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Coach Thompson Heads Junior Varsity Squad
Coach Michael Thompson is the new Panther junior varsity head coach, taking over for Coach Kevin Cowhy who left to assume assistant varsity duties at Frankenmuth under former Panther head coach Roger Bearss. Coach Thompson has been a Panther assistant coach for six years.
PANTHERS DEFEAT STAGS IN OVERTIME THRILLER 18-12
Manton Rangers
The Manton Rangers will run from three or four basic formations. They run "I", power "I", split backs and wing. Defensively, they will set up in a 4-3, 5-2 or 5-3.
Mesick will Feature Passing Game
The Mesick Bulldogs will likely run their offense from a spread look with a shotgun quarterback. Quarterback Paul Austin will try to hit multiple receivers on virtually every play. He will have a blocking back and five blockers on the line, so on any given play there could be five receivers in a pattern. His favorite targets are Kirk Williams and Jason Casslemen.
GET THE WORD ON NEXT WEEK'S OPPONENT
The Lakers of Glen Lake will feature the veer offense and the experience of senior quarterback Tom Hollenbeck. They may also run a spread offense with a shotgun look for passing.
Defensively they will most likely run a 5-2 or a 5-3 defense with a stack on the defensive ends. Look for a low-scoring, hard-fought battle from these two giants of the Northwest Conference.
Subs Play Well In Win Over Mesick
With two starters sidelined by injury, the Panther coaches needed substitutes Brady Olsen (center) and Dane Colby (linebacker) to step up and take command against the Bulldogs. They did just that and the coaches were pleased with their efforts. Greg Walton and Steve Nerg continue to have outstanding games at running back. The defense had four interceptions and two fumble recoveries for the night, an outstanding effort. Garry Honeycutt and Dane Colby had recoveries while Mike Kibby and Steve Nerg added two interceptions apiece.
Panther Pigskin Preview August 22nd
Fans and supporters of the Panthers will be able to meet the 2004 teams and coaches on Sunday August 22 at Mineral Springs Park. A pig roast with all the trimmings will help raise funds for the football team in its playoff pursuits. Come and meet the players, enjoy a great meal and support the Panthers as they start the 2004 campaign.
Donations will be taken at the dinner.
2003 Football Season Stats
2003 FRANKFORT PANTHER VARSITY FOOTBALL
2003 (10 - 2) SEASON STATISTICS
OFFENSIVE TEAM STATS
TEAM RUSHING PASSING TOTAL
Portland St Patrick 299 69 368
White Cloud 305 36 341
Mesick 386 63 449
Glen Lake 414 10 424
Suttons Bay 160 2 162
Kingsley 480 0 480
Manton 354 55 409
Rudyard 253 172 425
Onekama 272 99 371
Bellaire 443 0 443
Manistee CC 504 0 504
Beal City 300 0 300
Total 4170 506 4626
Avg. per game 347.5 42.1 389.6
DEFENSIVE TEAM STATS
TEAM RUSHING PASSING TOTAL
Portland St Pat's 45 37 82
White Cloud 69 192 261
Mesick 6 123 129
Glen Lake 132 48 180
Suttons Bay 208 60 268
Kingsley 148 55 203
Manton 2 36 38
Rudyard 114 31 145
Onekama 84 30 114
Bellaire 88 88 196
Manistee C.C. 283 66 349
Beal City 128 71 199
Totals 1266 837 2103
Ave per game 105.5 69.7 175.2
PLAYER SCORING
Player Touchdowns 2pt PAT FG Total
G. Walton 30 3 196
A. Walton 1 38 2 50
Lietaert 7 42
Nostrandt 6 1 37
Nerg 5 1 32
Marshall 4 24
Schlueter 3 2 24
Nelson 3 18
Luxford 1 6
PLAYER RUSHING
Player Rushes Yards Avg. per carry
Walton 272 2211 8.1
Lietaert 80 771 9.6
Nostrandt 80 688 8.6
Nerg 58 438 7.5
Schlueter 11 62 5.6
A. Walton 12 61 5.0
Gatrell 9 28 3.1
Luxford 5 8 1.6
Rouse 4 10 2.5
PLAYER PASSING
Player comp att yards avg/per TD Int 2pt
Nostrandt 32 77 500 15.62 9 10 3
Walton 1 2 31 31 1
PLAYER RECEIVING
Player receptions yards avg per catch
Marshall 11 78 7.1
Nelson 10 290 29
Schlueter 7 100 14.2
G. Walton 2 18 9
Nerg 2 14 7
Nostrandt 1 31 31
DEFENSIVE INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Player tackles sacks ints
G. Walton 151 5 1
Nelson 106 0 1
Nostrandt 101 0 4
Nerg 32 0 1
Colby 69 11 0
Chatterton 24 1 0
Schlueter 39 0 2
Lloyd 27 1 0
Olsen 36 2 0
Rodal 29 1 0
Gilbert 22 0 0
Elliott 50 2 0
Marshall 33 0 4
Murray 24 1 0
A. Walton 8 1 0
Lietaert 48 0 0
2003 SEASON RESULTS: 10 - 2 (4-1)Northwest Conference 2nd place
FRANKFORT 29 Portland St. Patrick 0
FRANKFORT 22 WHITE CLOUD 14
FRANKFORT 61 MESICK 0
FRANKFORT 37 GLEN LAKE 7
FRANKFORT 0 SUTTONS BAY 33
FRANKFORT 37 KINGSLEY 12
FRANKFORT 45 MANTON 0
FRANKFORT 46 RUDYARD 6
FRANKFORT 41 ONEKAMA 0
FRANKFORT 50 BELLAIRE 19
FRANKFORT 46 Manistee CC 26
FRANKFORT 28 BEAL CITY 32
Total points 442 Total Points 147
Avg. Game 36.8 12.2
Cats Drown Portagers 34-0 in Final Regular-Season Game
The Frankfort Panthers were hoping to get a big lift as they head into playoff competition next week. With a big 34-0 win over the Onekama Portagers they got their wish. At 1:00 Saturday afternoon at Onekama, Coach Matt Stapleton and his charges were hoping to smooth out some of the bumps that had plagued the team in past weeks. They wanted to put together four quarters of productive football as a prelude to the playoff road. The troops came through with four offensive and one defensive touchdowns, just one fumble on the wet surface and just six penalties for 35 yards.
The Panthers managed to record 111 yards rushing on 37 tries and 135 yards passing with 9 completions in 16 attempts, while holding Onekama to just 34 yards rushing on 43 attempts and 78 yards passing.
Frankfort kicked off to start the contest. The kick went out of bounds and Onekama chose to take the ball at their own 35. After three unsuccessful plays, the Portagers were forced to punt. Safety Brad Nostrandt returned the kick to the Panther 30yard line where the Panthers started their first offensive set. Fourteen plays and almost nine minutes later, Greg Walton capped the 70-yard drive with a twisting, spinning 13-yard run for the first score. A Nostrand-to-Joel Joslin pass was good for the two-point conversion, and with just over six minutes remaining in the first quarter, Frankfort took an 8-0 lead.
The Panthers' next scoring opportunity came when Onekama had to punt following the kickoff after three plays had failed to gain enough for the first down. The Onekama punter managed just a 28-yard punt, and Nostrandt returned it 30 yards behind some great blocking. The Panthers started their second possession in good field position at the Portager 30.
