Trojans come up short against Denison

Atlantic rolls up 317 yards of offense to Denison’s 194, but first quarter turnovers

prove costly

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / September 28, 2013

ATLANTIC – The Trojans rallied back to contention from a two-touchdown-deficit and battled against Denison with a backbone not before seen this season at the Trojan Bowl.

Still, it was not enough to cap the evening with a victory for the Homecoming crowd, as Denison held off Atlantic’s two-minute drill with a fourth down stand in the final seconds to preserve a 21-14 victory over the Trojans.

It proved to be another heart breaker for Atlantic, who drops its fourth straight and falls to 1-4 on the season.

“We need to stick together…that’s a tough loss,” Atlantic head coach Nick Ross said afterwards. “After fighting back to have high hopes on a final drive, you can see it on our kids’ faces, they are hurting right now. So we will stick together and go back to work.”

It didn’t take long for Atlantic to fall into a 14-0 deficit as a fumble and a bad snap on a Trojans’ punt attempt helped spot Denison a two-touchdown lead.

With 3:30 left in the opening quarter, Monarchs’ junior QB Mitch Kinsey connected with receiver Blake Beymer on a slant route that Beymer took 20 yards to the end zone and a 7-0 Denison lead.  

About three minutes later, an Atlantic special teams breakdown set up Denison on the Trojans’ 13-yard line, which quickly yielded another score at the close of the first quarter.

This stretch threatened to follow the script the Trojans have seen too much of during this recent losing streak, as mistakes compound, and things quickly snowball and get out of hand.

Instead, the Trojans remained calm, cut the lead to one touchdown midway through the second quarter on a one-yard keeper from senior QB Joe Walker, and made a game of it.

“The bottom line is that we need to find a way to get things done without falling into a hole,” coach Ross says. “But I do like the way they responded, and their ability to fight back.”

In the third quarter, Denison reclaimed its 14-point lead when Kinsey connected again with Beymer for a 16-yard touchdown pass that converted a gutsy fourth-and-10 for the Monarchs.

It was on Atlantic to respond, and the Trojans methodically went about their work as the offense began to take steps forward, particularly in the second half.

The Trojans staked out 30 first downs to Denison’s 17, and ran 79 plays to the Monarchs 59.

Walker completed a season-high 14-of-26 pass attempts for 120 yards and no INTs, and the Trojans’ gained 229 yards on the ground, 134 of them from Walker, who carried the ball 20 times.

In all, Atlantic’s offense outperformed Denison 317 yards to 194, but those two early turnovers proved too costly in the end.

“Joe played well for us, and he has been,” coach Ross says.

“When we’ve had breakdowns in the passing game…sometimes it’s the O-line, some times it’s the quarterback, and sometimes it is the receivers. We need to be able to get 11 guys going, and that falls on us as coaches to make sure everyone is coached up and on the same page.”

Trailing 21-7 late in the fourth quarter, the Trojans punched through a second touchdown on another Walker keeper with 3:55 remaining.

Atlantic’s defense forced Denison to punt, which set the Trojans’ up at their own 17-yard-line with 1:57 left. The Trojans were able to advance the drive to the Denison 18 with 1:02 remaining, but the mojo soon stalled and the offense moved backwards with the aid of penalties. With two seconds remaining, Walker’s final pass attempt missed its target, and a turnover on downs handed the win to Denison.

Close, but no victory for this Homecoming.

“These are tough kids, and they continue to work hard,” coach Ross says. “We will just have to go back to work and fix the little things that we have to do better as coaches, and they have to do better as players. And we will stick together and continue to grind it out.”

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CAM desperately needs a win over Essex/South Page if it wants to remain a legitimate playoff contender in District 8

Cougars look forward to securing first home victory of season before Homecoming crowd

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / September 26, 2013

ANITA  –  It’s the final weekend of September, and already the Cougars are fighting for their playoff survival.

This is the third straight Friday that Cumberland-Anita-Massena takes the field with a “must-win” mindset, and the Cougars ought to have ample reason and motivation to put on a good show before their Homecoming crowd in Anita.

