of the pigskin and Nick DiMarco (Fr., St. Charles, Mo., Francis Howell North HS) landed on top of it.
DeMarco Sanders (Sr., Horn Lake, Miss., Horn Lake HS) made the visitors pay immediately as he avoided would-be tacklers on the very next play and went in from 25 yards out. Sanders accounted for 46 yards on four rushes, helping William Penn to a final mark of 179 on the ground.
The Statemen defense played tough serving a shutout to McKendree on Saturday afternoon at the new Community Stadium
The Statesmen led 7-0 at the half–its lowest first-half point total since also putting just seven on the board in last October’s loss to McKendree.
William Penn began the third quarter with possession and built even more momentum with a 13-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that took 5:51 off the clock and took away whatever wind the Bearcats had left in their proverbial sail.
Dalton Phelps (Jr., Tipton, Tipton HS) capped off the drive with a three-yard plunge.
With a two-touchdown advantage, the defense went to work and was beyond words in the final half. Of its six possessions, McKendree had five end in punts after three-and-outs, while the sixth concluded with a loss of downs after losing 13 yards on four plays.
The Bearcats were limited to just 17 yards of total offense in the second half.
“That was by far the best defensive effort we have had here in my tenure,” Statesmen Head Coach Todd Hafner said.
While the defense was in cruise control, the offense added one final, heartbreaking score–an eight-run run by Sanders with 11:42 left in regulation.
Shawn Davis (So., Hamersville, Ohio, Western Brown HS) guided the offense with 70 yards on 19 runs, while Taylor Parsons (So., The Woodlands, Texas, College Park HS) added 35 yards (eight rushes) and completed three-of-12 passes for 31 yards.
Special teams performances rarely make the news, but Statesmen punters Jason Johnson (So., Geneseo, Ill., Geneseo HS) and Marcus Kerrigan (So., Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) did a tremendous job of pinning the Bearcats deep with four inside the 20-yard line. The field position battle was crucial in keeping the Bearcats at bay and giving the Statesmen short fields in order to score, even if their offense was a bit anemic.
Johnson owned a 45.2 yard average, including a long of 65 yards in the first quarter.
The defense was headed by Damon Harrison (Sr., Lake Charles, La., Lake Charles Boston HS) with 12 tackles and a sack.
Sean Colemon (Sr., Burlington, Burlington HS) and Jacob Batterson (So., Eddyville, Eddyville-Blakesburg HS) were next with seven stops each, while Johnson and Brandon Dunbar (Jr., Houston, Texas, Booker T. Washington HS) both recorded sacks as well.
“This is one of the biggest victories in our program’s history,” Hafner said. “Despite its 0-3 record, McKendree is a very good program and is the standard of what everyone wants to be in the MWL. This is a win that our kids needed to build confidence for the remainder of this year.”
William Penn Head Football Coach Todd Hafner celebrates after a big win over McKendree Saturday
Osky News had an opportunity to catch up with Coach Hafner immediately following Saturday’s game and asked him his thoughts. “Oh gosh, I don’t even know right now, I feel really good about the win, I really do. There are things to fix alright, but we played a true football game today, and our kids battled and they were tough and they were everything we asked them to be and it was a lot of fun to win the game today. The fact that our defense throws out a shutout makes it even more special.”
“I’m a cliché guy ya know. We’re gonna go, we’re gonna work tomorrow, then we’re gonna take Monday off and go back to work on Tuesday and try to win another one next week. This is one of many we hope, but it is a big one. I want our players to appreciate that, I want our coaches to appreciate that and I want our fans to appreciate that. We feel good about winning today”. Coach Hafner said about some of his hopes for this season.
Beating McKendree was extra special to the Statemen because, “Obviously ya know it’s the one last year that got us. It got us in a big way. Although you know it was in the middle of the season, it ended up costing the playoff chance and we didn’t want to let that happen again, and I really proud of the way our kids came out and played”.
Next: William Penn travels to Bourbonnais, Ill. next Saturday to face Olivet Nazarene in Midwest League play at 1:30 p.m.