This time it took only a six-play drive with Walton carrying from four yards out to do the damage. An extra-point play found Stephan Nelson lugging the ball over the left side on a veer play for the added score. The Panthers now had a 16-0 lead with 2:27 left in the first quarter.
Then it was more of the defensive stoning the Panthers had shown the Portagers to this point. Onekama began its next possession at their own forty, and after three plays had not gotten a first down. Trailing by two touchdowns, the Portagers risked going for the first down. Once again, the Panther defense proved stingy and the offense took over on downs at the Onekama 40.
Four plays later, after a Nostrandt sack, the Frankfort quarterback pitched to his right to Walton, who sent a long pass down field intended for Joslin. A Portager defender snared the pass and the Panther threat ended.
Onekama's possession was short-lived, however, as once again, facing a fourth-and three on their own 27-yard line, they decided to risk going for the first down. The risk was not rewarded, as the Panther defensive line collided with the running back at the line of scrimmage and didn't allow an inch.
Now Frankfort had a golden opportunity to score from great field possession. On the second play, Coach Stapleton called a draw to Walton, and the shifty back scampered 20 yards to the five. On the next play, Nostrandt hit end Adam Bennet with a pass to the three. On the next play, however, a blitzing Portager linebacker sacked Nostrandt for an 11-yard loss. Facing fourth down, the Panthers went for it all, but a Nostrandt pass was snared by an incredible effort on the part of the Portager safety, who made a diving interception.
The excitement of that big play would take the momentum toward the Onekama team, but only for a short time. After their most successful drive of the game to that point, an eight-play event, the Portagers moved the ball from their own ten to Panther 48 before once more turning the ball over on downs.
Now, however, it was Frankfort's turn to stall. After a four-and-out series, the Portagers took possession of the ball at the Panther 46. With their running game in trouble, and hoping to strike early, the Portager quarterback launched a pass on first down that was instantly picked off by monster-back Steve Nerg who deftly picked his way through a host of would-be tacklers on his way to a sixty-yard touchdown. The two-point pass to Nelson failed, and with just 26 seconds remaining in the half, the Panthers held a commanding 22-0 lead.
Following the intermission, Frankfort's Greg Walton fielded the Portager kickoff and returned it to the Panther 49. After a ten-yard romp by Nelson, the Panthers had a second-and-one. However, a good tackle by the Portagers behind the line of scrimmage, a fumble which the Cats recovered behind the line, and a motion penalty, conspired to find the Panthers facing a fourth down at the Onekama 43. Nostrandt faked a handoff into the line and tossed a perfect strike to Mike Kibby, who caught the pass between two defenders, twisted away from them and lugged the ball all the way to the Portager six. On third down, Steve Nerg carried a pitch-out down to about the one-inch line. Frankfort tried to bull the ball over from there, but the Portager defense stiffened and denied the score.
Now in jeopardy of giving up a safety, Onekama set up offense just inside their one one-yard line. Unable to move the ball far in three run tries, the hosts found themselves punting from their own endzone. A punt to the Onekama 35 was taken by Nostrandt, who returned it nearly the distance, being stopped just inside the four-yard line. Nostrandt finished the job by diving for a score on a quarterback sneak. An extra-point kick attempt by Walton hit the crossbar and felt back into the playing field. With 4:57 left in the third quarter, the score now stood at 28-0.
Onekama threatened in the third quarter by moving the ball just inside Panther territory, but gave it up on downs.
Following the takeover, Nostrandt hooked up again with Kibby on second down, this time for 40 yards and a touchdown. Again the Walton kick attempt was no good, and with 2:41 to go in the third quarter, the Panthers had scored their final points of the day.
Onekama made two more incursions deep into Frankfort territory in the fourth quarter, once all the way to the 16 before once more giving the ball away on downs. Frankfort had possession of the ball when the final gun sounded.
The Panthers, who had already secured a spot in the MHSAA football playoffs, will take on familiar playoff foe Beal City at Lockhart Field Saturday at 1:00 in round one of District action.
Frankfort Drops the Rangers 42-14
In a three-hour contest marred by injuries, the Frankfort Panthers defeated Northwest Conference foe Manton by a score of 42-14 to go 3-0 on the young season and 1-0 in the conference.
Junior running back/linebacker Stephan Nelson was injured in the second quarter while making a tackle and came away with a badly sprained ankle. Later in the game center/defensive tackle Scott Rodal went down with an apparent contusion to the knee. However, with sophomore Dane Colby taking over Nelson's duties on defense and Steve Nerg assuming the running duties, the Panthers kept the pace they had begun from the starting gun. Junior Brady Olsen took over at center and replaced Colby at defensive end.
The first score of the night came on the opening drive of the game for the Panthers when Nelson took a handoff from Brad Nostrandt on an outside veer play and scored from 20 yards out. The two-point pass from Nostrandt to Nerg was good and the score was 8-0.
On the ensuing possession for the Rangers, after a long run and a penalty on the Panthers for encroachment, the Ranger quarterback was hit as he attempted to pitch the ball on an option. Greg Walton alertly fell on the loose ball to give the Panthers their second offensive possession.
That drive would last only a few seconds, as Nostrandt hit a streaking Nerg down the left sidelines with a pass on the first play for a score. The ball was tipped by the defender guarding Nerg, but it went directly into Nerg's hand and he took the ball without breaking stride. The point-after pass fell incomplete and the Panthers had a 14-0 lead.
Manton came right back on the next possession, following the kick-off. They tallied after a sixty-yard drive. The point attempt was snuffed out and the score was 14-6 in favor of the locals.
A Frankfort fumble on the first play after the kickoff resulted in a turnover near midfield, and as the first quarter ended, Manton had moved the ball to the Frankfort 40. Four plays later, however, Nelson stepped in front of a Ranger pass at the 20 and returned the interception to the Panther 40. Three plays later, Nelson toted the ball twenty yards to the Ranger 20. Walton carried twice in succession and Nelson followed, driving the ball to the three. Nostrandt took the ball over from there on a sneak, the two-point play on a run by Nelson was good and the score stood at 22-6.
The next Ranger drive stalled at their own forty and they were forced to punt. Frankfort took possession at its own 20, and four plays later, Walton scooted 54 yards on a trap play to raise the score to 28-6. The conversion pass attempt was tipped and fell incomplete.
Manton got good field position on the next kickoff return and set up its offense near midfield. Six plays later they had passed and run the ball all the way to the three-yard line. It was then that a bizarre set of circumstances was set in motion. With no timeouts left and just 12 seconds on the clock, Carson Budde, the Ranger quarterback, spiked the ball. The clock barely moved. On the next play, a dive into the line was stuffed. Then Budde tried to score on his own, only to find a stubborn Panther defense awaiting him at the one. An apparent touchdown signal from the back judge stopped the clock on the next handoff with three seconds left. The clock did not restart because there was no signal from the referees to do so. Instead, on the next play the officials awarded Manton a touchdown, even though the ball seemed clearly to have been stopped short of the goal line. When the dust settled, after a Frankfort timeout for a protest, the points were disallowed and the Panthers took the 28-6 lead into the locker room.