Friday night brings with it an opportunity or a flashpoint for a CAM squad working hard to reverse its fortunes after a 1-4 start.

“It’s an important game,” CAM head coach Joe Wollum says. “It would be nice to cap off a strong Homecoming week with a win, but a win also does a lot towards keeping alive in the playoff hunt as well.”

The week started with CAM’s junior varsity making a statement Monday with a 40-14 victory over Southwest Valley. It’s something coach Wollum thinks might spark the program to step up and close out a much-needed victory over Essex/SP Friday.

Essex/South Page fields a roster of 35 players, large by 8-Man standards, and moreover, E/SP has players with physical mass as well, mixed in with some speed.

The Trojans roll in with an 0-4 record, with losses Fremont-Mills, Coon Rapids-Bayard, Lenox and Twin Cedars. Senior Jacob Jones is E/SP’s top rusher with 49 totes for 236 yards (4.8 YPC) and two touchdowns.

“They have some talent and they do some things well,” coach Wollum says of the Trojans. “They are better than their record shows.

“When they are successful, it means they are running the ball well. That’s something we really need to try to shut down, and force them to throw. They are not as comfortable when they throw, and maybe that’s how we can create turnovers.”

CAM has struggled at home so far this season, falling to River Valley and Southwest Valley, while being outscored on average 63-16 in those two losses.

This week, CAM has restructured its offensive line, plugging freshman Brandon Flathers into the center position, and moving Keegan Hosfelt to guard. The coaches also hope to rotate more players in on the ends, depending on what the play dictates. Left to right the line will now be; end Michael Holste, (Cole McAfee and/or Trent Jessen), left guard Hosfelt, center Flathers, right guard Austin Williamson and right end Logan Dinkla.

The Cougars continue to move the ball offensively through quarterback Trace Ticknor, who averages 5.0 yards-per-carry (420 yards on 84 attempts) and nine touchdowns on the grounds. As a passer, Ticknor is 51-of-111 (46 percent) for 783 yards and eight TDs to five picks.

Offensive growth is one focal point for the team this week.

“We’ve been stagnant a couple weeks in a row, and now we really need to be able to put some points on the board,” coach Wollum says. “We need to be explosive on offense early, and hopefully that will open things up.”

Atlantic hoping to break through with victory for its Homecoming crowd

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Sept. 26, 2013

ATLANTIC – Homecoming arrives this week in Atlantic, and a victory for the black-and-gold could go a long way.

Since winning the season opener at Clarinda, the Trojans have dropped three straight, two of them home shutouts as Atlantic is still looking to put together four quarters of consistent football.

As Denison rolls into town Friday night, so comes an opportunity to do something memorable for a Trojans’ squad that is hoping to give their home crowd something to cheer about.

That’s the driving force this week.

“We haven’t played the way I feel we are capable of playing in front of our home crowd,” Atlantic coach Nick Ross says. “That’s the exciting part, the kids are eager to take the field and show the community how hard they work and what kind of effort we put in.”

Denison, much like Atlantic, has struggled in the early part of the season, dropping its first four games against teams that have a combined 12-4 record. The Monarchs have fallen this season to Harlan, Carroll and Kuemper, along with Storm Lake, two teams of which are ranked in the top 10 in 3A, while Kuemper is the top-ranked squad in Class 2A.

The Monarchs are only averaging 5 points-per-week, but the Atlantic coaching staff isn’t going to get caught up in statistics just yet.

“They’ve struggled, and so have we,” coach Ross says. “Maybe part of the reason they are 0-4 is they have played some very good football teams. Teams that are somewhat similar to the teams we have played. You can’t look too much into that 0-4 record, I really believe Denison is a very good team.”

Atlantic is expecting to face a power-oriented Denison squad that builds off its rushing attack.

“They are a physical team that likes to run the ball,” coach Ross says. “They’ve got some talented backs, and some solid linemen, and they are going to come right downhill at you.”

Denison has two backs averaging better than four yards per carry as Jade Pauley (10) and Mitchell Struck (20) have done the bulk of the work on the ground so far, combining for 422 yards on 99 attempts.

Like most weeks, Atlantic will hope to live and die by the ground game, generating more of it on offense, and shutting it down defensively.

