Blue Jays outpace Mustangs
SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — Three lightning delays didn’t stop Central Columbia from creating two quick strikes of its own in a 21-7 win over Midd-West in Heartland Conference football Friday night.
With the game delayed a half hour, Eli Book wasted no time for the Blue Jays, returning the opening kick 96 yards for a touchdown.
Then, after a pair of lightning delays, and an hour between plays, Nathan Smith took the ball 30 yards to give the Blue Jays a two-score lead early.
Things stalled for the Blue Jays from that point in the first half, allowing Midd-West to cut the deficit in half on a 13-play, 86-yard drive. Ethan Schleif capped the drive off with a 1-yard run.
With things close, Blue Jays coach Scott Dennis wanted the team to get back to what worked early.
“I wanted them to come out with the energy they had to start the first half,” Dennis said of his talk with the team at half. “They did do that. We dropped in another touchdown. The basic message I had for the team was to finish what we started.”
The Blue Jays did, especially defensively.
They made life difficult for Mustang ball carriers and quarterback Christian Regester. The Blue Jays forced five fumbles, coming away with one and intercepted Regester five times.
Dennis said in the preseason he wasn’t going to shy away from having his two quarterbacks — Greyson Shaud and Logan Welkom — playing defense. That decision paid off with each of them coming down with an interception. Welkom also came up with the lone fumble recovery.
Auston Rainier and Gage Chipeleski had the other two picks.
“Having four interceptions in a game is a big deal and we probably missed three fumbles,” Dennis said. “We could have had upward of six or seven turnovers. I’m thrilled they’re getting to the ball and making plays, but we just have to finish some of those plays.”
Chipeleski helped seal the win for the Blue Jays with a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down in the third quarter. He then ended Midd-West’s chance of closing the deficit some by intercepting Regester in the end zone late in the fourth.
The Mustangs, though, were kept in the game by a great defensive effort.
“You can’t turn the ball over five times and expect to win,” Midd-West coach Lance Adams said. “... When you turn the ball over five times and only lose a game by 14 points, your defense played well. We have to take care of the ball. It’s simple as that.”
The Mustangs also will look to avoid seeing the yellow flag as frequently. Midd-West committed six penalties, costing them 45 yards.
None was bigger than in the late minutes of the first half and the Mustangs driving. Regester looked to have connected with Corey Reinard on a 34-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 only to have the play called back due to holding.
“We moved the ball, but turnovers really proved costly,” Adams said. “The play we thought was a touchdown, that penalty killed us. We have to clean some things up, but we moved the ball. Turnovers and penalties really hurt us.”
The Mustangs punted once in the contest, a credit to Dennis playing the right guys at the right time.
“We want the best guys out on the field at all times,” Dennis said. “I want to win with guys who know what they’re doing, and when they need a break, we have enough depth to those things, and it worked tonight.”
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