Manton came out strong in the second half, driving the ball methodically from the Panther 49 to the 15 before quarterback Budde was hit by defensive tackle Scott Rodal and fumbled on an option. Brady Olsen fell on the ball, giving the Panthers their first possession of the second half.
It was three-and-out for the hosts, however, and after their only punt of the night, the Rangers took over again on the Panther 43.
Once again the visitors penetrated to the Panther 15, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
Frankfort then put together an impressive drive, featuring a 43-yard run by Walton, two catches for 22 yards by Chad Marshall and some nifty runs by Steve Nerg, before Nostrandt hit Mike Kibby for a nine-yard touchdown strike. Kibby was hit hard on the extra-point pass just inches shy of the goal and the score read Frankfort 34, Manton 6 with just over 10 minutes to go in the game.
Manton's offense finally came untracked as they drove the length of the field in 8 plays,following the kickoff, to make the score 34-12. The extra-point pass was good,and the big board read 34-14. That was all the scoring the Rangers would do for the night.
Frankfort wanted more, however, and on the first play following Manton's kick, Greg Walton scooted 55 yards for another touchdown behind the blocking of Joel Joslin, Kurt Gilbert, Dane Colby and Brady Olsen. Nerg ran the extra points in from the left side, and the Panthers had their first conference victory and third win in as many starts.
On offense, the Panthers racked up 402 yards, 332 coming via the run and 70 through the air. Nostrant was 4 of 7 passing for two touchdowns, while Walton totaled 198 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns. Nelson, before his injury, had 95 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown. Nick Schleuter added 29 yards in 5 carries while Nostrandt carried 5 times for five yards and one t.d. Chad Marshall had two catches for 22 yards, Kibby 9 yards on one catch for a touchdown as well as an extra-point catch. Nerg had one reception for 42 yards and a score.
Defensively, the Panthers were led by Nostrandt with 15 tackles. Dane Colby had 13 tackles and one quarterback sack. Nerg had 12 tackles and caused a fumble. Walton added 9 tackles and a fumble recovery.Kyle and Kurt Gilbert combined for 8 tackles and two sacks.
Next week the Panthers travel to Bulldog Country to take on the Mesick team at 7:30.
Frankfort Downs Dogs 53-0
Sophomore quarterback Brad Nostrandt ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more Friday night at Baker Field in Mesick to lead the Frankfort Panthers to a 53-0 rout of the winless Bulldogs. The Panthers move to 2-0 in the conference and 4-0 overall.
Frankfort wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard. Greg Walton took the opening kickoff at his ten yard line and dashed left up the sidelines for 48 yards,toting the ball into Bulldog territory to the 42. The first three plays netted the Panthers 16 yards, and on the fourth play, Nostrandt kept the ball on an option play left and scooted 26 yards for the first score of the night. The two-point conversion attempt on a run by Nostrandt failed, and the Frankfort squad had an early 6-0 lead.
Mesick took the ensuing Kyle Gilbert kickoff and returned it to their own 37. On their third play, quarterback Russell Baker rolled to his left to pass and was hit hard by Walton. He fumbled and Dane Colby alertly fell on the ball at the Mesick 35.
On the next very next play, Steve Nerg took a toss from Nostrandt down the left sideline toward the scoreboard and raced untouched into the endzone for the score. The two-point pass was good and the Panthers led 14-0 after just five offensive plays.
On Mesick's next possession, they went three-and-out after gaining just three yards against the tough Panther defense.
Eight plays after receiving the Bulldog punt and driving the ball from their own 27 to the Mesick 23, the Panthers struck for touchdown number three. Nostrandt faked a hand-off to his right, rolled left and hit tight end Joel Joslin in the corner of the endzone on a perfect strike. The extra point pass attempt fell incomplete and the visitors had a 20-0 lead with 3:27 left in the first quarter.
Once again after gaining just three yards in their next possession, the Bulldogs faced another punting situation on fourth down. This time, however, a Frankfort player was flagged for running into the punter and the Bulldogs had new life at their own 45. On third and six, Baker dropped back to pass. Steve Nerg picked off the missle intended for a Mesick player in the right flats and returned it all the way to the Mesick 7 before Baker finally hauled him down. On second and goal from the four, Nostrandt hit a wide-open Mike Kibby for the fourth score of the game. Again the extra-point pass attempt was incomeplete, and with 11:55 to go in the second quarter, Frankfort had extended its lead to 26-0.
The next Panther possession ended after a nine-play drive when they failed to convert on a fourth-and-short.
Mesick took over at its own 46. On the very next play, Nerg got the ball back into Panther hands when he got his second pick of the night and fifth interception of the season. The speedy Greg Walton took a handoff from Nostrandt on the first play of the possession and made a dazzling run, zigzagging all over the field and making half a dozen would-be tacklers miss on his way to a 53 yard score. The extra-point pass was good and the Panthers had a dominating 34-0 lead, one short of the number needed for a running (mercy rule) clock in the second half.
On their next possession following the kickoff, Mesick threw yet another interception with fourth down and three, this time to Chad Marshall, who set his team up with the ball at the Frankfort 27.
Six plays later, after runs by Nick Schleuter, and Greg Walton, Nerg hit paydirt again on a four-yard run. This time the Panthers opted for the kick, and Walton sent the ball sailing between the uprights to make the score 41-0.
Kibby got an interception minutes later on the Bulldogs' next drive. He snared a Baker pass and returned it up the Frankfort sidelines for 23 yards. The Panthers were unable to take advantage of the miscue, though, as they made a costly fumble themselves. The first half ended with the Panthers up 41-0, ensuring a running clock when the second half started.
The second half brought two more Panther scores. Nostrandt scored his second running touchdown of the night when he sprinted 49 yards around left end. Walton's kick was blocked and the score stood at 47-0. The final tally came in the fourth quarter when Walton scored on another nifty run of 46 yards to write the final chapter. The kick was blocked and for all practical purposes, the game was in the history books.
Offensively, the Panthers were led by Greg Walton, who carried the ball 11 times for 159 yards (just one yard short of his per-game average) and two touchdowns. Steve Nerg followed with 136 yards on 13 carries. Brad Nostrandt added 84 yards and a touchdown, on 9 carries. Joel Joslin, Adam Bennett and Nick Schleuter added 12,10 and 5 respectively. Nostrandt was 3 for 7 passing for 48 yards and a touchdown. In total, the Panthers racked up 454 yards of offense, with 406 coming on the ground.
Walton also led the defense with 10 tackles and two quarterback sacks. In addition, he caused a fumble and recovered it. Dane Cobly was second in tackles with 9. Shane Chatterton and Brad Nostrandt each contributed 5 tackles, while Brady Olsen and Joel Joslin had 4 each. Others registering takedowns were J.J. McMahon, Adam Bennett, Steve Nerg, Kyle Gilbert, Curt Gilbert, Chad Marshall and Matt Lloyd.
The stingy defensive unit allowed the Bulldogs just 24 yards of total offense (3 on the ground and 21 in the air) while picking off four passes and getting four fumble recoveries.