“We’ve got to run the ball, and we need to stop their run, that’s the biggest thing,” coach Ross says. “We’ve got to be able to rack up yards and finish drives on offense. Defensively, we need to stop their run, because if we do that, we are setting ourselves up for success.”

Hanging over the Trojans is their difficulties thus far at home, where they have yet to score a touchdown through eight quarters.

Perhaps the pageantry of Homecoming will coerce the Trojans to play inspired football this time around.

“It’s been hard for us, because we have played well at times on the road,” coach Ross says. “But we will keep trying different things, and hopefully the excitement of Homecoming will give us a little added focus and confidence.”

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Trojans hit hard at home again

Lewis Central blanks Atlantic 42-0, Trojans fall to 1-3 on season

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Sept. 21, 2013

ATLANTIC – The Trojans’ offense didn’t show up, and the defense struggled continuously against the speed Lewis Central brought Friday night.

The end result did not bode well for the black-and-gold, as Lewis Central dominated Atlantic for four quarters en route to a 42-0 victory, the Titans’ first of the season.

Lewis Central recorded a safety with a little more than five minutes remaining in the third quarter to stretch a 33-point lead into 35 points, and kick in the running clock.

It hastened what proved to be a forgettable evening for Atlantic.

“It obviously wasn’t a great game for us,” Trojans head coach Nick Ross said afterwards. “We need to do a lot of things better, not only the players, but us coaches, too.  We need to make sure we are able to put them in a position to be successful.”

Lewis Central jumped out 12-0 after one quarter and 19-0 at the half before tearing the game open in the third quarter when they scored four times, and put the game out of reach.

LC’s offense out-performed the Trojans 362 yards to Atlantic’s 51 despite running around the same number of plays (61 to Atlantic’s 55). Titans’ quarterback Austin Simmons completed 12-of-18 pass attempts for 169 yards, and the LC ground attack hashed out a season-high 216 yards rushing.

“They are very athletic and very explosive,” coach Ross says of LC. “But there are a few things we could have done better. They were physical and they did a good job with that, but we didn’t help ourselves at all as far as execution goes.”

For the first time this season, Atlantic did not turn the ball over. However six quarterback sacks slowed the offense as the Trojans’ struggled against LC’s aggressive pass rush and defensive penetration.

The loss drops Atlantic’s record to 1-3 on the season, and 0-2 in Class 3A District 1 play. The Trojans will return to work next week as they prepare for next Friday’s Homecoming game against Denison.

“All around, we will look at some film, and them come back Monday ready to work, and ready to do everything better for everyone on our team,” coach Ross says.

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CAM FOOTBALL: Cougars counting on improved defensive play to turn it around

CAM hosts Southwest Valley team that is 3-1 and averaging 50 points per week

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Sept. 18, 2013

ANITA – A 1-3 start for Cumberland-Anita-Massena has some folks scratching their head.

But after four weeks of reflection, Cougars head coach Joe Wollum says he doesn’t have to dig too deep into the game film to figure out what has been spoiling his team’s chances.

It’s the defense, plain and simple.

If the Cougars defense can become more adapt at getting off the field, then it will allow the CAM offense more time to go to work.

“It’s been talked about all year,” Wollum says. “We need to find a way to get off the field on third down.”

Hard losses to a pair of Top 10 teams have put the Cougars into a hole early, and this week, another surprisingly top tier squad moves in on the schedule.

Southwest Valley this year combines last year’ s squads from Corning and Villisca, and the teal-and-black Timberwolves are certainly off to a strong start at 3-1. A roster 37 players deep has helped make for better competition at key positions, and the inaugural Southwest Valley team has proven to make for a strong 8-Man team.

“They are a very physical team that has some speed as well,” coach Wollum says. “And when you watch film, they do an excellent job on offense of mixing up the looks. They are certainly going to be a handful.”

SW Valley has shown thus far to be able to run an effective offense that employs read options, spread passing sets, jet sweeps, and a double tight I-formation formulated at running the ball right at you. The Timberwolves offense is diverse, complicated, and effective when run correctively. Slowing it down becomes priority No. 1 for the Cougars’ defense.

