Indees offense grounded in DC loss to Mustangs

The Independence/Gilmanton football team couldn’t get anything going offensively in a 14-8 road loss to Melrose-Mindoro on Friday night.

The Indees managed just 55 yards — their only score came on a kick return — as the Mustangs scored twice in the third quarter and that was enough for the win.

The loss put I/G at 1-6 on the season and 1-4 in Dairyland Conference play. They’ll host Whitehall, which has an identical record with its only win coming over the same team I/G defeated — Eleva-Strum. The Norse are coming off of a 28-21 win over the Cardinals (see story elsewhere in Sports).

I/G’s season will come to a close next Friday night when they play in Augusta. 

Mel-Min 14 I/G 8

A kick return gave the Indees a boost, but the Mustangs quickly regained control.

After a scoreless first half, the Mustangs broke through late in the third quarter with a one-yard touchdown run by Hayden Fry. That drive began at the I/G 35-yard line after the Indees had to punt from their own nine. Fry had a 16-yard run before finishing the drive in the end zone. Ty Zeman ran in the two-point conversion to give the Mustangs an 8-0 lead with 2:26 left in the third quarter.

That would be the first of three touchdowns in the final three minutes of the quarter, the only scores in the game.

Ben Pyka returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown for the Indees. Then Tyler Kingsbury tied the game with a two-point conversion. 

Mel-Min’s next drive began at their own 35, but they flipped the field quickly on a 50-yard pass from Zeman to Quincy Carlson-Young on the first play from scrimmage. Two runs put the Mustangs inside the five before Jackson Blaken surged into the end zone for a three-yard touchdown to put the Mustangs back ahead with 55 seconds left in the third quarter.

The point after was blocked, but it wouldn’t matter as the Indees couldn’t find the end zone offensively.

The Indees lost yards on their next drive before punting. The Mustangs picked up a couple of first downs, but then kicked it back to the Indees.

I/G picked up a first down on a pass interference penalty, but they lost yards from there before a fourth down pass fell incomplete, giving the Mustangs the ball back at the I/G 37. 

The Indees didn’t get the ball back until there were just 18 seconds remaining in the game. Hunter Guenther’s pass was intercepted by Carlson-Young, clinching the win for the Mustangs.

I/G’s defense held up for most of the game, including pitching a shutout in the first half. 

An interception by Xavier Santillan gave the Indees a chance to take an early lead, but a 37-yard field goal attempt by Guenther was blocked. 

The Mustangs had a couple of drives go into I/G territory, but they weren’t able to finish them. 

While I/G managed just 55 yards from scrimmage, Mel-Min racked up 324. I/G had four first downs in the game compared to 17 for Mel-Min.

Blaken led Mel-Min with 67 rushing yards on 12 attempts, while Carter Sacia ran for 66 on 17 carries. Zeman passed five-for-14 for 120 yards. 

Pyka had 116 all-purpose yards for the Indees, including 32 from scrimmage.

I/G

Rushing (att./yds.) — B. Pyka 3/26 N. Pyka 4/12 Gierok 8/7 Santillan 6/6 Kingsbury 7/-7

Receiving (rec./yds.) — Pyka 2/6 Kingsbury 2/5

Passing (comp./att./yds.) — Santillan 3/4/11 Guenther 1/3/0

Tackles (solo/asts) — N. Pyka 10/10 Gierok 7/8 B. Pyka 6/2 Montalvo 2/4 G. Bragger 3/2 Kingsbury 2/2 S. Marsolek 2/1 Santillan 1/2 A. Bragger 1/1 Guenther 1/0 Pietrek 1/0