Next Friday is Homecoming at Lockhart Field, where the visitors will be the Lakers of Glen Lake. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
Win Takes a Toll
It was a decisive victory for the Panthers over the Manton Ranghers 42-14, but the game took its toll on the Panthers in the form of injuries. Running back/linebacker Stephan Nelson went down with a severely sprained ankle, and center/defensive tackle Scott Rodal has an apparent contusion to the knee that may sideline him next week.
There were bright spots, as the offense put more points on the board than in the previous two contests, but the defense gave up more yards than in the last two games. Bright spots for the defense were three fumbles caused and one interception, as well as a goal line stand that prevented a Ranger score as the first half ended. Overall the coaches were pleased with the way the team responded to adversity.
The offensive line continues to improve each week, as evidenced by the 332 yards rushing. Those singled out for praise were Dane Colby, Brady Olsen, Scott Rodal and Kurt Gilbert.
Panthers Outlast Lakers 14-8 in Overtime
In what was in some ways a classic Frankfort-Glen Lake rivalry, and in many ways an uncharacteristic battle, Frankfort pulled off an overtime win 14-8 at Lockhart Field Friday night before a huge homecoming crowd.
It was classic because many games in the heated rivalry since the late 1980s have come down to a win of a touchdown or less. It was classic in the sense that one can throw out the records when these teams play, but it was uncharacteristic in the sense that both teams made costly mistakes in a game absolutely riddled with penalties and turnovers.
It was an important game for both teams as it always is for these Northwest Conference foes. Everything was on the line for the Panthers: a conference win, a shot at making the playoffs, the fact that very few losses have historically occurred at Lockhart Field, and just plain PRIDE. For the Lakers, it was a must-win if they were to stay in the always-tough conference championship race, after going 1-3 against some very good non-conference teams.
Glen Lake dominated the statistics in the air and on the ground, but lost momentum at crucial times with penalties, an interception and some key fumbles.
Frankfort opened the scoring after holding the Lakers on the visitors' first possession following the opening kickoff. After three tries for first down, Glen Lake was forced to punt. Greg Walton's nice return set the Panthers up at their own 49. On the third play, Walton took a pitch from Brad Nostrandt and tossed the ball to a streaking Mike Kibby who had slipped behind the defender. Using his height advantage and some after-catch running, Kibby found the endzone for a touchdown. Nostrandt ran in the two-point conversion on a scramble after finding all of his receivers covered, and the locals had an early 8-0 lead.
Glen Lake threatened several times inside the Panther 20, but could not put together a score. One attempt ended on a missed field goal on fourth down. Another ended on a fumble inside the five. Still a third was foiled when Joel Joslin intercepted a tipped pass by Laker quarterback Adam Dean, also near the five-yard line.
Much of the action in the game took place on the Frankfort side of the 50-yard line. Seventy-seven times the Panther defense was called upon to keep the Lakers at bay. The defense bent, but it only broke once. Finally, at the start of the fourth quarter, the Lakers, facing a third and goal, handed the ball off to number 32 Nick Florip, who scored from two yards out. The extra-point pass to Drew Hilton was good for two and the score was knotted.
As regulation time ran out, the Lakers were threatening again in Panther territory, as they had six times previously, but the Frankfort squad stiffened and held.
Now it was overtime, with each team awarded a chance to score from the ten-yard line, going north toward the scoreboard that showed the tie. Glen Lake won the toss and decided to go on offense first. Three plays brought the ball within six inches of the goal line and the Lakers called time out. With his team's back to the wall on fourth down and less than a foot between the ball and the goal line, Panther head coach Matt Stapleton took the advantage of the time out to pump up the Panther squad and set up a goal line stand. Expecting the quarterback sneak, he covered every interior offensive lineman and had the linebackers close to the line and driving hard off tackle. The Lakers broke the huddle and the air was heavy with tension. Quarterback dean barked the signals and the teams sprang at each other for one brief, exciting moment. Defensive tackle Kurt Gilbert stood the Lakers' Joey Vasquez up in the hole off the Laker left side and then rolled him backward from the goal line. The Panther defense, so battered and bruised from 77 plays, had finally held when the chips were down.
Now it was the Panthers' turn. Taking advantage of the defensive set for the Lakers, Nostrandt handed the ball off the left side to Walton, who followed a devastating Stephan Nelson block. The gain was seven. From the three on second down, Stapleton called the same play again, and Walton burst across the line behind another great block by Nelson for the winning score. Pandemonium broke loose from the Panther faithful, many of whom had gathered at the north endzone to witness this titanic clash. The Panthers had emerged victorious,14-8, despite being outplayed the entire contest.
Statistics tell the story better than the score. Glen Lake had the ball almost twice as often as the Panthers, who were plagued by five fumbles, three of which were lost and 13 penalties for 105 yards! Nostrandt threw one interception.
The Lakers had their own troubles too, racking up 65 yards of penalties on 8 calls. They also fumbled 5 times,coughing up three of those,and also threw one interception.
In all, Glen Lake managed 148 yards rushing and 79 passing for 227 total, while Frankfort was limited to an uncharacteristic 44 yards rushing on 35 attempts and had 57 yards passing for a total of 101 yards.
Walton managed 17 yards on as many carries. Nerg carried 6 times for 32 yards. Nostrandt was sacked twice for minus 23 yards and Nelson picked up 18 yards on four tries.
Leading the defense, Joslin had one interception and a fumble recovery. Nerg also snared a Laker fumble.
The Panthers take their undefeated 5-0 record next to Suttons Bay where they will face the 4-1 Norsemen, whose only loss came to Kingsley in the opening game of conference competition. Game time is 7:30 P.M.
Panthers Drop Mistake-Filled Game to The Bay 25-20
In yet another game strewn with penalties and turnovers, the Panthers dropped a conference game to the Norsemen of Suttons Bay last Friday, somewhat dimming their hopes of a conference championship. Only Kingsley remains unbeaten in the conference, and the showdown between the Panthers and the Stags looms large next Friday. A three-way tie for the championship is still possible if the Panthers can beat the Stags at Kingsley.
Homecoming festivities at Suttons Bay were abbreviated, following reports of threatening weather, but by game time, the sun was peeking through the clouds.
Frankfort won the toss and elected to defer until the second half, thus the Norsemen took first possession at their own 35 following a Kurt Gilbert kickoff. Their first play resulted in a first down, but on the next series, penalties forced them to punt to the Panthers, who returned the punt to their own 26.
After three plays, Frankfort punted the ball away, but a holding penalty on Suttons Bay gave the ball back to the Panthers. On a nice drive featuring a 40-yard run by sophomore Greg Walton, the Panthers had the ball at the Norse four-yard line. Walton took a handoff from quarterback Brad Nostrandt and drove into the endzone for the night's first score. The extra-point pass to Steve Nerg was good, and the Panthers had an early 8-0 lead.
Following the kickoff, Suttons Bay started their next possession on their own 37. On the second play, the Norse quarterback rolled out to pass, and defensive back Joel Joslin stepped in front of the missile, leaping high in the air to intercept it. The Panthers were back on offense, but only for a brief moment. On the next play, Greg Walton took a hand-off at the Frankfort 46 and carried it to the 48 before he was tackled. No whistle blew on the play, though Walton's knee (in fact his whole body) appeared to have contacted the ground. As he hit the turf, the ball popped loose, and a Norse defender scooped it up and scampered all the way to the Frankfort one-yard line before Brad Nostrandt hauled him down. The stage was set for the first Norse score of the night.
