FOOTBALL: Margaretta blasts its way to first win

After Margaretta took its first lead of the game early in the third quarter, coach Rock Farlow used a strategy he always employs.

It changed the complexion of the game en route to a 42-14 win.
Leading 20-14, a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was issued to the St. Mary Central Catholic sideline, moving the kickoff to midfield. In that situation, Farlow said there’s only one thing to do.

“My rule for me is, whenever you get a 15-yard penalty on a kickoff, we’re going to onside,” Farlow said. “At the worst you’re going to get the ball at the 35.

“That’s just an automatic thing.”

Margaretta recovered at the St. Mary 34-yard line and took just three plays to find the end zone. Bryce Fredrick took a handoff on third-and-6 and bolted for 30 yards and a 26-14 lead. Devin Jones completed a pass to Corey Yontz for the two-point conversion, extending the lead to 28-14.

It was the same play that gave the Polar Bears a 20-14 lead, just run to the opposite side.

“As the momentum came along we played a lot better,” Farlow said. “That was really nice to see our kids finally get a little bit of confidence in themselves.”

St. Mary coach Jason Zeigler said the blame for penalty should be placed on him. The Panthers couldn’t recover from that point.

Now trailing by 14, St. Mary managed to run just two plays on its next drive, fumbling away an option pitch on second-and-nine.

Margaretta recovered and moved in large chunks for its next score.

Two 9-yard runs from Yontz and one from Bryce Fredrick, along with a 23-yard pass play from Jones to Jimmy Weidenheft, set up a 2-yard touchdown run from Yontz with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked — one of three blocked on the night.

“We started showing the kind of running game we have,” Farlow said.

St. Mary’s next drive lasted five plays, when Zeb Kromer was intercepted by Jones at the Polar Bears’ 10-yard line. Jones returned it 24 yards to the 34.

Once again, the Polar Bears marched right down the field, scoring in five plays on a 6-yard touchdown run by Jones just four seconds in to the fourth quarter.

During the drive the Panther’s problems got worse as Kromer, the team’s senior quarterback, was ejected. Zeigler said after the game that he expects Kromer to be suspended for next week.

“We’ve got to learn from this loss and get better for next week,” Zeigler said. “Our guys are hurting right now but we’ve got to get over that, watch some film and get better for next week.

“It was tough after the onside kick. It seemed like everything went the wrong way.”

Problems weren’t present for St. Mary in the first half as the Panthers had all the early momentum. Two scoring plays of over 60 yards gave them an early lead.

The first came with 6:46 left in the first quarter as Kromer found Adam Ring open as he was cutting across the secondary. Kromer rolled right, hit Ring and he did the rest, outrunning the entire Polar Bear secondary for the score.

“I just don’t know that we ever came out of the funk we were in from last week,” Farlow said of the slow start. Margaretta led Lakota 28-11 at halftime and surrendered 27 unanswered in the second half to lose, 38-28.

“We were slow coming out. They made a couple of big plays. Other than about two big plays we did (well).”

An interception by Garrett Kowalski gave the Panthers the ball back later in the quarter. After a 4-yard keeper, Kromer faked a sweep left on second down and took it 62 yards, cutting up through the Polar Bears’ secondary.

Kromer outran every last defensive back on his path to the endzone.

“We have yet to put four quarters together the entire season,” Zeigler said. “Even in the win last week.
“That’s something we need to improve on and with younger guys it takes some time.”