Under center is senior quarterback Jordan Stuart (3), a crafty player equally adept to run and throw. As a passer, Stuart is completing 57 percent of his attempts (21-of-37) for 383 yards and 7 touchdowns to no INTs.

Also moving the SWV offense is senior running back Zach Barton (42), who has 500 yards and 7 touchdowns on 60 carries, marking an average of 8.3 yards-per-carry.

Southwest Valley took care of Nishnabotna 51-14 last Friday, one week removed from a tightly contested battle with Sidney that the Cowboys took 30-26. In all of the three victories this season for the Timberwolves, they have scored more than 50, which is now their weekly average.

Coach Wollum says that winning the turnover battle could be a difference maker, as the Cougars have had their share of self-inflicted wounds. Most recently in a 45-34 loss to Fremont-Mills in which two fumbles, two picks and a couple bad snaps cost the Cougars a game they might have otherwise won.

“We can’t keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” coach Wollum says. “We are not a good enough football team to expect to make silly mistakes, and turn the ball over, and then win games.”

At times, CAM has been effective with its offense, moving the chains and sustaining drives. Sometimes the possessions ended with points, sometimes not. But Wollum says the Cougars need more of them, and again, that comes back to the defense’s ability to give the Cougars a fresh set of downs on a consistent basis.

This is now the second week of the District (8) schedule that leads up to a playoff berth. Losing last week dropped the Cougars level at 1-1 in District games, and suffering a second loss right away will put CAM in a bind as it fights with Sidney, Fremont-Mills, Southwest Valley and Lenox for four playoff spots.

“We can’t start 1-2 in this District,” coach Wollum says. “As a coach, you hate to tell the kids that this is a must-win, but it might be that way.”

Playing at home in Anita is another motivating factor for the Cougars, who are eager to wash away a disappointing effort in its only other home game so far this season, a 66-12 whipping at the hands of River Valley (Correctionville) on Aug. 30.

“We laid an egg against River Valley, and we are eager to show our fans that we are a much better football team that we were the last time we played at home,” coach Wollum said this week.

8-MAN: Southwest Valley (3-1/2-1) at CAM (1-3/1-1) at Anita – 7 PM

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Trojans show some fight, but can’t topple unbeaten Creston

Creston moves to 3-0 with 28-14 victory over Atlantic

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Sept. 14, 2013

CRESTON – The Trojans carried a much different demeanor to the field Friday night in Creston.

One week after a disastrous and embarrassing loss at home to Carroll, Atlantic came ready to play against Creston, pushing hard on the unbeaten Panthers before ultimately falling 28-14.

The Trojans’ sideline is not much for moral victories, but coming off last week’s debacle and facing the heavily favored Panthers, Atlantic found itself in a hard-fought contest, and showed flashes again of being a very competitive football team.

It might serve as something to build on.

“We knew we were a much, much better football team than we showed last week,” Trojans head coach Nick Ross says. “If there is a positive to take away from a loss, it’s we actually got close to playing the way we are capable of. There are still plenty of mistakes to improve upon, but we fought hard, and we were mentally and physically tough throughout the ball game.

“We were able to hang in there and play CLOSER, CLOSER to the way we can play. We are not there, we’re not happy, we’re not satisfied. We are going to come back and fight, and we are going to be better next week.”

Creston jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter before the Trojans broke a six-quarter scoreless drought when senior tailback Jake Dvorak scored on a 16-yard run with 2:01 left before half. It injected a bit of life into the black-and-gold, and Atlantic went into halftime with a jolt of momentum and confidence.

Then, four minutes into the second half, Creston’s Trevor Frain broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown run of his own to drive the Panthers ahead 21-7. Creston soon had the ball again, inside the Trojans’ five late in the quarter, and threatened to tear the game open before a goal line stand from Atlantic  repelled the Creston threat, and a missed field goal kept things a two-score game.

Atlantic drew to within one score when junior quarterback Joe Walker broke through with a one-yard keeper with 9:34 left, and Creston then held a narrow 21-14 lead.