On the very next play, a Norse back carried the ball on an isolation play, going into the endzone untouched. Walton foiled the try for the two-point conversion, as he crushed the Norse runner before he could reach the goal line, and the score stood at 8-6.
The excitement wasn't over though; it was really just beginning. Taking the ensuing Norsemen kick at his own 16, Walton electrified the crowd with an amazing 84-yard return down the western sidelines for an apparent touchdown, with Nostrndt providing the key block. However, the Panther faithful grew quiet when they realized a flag had been thrown way back at the 36-yard line. They play was coming back.
Following the holding penalty, which was questioned by many a Frankfort fan, the Panthers started at their own 26.
On third down, Nostrand fired a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage to Steve Nerg who dodged a tackler and got a block from Joel Joslin for an apparent first down. However, once again, a flag went down, with an official adamantly declaring, over the protests of the Panther coaching staff, that the pass had been a forward pass, and thus Joslin's block an illegal one. The result was a loss of down and what appeared to be a fifteen-yard penalty. On the resulting punt, a Norse defender came over the left side and blocked Walton's punt. Walton scooped it up but was tackled at the Panther two. One play later the Norsemen scored and tacked on the extra two points for a 14-8 lead.
Walton had another good return on the following kickoff, returning the ball from the 20 to the Frankfort 46. However, an eight-play drive stalled early in the second quarter and the Panthers were forced to punt.
After three plays the Norse had gained little ground and punted to the Panthers. The ball sailed over Nostrandt's outstretched hands and landed at the two.
Two plays later disaster struck again. Nostrandt dropped back to pass and was blindsided by the defensive end, fumbling the ball. The Norsemen recovered at the two, and one play later, the Norse made it 22-8 with a touchdown and the two-point conversion.
Following the kickoff, Frankfort set up its offense at its own 42. Three plays netted just 6 yards and they once more turned the ball over by punting.
Starting at their own 18, the Norse engineered a 14-play drive that culminated in a 29-yard field goal, raising the score to 25-8.
In the second half, the Panthers needed to get the offense moving, and thought to have a chance at doing so since Suttons Bay would be kicking off. However, using a trick from the Panther playbook, the Norsemen kicked a short squib kick and recovered it at the Panther 39.
The home team was unable to capitalize on this break, however, and had to punt the ball away. Greg Walton took the punt at his sixteen-yard line and darted quickly to the western sidelines where he picked up key blocks from a number of teammates. He rambled 30 yards upfield before changing tack and cutting across field to end up in the endzone on the eastern side of the field for a2 84-yard score. The run attempt for the conversion fell short, and the score was now 25-14.
Both teams traded punts on their next possessions and then turned the ball over on downs on their second chances. On their third possession, the Norsemen drove all the way to the Panther 20 before losing possession on fourth down.
This time the Panthers were determined to score. On the second play of this drive, Walton broke right and then left for a 58-yard jaunt to the Norse 22. A short carry by Stephan Nelson set up the next Walton touchdown run from the 18, over the left side, making the score 25-20. The conversion attempt failed when a defender plowed through receiver Nick Schleuter in what appeared to be pass interference; but no flag fell.
The Panthers had one more chance to win, after taking over possession late in the fourth quarter, but as luck would have it, monsoonal rains broke loose and the wind kicked up from the south. After modest gains on a series of running plays, they found themselves facing a do-or-die from their own 37. Nostrand's pass to Chad Marshall fell incomplete, and the Panthers' hopes of a comeback win were dashed. Suttons Bay took over and ended the game by taking a knee at the ten with just five seconds to go.
The Purple and Gold watched helplessly as their first loss of the 2002 season went into the books.
Coach Matt Stapleton was disappointed in the loss, yet saw some bright spots in his team's second-half performance.
Walton led all rushers with 210 yards on 21 carries for the vast bulk of Frankfort's 225 yards rushing. Nostrandt was 5 of 9 passing for 32 yards.
Defensively, Nostrandt led the tackling with 15.
Game time for Friday night's contest at Kingsley is 7:30
STAGS HAND PANTHERS SECOND STRAIGHT DEFEAT 34-20
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times, wrote author Charles Dickens. He could have been writing about the two halves of football played by the Frankfort Panthers Friday night October 11 at Kingsley against the conference-leading Stags. In the first half it seemed little went well, with Frankfort spotting the Stags a 28-6 halftime lead. In the second half, it was Frankfort who scored three times and had three other opportunities from inside the Kingsley twenty. It could also have been written about the way the Panthers played. They managed to cut way down on penalties and only lost possession of the ball once on a fumble, a great improvement over recent weeks. They all but shut down the powerful Stag running game, BUT it was also the worst performance by the defense against the pass all season. Stag quarterback Dave Zenner threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns.
So it was that the Stags took over sole possession of the Northwest Conference Championship trophy, with Frankfort finishing third in the league, as Suttons Bay downed Manton in the other league contest Friday night.
The Panthers won the opening toss and deferred their choice, going on defense to start the contest. Returning the Kurt Gilbert kickoff to their own 26, the Stags began their first offensive drive. The Panther defense was tough on the Kingsley ground attack, but when the Stags went to the air, they began to chew up turf. On second down, Zenner found running back Adam Hurd just shy of the 50-yard line and tossed a pass that Hurd scooped nearly off the ground. A scramble on a pass play by Zenner and a short run by fullback Al Olds found the Stags with a first down at the Panther 26. Zenner faked into the line, rolled to his left and found his left halfback behind the Frankfort defender and hit him with a perfect strike for a score. The two-point conversion, a run over the right side, failed and the score stood at 6-0.
On Frankforts first possession from their own 25, the Panthers managed to accumulate 11 yards and a first down before failing to convert on third and seven. Greg Waltons punt sailed to the Stag 16 yard line where it was downed by Steve Nerg.
Olds ripped off 27 yards from the fullback spot on the first play, but was stuffed at the line on his second try. Hurd picked up a couple on a sweep and then, facing third and eight, Zenner called a time out. When play resumed, Zenner faked into the line, dropped back and launched the ball to Hurd, who had once again beaten the Panther defender. Hurd caught the ball in stride and raced to the three-yard line before Mike Kibby and Brad Nostrandt were able to haul him down. Two plays later, Zenner again faked into the line, but this time he kept the ball around right end for the touchdown. Hurd found paydirt on the two-point conversion, and the Stags had a 14-0 lead.
Following the kickoff, Frankfort took possession of the ball at its own 24. Facing a fourth-and-two at the 32, the Panthers decided to go for the first down in hopes of continuing a drive. Greg Walton was stopped at the line of scrimmage, however, and the ball went over on downs.
On third down from the 33, Zenner once more found Hurd behind a Panther defensive back and tossed a perfect strike for a score. The two-point pass failed, and the Panthers found themselves in an ever-deepening hole, 20-0.
Frankfort's Steve Nerg returned the next kickoff to the Panther 21. Six plays later the Panthers were forced to punt once again from their own 36-yard line. Walton's booming punt rolled dead at the Stag 15.
