Ironmen collect first win
SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — With all the hoopla surrounding Danville's quarterback controversy coming into the season, it turned out all the Ironmen needed was Landon Kehoe to return.
The senior took the first three weeks to fully recover after needing six stitches in his left leg — which he still had to wrap due to a deep bruise on Friday night — after running into and flipping over a metal bench when fielding a punt in the first week of practice.
Now healthy, there is no question, the Ironmen want the ball in his hands as often as possible. He went from a gashed knee to gashing Central Columbia to the tune of 155 yards on eight carries and four touchdowns, adding another receiving touchdown for good measure on three receptions for 60 yards.
His efforts helped the Ironmen get in the win column for the first time this fall, defeating Central Columbia, 43-7, spoiling the Blue Jays' homecoming festivities.
"I have to give all the credit to the line up front. I just hit the hole and took off," Kehoe said. "I like to think I'm the fastest guy when I'm on the field, and I showed that tonight."
He certainly did.
Facing an early 7-0 deficit after Maddex Dietterick's strip sack of Carter Raup was pounced on by Owen Zanoline in the end zone, Kehoe punched right back. On the first play from scrimmage, he took it 71 yards for pay dirt.
The Ironmen took the lead on a Raup 2-point conversion run and never looked back. Much of that was because Kehoe scored on three of Danville's next four possessions, including a 60-yard run up the left sideline to leave Jays' defenders in his dust.
"It took him three weeks to get back to normal, but you can see what he can do when he can get the ball," Danville coach Carl Majer said. "He just has phenomenal speed, and that helped Raup settle in a bit at quarterback."
Raup posted 233 yards passing, hitting Kehoe for his first of two touchdown passes in the second quarter on a swing pass for 26 yards. He then found Mason Kingery, who hauled in his first career touchdown reception, with an over-the-shoulder pass just before halftime.
Kehoe also posted a pair of 1-yard rushing scores to cap off the Ironmen's scoring.
Aside from the offensive success, the defense, including Kehoe, made it tough sledding for the Blue Jays. All night, Danville laid tough hits and put Central in challenging situations. The Blue Jays went 3-for-9 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth. On the contrary, Danville wasn't faced with deep drives, going 1-for-4 on third and 1-for-2 on fourth.
The fourth-down conversion for the Ironmen came on a 50-yard field goal fake pass, and Braxtyn Girardi hit Raup for 21 yards to set up Kingery's touchdown reception.
Despite the rough going offensively in the first month of the season, coach Ky Seesholtz still sees a team that is continuing to gel and not giving up, no matter the score.
That was the case late when Central got 50 of its 53 rushing yards as well as three of its eight first downs in its final drive.
"Offensively, you're always trying to establish the run. We know teams are going to try to load the box against us," Seesholtz said. "Danville did a great job of making us one-dimensional, but in the end, you just have to hit throws when you're forced to throw.
"... We don't quit, and that's what you want to see. Our effort is always there, and that's what you want to see when you're rebuilding a culture like this. The kids are buying into 'just keep going.'"
Scary moment
Central sophomore tight end/linebacker Dietterick was attended to by medical personnel on the sidelines immediately following a Blue Jays punt late in the second quarter.
Seesholtz said Dietterick collapsed, but was unable to give any medical diagnoses. The first-year coach credited the medical staff for attending to the situation as quickly as they did and for getting the player the attention he needed, saying, "He is doing much better. I know that."
Dietterick was taken off on a stretcher and remained at the hospital after the game, where Seesholtz said he will be spending the night.
"Emotions were high on the sidelines and our boys were playing for him after that," Seesholtz said. "That kid's a great kid. Everybody loves and respects him, and he loves playing football for us. I'll be with him tonight. He represents the family of Central Columbia."
Link to story: https://www.pressenterpriseonl...