However, the Panthers would reclaim their two-touchdown lead with 5:27 remaining when quarterback Brandon Phipps found receiver Gavin Leith for a 17-yard strike and a 28-14 Creston lead.

The Trojans would have their chances, but two late interceptions hindered any chance of a comeback.

Creston went about killing the final minutes of the clock and then moved to 3-0. Atlantic drops to 1-2 on the season.

Dvorak returned to the Trojans’ backfield for the first time this season, and had an immediate effect, running the back 21 times for 122 yards and one touchdown.

Atlantic returns home next Friday to face Lewis Central, who is still looking for its first victory of the season after a 0-3 start. The Titans suffered a heartbreaker loss to Indianola 21-20 Friday night.

Coach Ross says the Trojans will build off this game, and move forward.

“They responded from taking a real blow to their confidence last week,” he said. “The kids responded well and worked hard, and I think that was evident tonight. Creston is notoriously a physical football team, and I think we matched that.

“We just have to continue to grow up a little bit and continue to fight. I know the kids will do it because they are good kids and they work hard.”

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Trojans looking to bounce back Friday night at Creston

Atlantic focused on limiting its own turnovers and valuing the football to allow offense to go to work

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Fri. Sept. 13, 2013

ATLANTIC – Last week’s loss marked a number of bad statistics for the Trojans. The offense, the defense, and special teams all broke down at some point of the game, and things snowballed en route to a 47-0 Carroll Tigers’ victory.

On Monday afternoon, the Trojans returned to practice and put that defeat behind them, committed to putting a completely different product on the field Friday night at Creston.

Trojans head coach Nick Ross said this week that he did not expect any residual effects from last week’s game to carry into this week.

That Carroll game has been flushed, and now the task at hand lays in Creston for the District (3A – 1) opener against the 2-0 Panthers.

“The response has been good,” coach Ross says. “That was obviously a very disappointing game for everyone involved, but the guys have come back to work with a great deal of effort. We’re working on being a little more physical and a little more intense.”

Three turnovers, two on bad snaps, surrendered a swell of momentum early on last week for Carroll. So much so, that the Tigers held a 21-0 lead a little more than three minutes removed from the opening kick and before darkness fell over the Trojan Bowl.

Such simple missteps ought to be easily and extensively repairable.

“When you look at the mistakes, these are very basic things that need to be cleaned up,” coach Ross says. “Things that you learn when you first begin playing football…snapping the ball, handling the ball and not fumbling it. These mistakes are very correctable, but last week we let a couple of them turn into a landslide. It was disappointing, but I know it’s something the guys are working very hard to fix.”

Creston hosts Atlantic with a perfect 2-0 mark through non-District play, having defeated Chariton 50-20 in the opener before knocking off Clarinda 42-10 last week in Creston.

Graduated and left to play college ball is Lucas Neitzel, a QB and defensive back from last year’s team that played a large role in the Panthers’ 33-19 win last September at the Trojan Bowl.

That said, Creston brings its traditionally physical and run oriented offense into this season, led by junior running back Adam Baker and his 271 yards on 32 attempts (8.0 yard-per-carry).

Stopping Baker (34) is going to present its challenges for the Trojans’ defense.

“Up front with their offensive line, they do a great job of executing their schemes and opening up running lanes,” coach Ross says of Creston. “And Baker, he runs hard and he runs straight downhill.”

Of course, the Trojans are looking to build together their own offensive consistency. Limiting turnovers and taking care of the football could go a long way towards achieving that.

“The first thing is we need to value that ball, that’s what has gotten us into trouble,” coach Ross says of the offense. “After that, we need to hit the field ready to roll and not make silly mistakes that can kill a drive.”

To defeat Creston, preparation is the same as it always is, as both teams want to start the District season 1-0.

“We want to take care of the ball, run it, and then stop their run,” coach Ross says. “It’s the same game plan as any other. That’s the bottom line, and I know Creston wants to do the same thing. We just need to be able to do it better than them.”

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CAM hoping to keep momentum going as Cougars head to Fremont-Mills

Cougars put up 78 points last week in clinching season’s first victory

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Fri. Sept 13, 2013

ANITA – Prior to last week’s game at Nishnabotna, CAM head coach Joe Wollum stressed the need for his team to start fast.