On the fifth play of this short drive, Zenner hit Hurd once again over the middle at the fifty with another pass,this time covering 71 yards. The two-point conversion run attempt was good, and with 4:20 left on the clock in the first half, the lead had been stretched to 28-0.
Frankfort finally found the enemy end zone. On the next drive, which began at the Panther 29, the Cats mounted an impressive eight-play drive that culminated in a 24-yard toss from Nostrandt to Nerg, who made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in traffic. A two-point pass to Chad Marshall was incomplete, making the score 28-6 at halftime.
The second half started with the Panthers returning a kickoff to their own 29. A fourteen-play drive ended inside the Stag 20 when Mike Kibby caught a Nostrandt pass, and in trying to gain extra yardage, lost control of the ball. Kingsley recovered.
Four plays later the Stags punted the ball away, and Nostrandt made a nice return into Kingsley territory, only to have the return nullified by a clipping penalty. Operating now from his 30-yard line, Nostrandt engineered a 6-play drive with Walton doing the honors from two yards out. Two key receptions, one by Nerg for 27 yards,and one by Kibby for another 27 led the way. Nostrandt's two-point pass to Marshall was good and the lead was cut to two touchdowns.
The next Stag possession stalled at their own 38, and Nostrandt took the resulting punt all the way back to the Stag 27 with some nifty running. However, Nostrandt was subsequently picked off in the endzone by a Stag defensive back for a touchback.
The Stags took advantage and mounted an 80-yard drive for a touchdown that made the score 34-14 with just 4:44 left in the game.
Frankfort was not in a mood to give up, however, and with just 8 seconds remaining in the game, Nostrandt found Kibby with a ten-yard pass to round out the scoring. The two-point run attempt was no good, making the final score 34-20.
Frankfort managed 106 yards rushing with Walton gaining 51 yards on 17 carries. Nostrandt added 26 yards on 15 carries. Srephan Nelson toted the ball eight times for 31 yards.
Nostrandt was 15 for 23 for 202 yards, giving the team 308 yards of total offense. Nerg led the Panther receivers with six catches for 86 yards. Nick Schleuter caught two passes for 42, while Joslin added four for 39 yards and a score. Marshall had one reception for three yards and the two-point play.
Defensively the Cats were once again led by Brad Nostrandt, who tallied 12 tackles. Others contributing stops were Nelson with 11 and Walton with seven. Scott Rodal added five.
Kingsley's Zenner was six for ten passing for 219 yards and three touchdowns. Stag backs had 30 carries for 146 yards rushing.
Friday night the Panthers host just their third home game of the season, with the Bulldogs of Rudyard coming to town for a jv/varsity doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m. The varsity contest is expected to start at 7:00 p.m.
Panthers' Big Plays Down Rudyard 28-16
Big games usually have big plays, and that was certainly true Friday night on Lockhart Field in Frankfort when the Panthers defeated Division Six opponent Rudyard. It was an important game for Frankfort which was coming off two tough losses to Northwest Conference teams. They needed a win to get back on track and also a win to get into the play-offs. Brad Nostrandt and Joel Joslin came up with two or three big plays for the Panthers to secure a 28-16 win for the hosts.
Frankfort was hosting only its third home game of the season after five road trips.
Rudyard won the toss and chose to receive the ball. Kurt Gilbert's kick was taken at the Bulldog 38 and returned three yards to the 41. Four successive carries by Bulldog fullback Brandon Suchey (one for 35 yards) brought the ball to the Panther 12-yard line. But on his fifth carry, an outside veer play to the left, Suchey was hit by defensive end Dane Colby, who stripped the ball. Defensive back Joel Joslin alertly fell on the ball, and the Panthers had their first offensive possession.
After a 13-play drive and five consecutive first downs, covering 48 yards, the Cats were faced with a fourth-and-three at the Bulldog 30. Frankfort's running back fumbled the ball, and Rudyard's Joel Borysiewicz pounced on it, ending the Panther challenge.
Rudyard's next possession ended at their own 43 when they were forced to punt the ball away.
Frankfort's Brad Nostrandt took the punt at his own 22-yard line and advanced it to the 35 where the Panthers set up their second possession. After a six-yard gain by Stephan Nelson, Nostrandt kept the ball on an outside veer from his quarterback position and rambled 58 yards toward the scoreboard, all the way to the Bulldog six before he was brought down by Rudyard's Tom Mckee. On the next play, Nostrandt handed off to Greg Walton who carried the pigskin to the one. This time it was Nelson's turn. He bulled over the left side for the game's first score. Nostrandt's pass to Chad Marshall was good for the two-point conversion and the Panthers led 8-0 with 10:55 to go in the second period.
Following a short kick by Gilbert, and a 17-yard return by the Bulldogs' Matt McDonoff, Rudyard set up its next possession inside Panther territory at the 39.
The two teams traded punts, with Rudyard getting good field position at the Panther 42 when all the dust had settled.
The Bulldogs then used ten plays, most from the Power "I" formation to get the ball into the Panther endzone, with the final six yards coming via a carry off right tackle by running back Harry McCoy. McCoy ran the identical power play for the two extra points and the game was tied with 2:10
left in the half.
After the attempted onside kick by Rudyard, Frankfort took over the ball at the fifty-yard line. Frankfort mounted a short drive before Rudyard's Greg Ehle picked off an errant Nostrandt pass and returned it back to the fifty.
On the fourth play of this possession, the Bulldogs threatened again when quarterback Matt Miller stepped to his left through a hole in the line and dashed 40 yards to the one-yard line. A clipping penalty wiped out most of that run, however, and after an incomplete pass and a short run by Suchey, the half ended.
The third quarter brought a series of exchanges between the two teams, either by punt or by downs, and the quarter ended with the score still knotted at 8-8. It wasnt until the opening play of the fourth quarter that Frankfort got the upper hand. Rudyard's Miller fired a pass to his wide receiver Greg Ehle, who caught it in stride and raced 10 yards before monster-back Steve Nerg stripped the ball from him and Nostrandt recovered it at the Frankfort 40.
Two plays later, Nostrandt stepped right to hand the ball off to Walton, who had slipped on the muddy surface and wasn't at the hand-off point. Without hesitation, the sophomore quarterback cut back behind the block of guard Kyle Gilbert and his brother Kurt and dashed across the field, outrunning three defenders, all the way to the 12-yard line before he was bumped out of bounds. Two plays later, Nostrandt faked a trap play to the right, went left and pitched the ball to Walton, who took it ten yards to paydirt. A two-point conversion toss to Walton around right end was good, and the Panthers had increased their lead to 16-8.
The next big play by Nostrandt came later in the fourth quarter when Rudyard faced a fourth down and six. The sophomore safety stepped in front of a Miller-to-McKee pass, ending that Bulldog threat.
On the ensuing drive, Nelson ripped off runs for big yardage as did Walton, but it was Nostrandt who would carry the ball 26 yards for the next score, putting the Cats on top 22-8 with 3:13 left in the game. The conversion attempt failed.
The excitement wasn't over yet, however. The Bulldogs unleashed their passing game on the next possession, and on third down, Miller aired the ball out to McDonoff, who caught it at the Panther 40. A few plays later, Miller dropped back to pass and found his speedster Ehle, who caught the pass in stride and dodged four would-be tacklers on the way to a forty-yard score. McCoy carried the three yards for the two-point attempt, and the score stood at 22-16.
