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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