The Cougars were 0-2 and starving for a victory. A season of high expectations was teetering on disaster and Cumberland-Anita-Massena desperately needed a victory to right the ship and build some confidence before entering the thick of the ultra-high stakes of District play.

It didn’t take too long after taking the field in Hamburg that the Cougars displayed they had taken the message to heart, scoring touchdowns on all but one first half possessions en route to a 78-48 whipping of the Blue Devils on their home field.

The impressive offensive output has done much to hit the reset button, so to speak, not to mention gives the team a shot of energy and momentum as it enters the meat of its schedule.

“It’s been great to get back to work, getting that first win and getting the monkey off our back,” CAM head coach Joe Wollum says of last week’s victory. “It’s made things fun, and it seems like it made our guys more hungry to keep winning.”

Trace Ticknor, the junior quarterback in his first year under center, took another step forward last week, scoring seven touchdowns (four on the ground and three passing) against Nishnabotna.

His development seems to go hand-and-hand with how the Cougars go. Coach Wollum has described Ticknor as a player he expects to improve significantly each week, and praises his growing ability to manage the game for the Cougars’ offense.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Trace Ticknor also plays linebacker on the other side of the ball, and at quarterback, he brings a physical presence to the position that sees him running more like a fullback. 

As he gets more and more comfortable making his reads and passing the ball, the Cougars are excited about the versatility he brings to the backfield. 

“Teams have to respect his ability to run, and he’s getting better at throwing the ball,” coach Wollum says. “He really is a dual threat quarterback and a great asset to our team.”

On Deck for CAM this Friday is another bus trip to a Corner Conference school, this time to Tabor to face Fremont-Mills.

FM placed second in District 8 last season (8-1), and returns many of the components that made them perhaps the biggest and most physical team in 8-Man last year.

“When you watch them on film, the first thing that stands out is how big they are,” coach Wollum says. “We thought all those big guys graduated, but evidently they have more than a few of them back.”

The Knights, through the first two weeks of the season, have been employing a two-quarterback system where both Sam Phillips (10) and Jason Rusten (7) have been receiving about an equal amount of snaps. Statistically, their numbers are pretty similar, having combined to go 11/20 passing for 152 yards.

FM is coming off a 59-6 victory last week over Whiting, and fell 62-12 to West Harrison in Week Zero.

Only the second week of District play, Friday night already brings a pivotal game for the Cougars as they chase another playoff berth. Fremont-Mills finished last season second in District 8, one spot ahead of CAM, and the Knights are again considered to be in the pack competing for the District title.

“It’s early, but this game already has huge implications for us as far as the playoffs,” coach Wollum says. “You hate to use the phrase ‘must-win,’ but this is one of those games you would really be nice to win and take care of yourself in the District race, rather than asking for favors from other teams down the road.”

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8-MAN: No. 5-ranked Bombers’ next target is unbeaten Lamoni

Adair-Casey hosts Lamoni with heavy District race implications in tow

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Fri. Sept. 13, 2013

ADAIR – It doesn’t come as a big surprise that the Bombers enter their fourth game still perfect at 3-0.

Whether the same can be said about Lamoni is debatable, but what’s not been open for debate is the effectiveness of either teams’ offense.

Lamoni is averaging 63.3 points-per-game through its’ first three week in smashing Moravia, Grandview Park Baptist, and Tri-County of Thornburg.

Wins came 82-14, 60-12 and 48-6, and Lamoni has enacted the mercy rule in all three of its contests.

Those are good numbers, almost as impressive as this week’s opposition, Adair-Casey. 

The No. 5-ranked Bombers currently boast the state’s second most productive offense, second only to Southwest Valley (combined from last year’s Corning and Villisca teams).

AC has already amassed 1,125 yards on the ground, coupled with 295 yards passing. The Bombers average 8.9 yards per play and score on average better than eight touchdowns per game.

“It’s going to be a fun game,” AC head coach Wade Anderson said this week. “Chances are there are going to be a lot of points put up on the board, and it should be a great atmosphere to be part of.”