Tension mounted as Frankfort hurriedly put together its "good-hands" team to receive what was certain to be an onside kick by Rudyard with just 1:22 remaining in the game. With Miller's arm and Ehle's speed, chances were relatively good that if the Bulldog's could capture the ball on the kick, they could threaten for a tie.
Frankfort was set to receive the kick, which bounced once end-over-end on the ground before springing high in the air over Frankfort's front line. Senior Joel Joslin leapt straight up as far as his 6'1" frame, would take him, snared the ball, ducked behind a Brady Olsen block and raced fifty-one yards untouched for the final touchdown. Pandemonium broke loose amongst the Panther faithful as a stunned group of Bulldog fans could only shake their heads. The extra-point pass attempt failed, but it didn't really matter. With just 1:13 left to play, the Panthers had secured a playoff berth and run their record to 6-2.
Frankfort Head Coach Matt Stapleton was pleased with the Panthers' win and commented, "We continued to improve as the game progresed. We had some players step up and make big plays."
Statistically, Nostrandt led all rushers with 128 yards on 11 carries. Walton added 86 yards on 16 carries. Nelson chipped in 56 on 13. All three had a touchdown apiece. Steve Nerg garnered five yards on two carries. Nostrandt was one-for-five passing for 12 yards and two extra points.
For the Bulldogs, Suchy led in rushing attempts with 117 yards on 27 carries. McCoy followed with 16 yards on 8 totes. Miller added 11 yards on four carries. Miller was also 4 for 11 passing for 113 yards, nearly half of them on one play.
Defensively, Frankfort was led by Nelson with 11 tackles, Walton with nine, followed by Nostrandt, Joslin, Scott Rodal and Nerg who had seven, six, and five tackles respectively. Nerg forced two fumbles and had one recovery. Joslin recovered one fumble and had an interception. Nostrand added another interception for the Panthers.
Next Saturday the Panthers travel to ex-Northwest Conference foe Onekama to take on the Portagers. Game time is 1:00.
AGGIES END PANTHERS' UNDEFEATED SEASON 19-0
The Beal City Aggies used a punishing ground game and a strong offensive line to defeat the Panthers 19-0 in the Region Two final on Saturday at Lockhart Field. Though the Panthers twice gave the Aggies a short field on which to operate, the contest was dominated from start to finish by the Aggies who move to 12-0 and will face Crystal Falls-Forest Park next Saturday in the Superior Dome in Marquette.
Tuesday, August 21
Panthers Hook Up With Marion Eagles Again
After meeting in the 2006 Playoffs, Frankfort and Marion squared off again in 2007. The Eagles visited Lockhart Field on August 24th for the Cats' home opener. The Panthers defeated the Eagles 30-14.
Sunday, September 2
Frankfort Drops Rangers 40-0
Sunday, September 9
PANTHERS TOP HUSKIES 20-13 IN CROSS-COUNTY GAME
Tuesday, September 18
Cats Let Dogs Slip By With A Win
Frankfort 14Mesick 19 Scoring:1st Quarter: 10:53 Mesick Scored on an 44 yd run (kick no good) 6 – 0 2nd Quarter: 10:29 Mesick 3 yd run (kick good) 13 - 0 3rd Quarter: 6:50 Mesick 1 yd run (kick failed) 19 - 0 4th Quarter: 2:36 FHS - Wade Luxford 13 yd run (2pt run by Scott Demerly) 19 - 8 8 plays: 63 ydsKey blocks on TD run (QB Sneak – Garber, Soper, Nostrandt, Tondu)Key plays: Brouillet 14 yd run, Luxford 12 yd run, 16 yd reception from Luxford to Alex Stieve. 3:55 FHS – Stieve 15 yd TD reception from Luxford (try no good) 19 – 14) Final Score: 19 – 14 (mesick) Stats:Rushing: Team 30 / 94 yds Mesick 52 / 211 yds (4.0 yds carry)Passing: Team 6/17 97 yds Mesick 0/2 0 yds Total yards: 191 yds Mesick = 211 yds Rushing: Brouillet 6 / 22 ydsBanktson 1 / 0 Luxford 13 / 55 (1 TD) Demerly 11 / 56 Passing: Luxford 6 / 17 97 yds 1 TD 1 INT Receiving: Demerly 1 / 19 Stieve 4 / 52 (1 TD) Waara 1 / 26 Tackles: Banktson – 10 tackles Demerly 8 tackles - 1 interception Pettit 6 tackles Luxford 5 tackles Brouillet 5 tackles Next game : @ Glen Lake 9/21 7 pm Keys to the game and Quotes from Coach Stapleton: Mesick moved the ball and controlled the clock the entire first half. We average 35 plays per half and we ran 13 in the first half against Mesick. Unfortunately, we started the 2nd half with a turnover that led to their third touchdown even before we had a chance to get back into the game. We did not look like a very good football team. We blocked poorly, we tackled poorly, and we had three huge turnovers. We did not show up ready to play. We seemed to wake up at the end of the 3rd quarter. With our backs against the wall, we began to play more physical on defense and move the football. We began to play with a sense of urgency. I just wish we hadn't waited 2 ½ quarters. We held them to 14 total yards the last 19:00 minutes of the game. Unfortunately for us, it was too little too late. The one brightspot was that we did come back and have a chance to win it at the end. Our kids didn’t quit and quickly got themselves back into the game. We must give credit to Mesick. Their kids came out and played well and dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. They executed well and took it right to us from the start. We got behind and we couldn’t catch up. Our defense did not play aggressively and our offense had too many mistakes. We must improve if we are going to compete against Glen Lake and the rest of the conference. I take full responsibility for our kids not being prepared and ready to play. We were excited about returning home after two weeks on the road but did not give our fans much to cheer about, especially in the first half. This was a good eye-opener for our kids. We’ll find out what kind of character our team has. If I know this collection of fine young men, they will re-group and play as though they have something to prove. I look for our kids to play as though it were impossible to fail and to play with a burning desire to be successful in every aspect of the game. I am confident our kids will have a good week of practice and come out as a completely different team against Glen Lake. Next opponent: Glen Lake Glen Lake is one of our longtime Northwest conference rivals. We have had some classic ballgames in the last twenty years. Coach Hollenbeck does a great job and he will have his kids ready to play.
