It ain’t easy
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| Morrison’s players, cheerleaders and fans celebrate Josh Vos’ fourth-quarter touchdown that provided the difference Saturday in the Mustangs’ win against Orion at Bud Cole Field. (Chris Padgett/cpadgett@svnmail.com) |
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MORRISON – The Morrison Mustangs advanced to the state football semifinals Saturday afternoon, but it was far from an easy task.
Morrison got two long touchdown runs from Josh Vos and bent but never broke on defense as it eked out a 14-7 Class 2A quarterfinal victory over Orion.
The top-ranked and top-seeded Mustangs (12-0) will host No. 2 seed Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (11-1) in a state semifinal Friday or Saturday.
Gibson City defeated Annawan-Wethersfield 32-20 Saturday. With Casey-Westfield’s quarterfinal loss, the Mustangs are the last undefeated team in the 2A bracket.
Morrison was outgained 350-227 by the Chargers (10-2), but the Mustangs made plays when they had to, on both sides of the ball.
Vos, who carried 24 times for 160 yards, had a 32-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and bolted 42 yards for the tiebreaking TD run with 4:48 to play.
“Orion is a great team,” Vos said. “They came out ready to play. They smacked us in the mouth the first series. Luckily our defense was able to fight back. Our defense got down at times, but we did a great job of stopping them when we needed to.”
Orion was inside Morrison’s 25-yard line five times, but the Mustangs turned the Chargers away on all but one those opportunities.
“We played a heck of a game, but our defense was on the field a lot,” Morrison senior running back/defensive back Kyle Janssen said. “We have to come out in the next game with more intensity than we did. We’ve got a lot of heart, and that’s what it takes to win football games.”
Morrison’s defense stood tallest during a goal line stand in the opening moments of the second quarter.
Leading 7-0, the Mustangs saw Orion march from its 24 to the Morrison 6, where the Chargers set up first-and-goal.
Gains of 3 and 2 yards put the ball on the Mustangs’ 1 on third down. Morrison then stuffed Orion quarterback James Matson for no gain on a sneak.
On fourth down the Mustangs again rose to the occasion, bringing down Chargers running back Keenen Hutchinson just inches away from the goal line.
“That was big,” Morrison coach Cory Bielema said. “We haven’t been in too many of those situations, but our defense has been our backbone all year. They took it as a challenge. They made some big plays.”
Vos’ fourth-quarter touchdown came moments after Morrison converted a third-and-8 from its own 24 when quarterback Andrew Cook connected with Janssen for 21 yards.
Following Vos’ go-ahead TD, Orion used a 43-yard pass play on fourth-and-2 to eventually reach the Mustang 24 before Matson was intercepted by Will Bird, who made a lengthy return.
All Morrison had to do was chew up the final 1:47. But, with 53 seconds left, Cook fumbled the snap and Orion recovered for one last gasp.
The gasp was short-lived, however, as Janssen intercepted Matson on the next play.
Orion moved right down the field on the game’s opening possession, marching from its 26 to the Mustang 17 before the Morrison defense stiffened and the Chargers turned the ball over on downs.
Janssen’s 36-yard punt return set up Vos’ first touchdown, and the Mustangs led 7-0 with 4:41 left in the opening quarter.
Orion scored its only points in the third quarter, moving 83 yards in seven plays. Pass plays of 46 and 19 yards highlighted the drive, which was capped on another pass, this one a 6-yarder from Matson to Jared Simmer in the back of the end zone. The point after made it 7-7 with 7:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Late in the third, Morrison drove from its 27 to the Charger 25 before a holding penalty negated a touchdown pass from Cook to Cory Swanstrom and forced the Mustangs to punt.
Orion nearly took the lead in the early stages of the fourth quarter. A difficult throw and catch from Matson to Huthinson resulted in a 17-yard gain to the Morrison 25.
But, as it did so many times, the Mustangs defense stepped up. On fourth-and-7 from the 22, Matson came very close to completing a TD pass to Hutchinson. But, the connection was not made and Morrison took over with 7:15 left.
“This was an outstanding game,” Bielema said. “Orion played just about as perfect a game as they could play. We hadn’t been in situations like this much this year. Our kids really showed their character and heart. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