Lamoni brings a balanced offense that lacks a clear focal point to attack. Three different players have at least 132 yards rushing on the season, and another (Caleb Heltenberg) has hauled in seven catches for 156 yards and four TDs.

With Lamoni’s multiple means to move the ball, AC is stressing defensive discipline.

 “They are a very talented team that’s put up a ton of points, and their defense has been able to shut down teams as well,” coach Anderson says. “We need to play responsibility football. They’re very balanced and like to spread the ball out, so we need to ensure that everyone is doing their individual job, and trust that their teammates will do the same.”

Demons’ senior quarterback Beau Bjorland has passed for 211 yards and five TDs with a 63 percent completion effort, and will present a challenge as well. He’s crafty on reading defenses and employs and effective option run.

For Adair-Casey, senior running back Clayton Plowman’s looming state rushing record hangs out there in media, but Anderson says it’s not discussed or a focal point within the team at this point. Plowman enters Friday’s game 279 yards short of tying Armstrong-Ringsted’s Tyler Tonderum’s career mark of 6,389 yards (2006-2009).

“We know it’s out there, and we know he’s going to get his yards over some period of time naturally,” coach Anderson says. “Our main objective is to win the ball game, and if that means spreading the ball around, we are going to do it. Mr. Plowman is a big part of our offense, that record is going to take care of itself. We don’t talk about it at all.”

What the Bombers are talking about is Lamoni, and what it might take to knock them off Friday night. 

“It’s going to be won up front,” coach Anderson says. “Our defense needs to collapse the pocket and really work to close down the running lanes on their option attack. It’s going to be won with the defensive line, and then of course our offensive line. If our guys on the line perform well, then it allows our rushing attack to get the yards and the points necessary to win this game.”

AJ/NT Sports Writer Caleb Nelson contributed to this report

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Early mistakes snowball as Carroll dominates Atlantic 47-0

Three turnovers yield three touchdowns in first three minutes

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Sept. 7, 2013

ATLANTIC – There is no way to sugarcoat it, Atlantic’s 47-0 loss to Carroll Friday night at the Trojan Bowl was u-g-l-y.

Carroll jumped on three early turnovers (an interception and two fumble recoveries on botched snaps), converted those chances into touchdowns, then went about dominating the Trojans in one-way traffic.

“It’s disappointing,” Atlantic head coach Nick Ross said afterwards. “This was a shock to every one involved with our football team.  This might sound silly to someone who saw the final score, but we fully intended on winning this game tonight. Things just got way out of control.”

Carroll permanently seized the lead 1:17 into the game when senior running back Anthony Beyerink took an option handoff through the left side of the Tigers’ line and downfield for a 27-yard touchdown run to set the wheels in motion.

Moments later, Carroll would score twice more off bad offensive snaps from Atlantic.  Firstly, after Carroll recovered a fumble on the Trojans 15-yard-line, Tigers’ QB Addison Ross connected with wide out Issac Riesselman for an air strike. A minute and 20 seconds later, the Tigers recovered a fumble in the end zone as the Trojans’ botched a punt, and Carroll held a three-touchdown lead just 3:24 into the game. 

Once things started to unravel, Atlantic struggled to keep it together.

“We need to learn to prevent things from rolling as they did, and secondly, if they do, we need to learn to be able to step back and realize that we need to do our jobs,” coach Ross says. “What is disturbing is that once things started going to bad, they continued to go bad. We need to learn how to battle adversity and stop the flood gates in those situations.”

Carroll racked up 328 yards of offense in the first half, and held a 41-0 lead at the break.

The victory improves Carroll’s record to 1-1 on the season, while the Trojans settle at 1-1 coming off of last week’s win at Clarinda.

With a week of practice leading up to next Friday’s District opener at Creston, the Trojans will get back to the drawing board.

“We just need to get over this whole ‘young team’ thing,” coach Ross says. “It’s the second game of the year, and I expected us to come out and execute things better. We took a step back as far as that is concerned.

“Our effort is there, and our attitude is there, we just need to practice a little bit harder. We need to make sure we are getting game-type looks during the week so on Friday nights, we are ready for the speed of the game.”

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