Wednesday, September 26
Panthers Drown Lakers 33-2
Stats and Quotes From Coach Matt Stapleton
Frankfort vs Glen Lake 9/21/074-1 (2-1) 1-4 (0-3) Frankfort 8 7 12 6 33Glen Lake 0 0 0 2 2 Scoring: 1st Quarter:
1:07 FHS - Scott Demerly 13 yd run (2pt pass good Luxford to Alex Stieve) 8-0
12 plays – 93 yds (all runs)
Key plays – 21 yd run by Demerly, and a 10 yd run by Luxford)
Key Blocks on TD – Chris Tondu, Tyler Stratton, Banktson, Tousley,
TD run a toss around the right end
2nd Quarter:
8:38 FHS - Max Banktson 38 yd TD pass from Luxford (kick good – Sam Fitzhugh) 15 – 0
5 plays – 51 yds
Key plays: Kyle Brouillet fumble recovery
Key on TD: Good play fake and Luxford rolled around left end
Threw a perfect pass to Banktson who made the nice catch
And ran into the endzone
3rd Quarter:
6:37 FHS - Van Amond 2 yd run (kick failed) 21 - 0
7 play drive – 25 yds
Key plays – Van Amond fumble recovery
Luxford pass to Shawn Waara for 30 yds
Demerly 9 yd and 8 yd runs
Key blocks by : Nostrandt, Gokey, Garber, Soper
4:23 FHS - Demerly 1 yd run (kick failed) 27 – 0
4 plays – 51 yds
Key plays: Chris Tondu interception
Luxford pass to Banktson 14 yds to the 1 yd line
Brouillet 11 yd run
4th Quarter:
11:53 GL - Frankfort recovers own fumble in endzone for a safety 27 – 2
Key play: Glen Lake punt down to the goal line – FHS fumble
9:19 FHS – Demerly 81 yd run (kick failed) 33 – 2
4 plays – 91 yds
Key plays: 4th down stop at the 9 yd line
Key blocks on TD – Banktson, Stratton, Waara, Tondu
Demerly took the toss around right end, broke 1 tackle - gone
Final Score: 33 - 2
Statistics:
FHS Rushing 49 / 272 yds Passing 4 / 9 1 TD, 1 Int (108yds).
Glen Lake Rushing 35 / 84 yds Passing 7 / 19 (73) yds 1 int
Rushing:
Demerly 20 / 202 (3 TD)
Luxford 12 / 25
Brouillet 9 / 33
Amond 4 (-1) (1 TD)
Waara 1 / 6 yds
Gokey 2 / 3 yds
Banktson 1 / 4
Passing: Luxford 4 / 8 108 yds ( 1 TD)
Banktson 0 / 1 1 Interception
Receiving: Banktson 2 / 52 yds (1 TD)
Demerly 1 / 26 yds
Waara 1 / 30 ys
Stieve 1/3 (ex. pt.)
Kickoffs: Sam Fitzhugh 7 kickoffs for a 42 yd avg
Tackling:
Banktson 9 tackles
Brouillet 8 + fumble recovery
Pettit 5 + 1 QB sack
Demerly 4
Tondu 4 + Interception
Luxford 5
Amond 4 + fumble recovery
Smeltzer 3
Penalties: FHS 7 / 70 yds Glen Lake 5 / 50 yds
Quotes and Keys to the game:
We were able to build a 15 – 0 lead at halftime. It was important for us to play well in the first half.
We were able to play pretty good defense. Our kids responded well following last week’s tough loss.
We had good balance between the run and the pass. (272 rushing + 108 passing)
We were able to get the ball to the tight end. This was one of our game goals.
We executed much better than last week. We were finishing blocks and our backs were breaking arm tackles.
Luxford threw the ball well and our receivers did a nice job of catching the ball in their hands.
Our offensive line had a nice night, helping to account for over 380 yds of offense.
We created some turnovers on defense. We were able to take advantage of those opportunities by putting points on the board.
I am still concerned about our penalties. We must be more disciplined.
We still are putting the ball on the ground too much. Our goal next week is to take care of the ball.
I am proud of how our guys responded this week. They had something to prove. Glen Lake is down right now and we were fortunate to do what we had to do to get the job done.
We had some big hits. Demerly made a bone crunching block on a punt return and Max had a perfect form fit tackle that was amazing.
Our kids like to play defense and they like to hit.
We must continue to get better on both sides of the ball.
Next week: Suttons Bay (4-1, 2-1) last year’s league champs and the team that beat FHS 35-0 last year. We will use that as motivation this year and be ready to play.
They have an excellent running game with two game-breaking backs. One has great speed and the other is a really tough to bring down. We must contain the run and not allow the big play.
This is a must win if we still want to compete for at least a share of the Northwest Conference Championship.
Monday, October 1
Big Plays Spell Big Win for the Bay
Frankfort vs SB 9/28/07 Frankfort 8 0 0 7 15Suttons Bay 19 0 14 0 33 Scoring: 1st Quarter:
8:24 SB 63 yd TD pass on the 2nd play of the game 7-0
QB threw a 1 yd hitch and the WR ran down the sideline
7:10 FHS - Kyle Brouillet 2 yd run (run good by Brouillet) 8 - 7
3 plays – 49 yards
Key plays – 41 yd run by Brouillet
Key Blocks on TD – Chris Tondu, Tyler Stratton, Demerly
6:55 SB - 57 yd TD pass on the 1st play of the next possession (run failed) 13-8
1:31 SB - 28 yd TD reverse pass on 4th and 12. QB caught the pass 19 – 8
2nd Quarter:
No Scoring
3rd Quarter:
8:04 SB - QB 12 yd boot run over the left side (run good) 27-8
2:47 SB – QB 14 yd boot run over the right side (kick no good) 33 - 8
4th Quarter:
0:18 FHS - Wade Luxford 2 yd run (kick good by Sam Fitzhugh) 33 – 15
Final Score: SB 33 FHS 15
5-1 (3-2) 4-2 (2-2)
Statistics:
FHS Rushing 53 / 254 yds Passing 10 / 19 54 yds 1 int (308)
SB Rushing 28 / 143 yds Passing 6 / 9 188 3 TD’s 1 int (331)
Rushing:
Demerly 22 / 135
Luxford 6 / 31 1 TD
Brouillet 16 / 113 (1 TD)
Waara 1 / 9 yds
Amond 3 / 12 yds
Gokey 2 / 10 yds
Passing: Luxford 10 / 19 54 yds 1 int
Receiving: Banktson 4 – 29 yds
Stieve 2 – 22 yds
Tousley 1 – 8 yds
Smeltzer 1 – 5 yds
Ruff 1 - 1 yd
Demerly 1 - (-10) yds
Tackling:
Banktson 9 tackles
Brouillet 4
Pettit 6 + 1 QB sack
Demerly 4
Gokey 4
Tondu 4
Luxford 4
Interception:
Brouillet
Penalties: FHS 7 / 60 yds SB 11 / 105
Quotes and Keys to the game:
They scored early and often on the big play. In fact, they scored two of their first three plays on long TD passes. One of our goals was to eliminate the big play. Obviously, we struggled to get the job done.
I was pleased at how our kids responded after the first score. We were able to regroup and move the ball into the endzone in just three plays. At 8-7, we felt that this might be a great ball game.
They had some fast and talented players that made plays. Their quarterback had a tremendous game and literally picked us apart with the run and pass.
We moved the ball well the entire game. In fact, we didn’t punt. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t convert in the red zone. We had over 250 yards rushing and over 300 yds. total offense, but yet only found the endzone two times. We must finish drives if we are going to compete.
Our backs ran the ball well and the lineman did a nice job blocking a tough defensive scheme. We took care of the ball but still had seven penalties, at least three of which had a big impact early in the game. We must play with more discipline and do things right all of the time.
We must regroup as we face this year’s Northwest Conference Champion, the Kingsley Stags. We will need to play better defense and put some points on the board if we want to compete. They are a good team and they make very few mistakes. We know that we can compete with anyone. We just need to put together four good quarters of football.
Homecoming this week – game at 7:00
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