The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
How do you turn your poorest played offensive game of the year into a game that many fans would say was the best high school game they had ever see? It is easy.
You play tough defense all day. You bend, but you don't break. Your defense makes hit, after hit, after hit.
Your offense makes some big individual plays, and you pull yourself back from a 17 point third quarter deficit to lead 20 to 17.
Then you grudgingly give up the lead
with 1:24 remaining in the game to go behind 24 to 20. Now the stage is set
for "The Drive".
Annawan kicks off and dribbles a kick off to the 31 yard line.
A five yard Annawan penalty moves the ball five yards to the positive. A ten yard pass to Quinn Leath gives a first and ten. Clock stops.
A 30 pass to Matt McIntire gives a first and ten.
A sixteen yard pass to Matt McIntire gives a first and ten at the nine yard line.
We have one time out remaining. Annawan calls for a timeout to regroup.
I do something I've never done in 31 years of head coaching. I send an assistant coach to set up the next play. After discussing with the team, Coach Bavery sets the final play.
Matt McIntire will run the Z pattern that they had been working on this week.
Silas Pogue would slant hard across the inside. Matt Kane would run an out behind Silas' hard slant.
The play was set, now all we had to do was execute. Execute we did, as both Matt Kane and Matt McIntire beat their men and all Chris Wisslead had to do was throw a perfect pass. Chris threw the perfect pass to Matt McIntire, who made the surehanded catch to bring "The Drive" to a close.
The Drive lasted 53 seconds, but it will live in the memories of all who witnessed it and who participated in it forever. The Rebels hold a 26 to 24 lead.
But wait, there are still 31 seconds remaining and Annawan has a 2000 yard rusher on the field. The solution to this problem is simple.
We turn a mild mannered individual like Garrett Lenz into Superman and let him destroy the dreams of the Annawan Braves.
That is just what Garrett did. On the first play he rushed in and knocked down the pass.
On the second play he rushed in and hit the quarterback causing a fumble and a ten yard loss.
On the last play Annawan tried a screen pass to their star running back who was quickly bottled up by the Rebel defense.
The back started to reverse his field but was quickly met by, no one other than, Garrett Lenz coming from way on the other side of the field.
Garrett didn't miss, and the Rebels move into the next round of the playoffs.
While the "Drive" will be talked about for a long time it was the Rebel Defense that made the victory possible.
Nick Morris is the leader and shows the way in handing out the bruises, but there are many others also stepping up when called upon.
Dan Morrison played his usual fine game. Garrett Lenz, Chris Wisslead, Quinn Leath, Matt Kane, Cody Smith, Silas Pogue, Andy Gittings along with the Otter also got the job done.
Another group of Rebel heroes who had a stake in the victory was the Fresh-Soph scout team led by the Foes' impersonator Darrick Clark.
Our preparation for Mr. Foes allowed us to hold him about 50 yards under his normal offensive output.
The fine crowd of supporting fans also helped the Rebels make the big comeback. Just a word of warning though to the Jumping Jacks, we plan on really giving you a workout this next game.
This week the Rebels will move to the Elite Eight round and face the defending Class 1A state champions the Kewanee Wetherfield Geese.
This game will be another barnburner as the Geese are a very solid football team, and you can bet your sweet bippee that the Rebels will have ironed out the problems they had offensively against Annawan.
The Rebels will be playing at home at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. I urge the fans to get to the game early and soak up the fun and excitement that the 2002 Football Rebels have generated.
Score by Quarters 1 1 3 4 Total
South. 0 0 14 1 26
Annawan 0 10 7 7 24
First Downs S. 14 A. 15
Rushing S. 90 A. 246
Passing Att Comp Yards TD Int
Southern 26 16 209 4 26
Annawan 6 4 54 0 1
Total Offense S. 299 A. 300
Penalties S. 30 A. 15
Fumbles lost S. 0 A. 1
Punts S. 4 for 198 A. 122
Ind. Rushing McIntire 5 for 19, Wisslead 9 for 48, Morrison 5 for 16, Morris 5 for 7
Ind. Receiving Matt McIntire 6 for 88 2 TD, Dan Morrison 6 for 84 1 TD, Quinn Leath 4 for 37 1 TD, Brandon Rothzen 1 for 0
Ind. Passing Att Comp Yds TD Int
Wisslead 26 16 209 4 4
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Rebel Quarterback Chris Wisslead-17 and End Quinn Leath-46 (seniors) moving the ball for the Rebels |