Late touchdowns help Norse put Indees away
Whitehall’s Devon McCune found running room during their game against Independence/Gilmanton on Friday. (Times photographs by Andrew Dannehy)
Ben Pyka of Independence/Gilmanton turned up the field for a long run during the second quarter of their game against Whitehall on Friday. (Times photographs by Andrew Dannehy)
Two touchdowns in the fourth quarter put the game away for the Whitehall football team as it held off a comeback attempt by Independence/Gilmanton for a 35-17 win.
The Norse held a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter, but their offense stalled and I/G scored 10 straight to get within four. Whitehall scored on its first possession of the fourth quarter then put the game away with another touchdown late.
“I told them that if we win tonight, we’d have a winning streak and they pulled it off,” Whitehall coach Tyler Bortle said. “They played together as a team and they came out fast and physical and I’m just excited for them.”
The win was the second straight for Whitehall after it began the season 0-6. The team is 2-4 in Dairyland Conference play and could have a good game to close out the regular season against a Melrose-Mindoro team with an identical record, including wins over the same teams — I/G and Eleva-Strum.
I/G fell to 1-7 overall and 1-6 in DC play. Their season will come to an end with a game in Augusta this Friday.
Whitehall 35 I/G 17
After three straight touchdown drives to begin the game, Whitehall’s offense began to struggle and I/G took advantage.
A 31-yard field goal brought the Indees within four at 21-17 before Devon McCune gave the Norse a much-needed spark with a kick return to midfield.
McCune and Eric Kleinhans ran down to the Indee 38 before another long McCune run was called back because of a holding penalty. On first down with 14 yards to go, McCune completed his first pass of the game, connecting with TJ Moats for 15 yards.
After a 13-yard run by Mason Pientok, McCune ran down to the four-yard line. Kleinhans finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run.
McCune’s extra point put Whitehall back in control, leading 28-17 with 11:12 remaining in the game.
After three straight I/G scoring drives, Whitehall’s defense stepped up on the next possession. Brock Sluga surged through the line to sack I/G’s Xavier Santillan on third-and-long, forcing an I/G punt.
Whitehall followed with a time consuming drive that continued because McCune completed a 25-yard pass to Pientok on the third play in which the team needed eight yards to avoid a punt.
McCune later converted a fourth-and-three with his legs, running for 13 yards for a first down at the I/G seven. After two I/G stops, McCune finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, he then booted the point after to make the score 35-17 with 2:25 remaining.
The Indees had no timeouts left and the clock expired on their next possession.
The game couldn’t have started much better for Whitehall as they forced an I/G three-and-out before marching 70 yards for a touchdown.
Their long drive lasted just seven plays as Kleinhans had a run for 15 yards, Pientok had a 20-yard run and McCune picked up 11 to bring the Norse inside the I/G 10. Two plays later, McCune finished the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run. The point after made the score 7-0.
The Norse forced another punt, but the Indees couldn’t get the kick off. Moats burst through the line of scrimmage and blocked Hunter Guenther’s kick. Moats recovered the ball at the I/G 11.
McCune ran twice, the second time was an eight-yard touchdown that put the Norse ahead 13-0. The point after was blocked. McCune ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns in the game.
The Indees responded on their next drive. Xavier Santillan ran for 21 yards on the first play before Ben Pyka had a 25-yard run with a face masking penalty adding to it and giving the Indees a first down at the Whitehall 21.
Pyka ran for 14 yards on a third-and-four play and Nathan Pyka finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.
Whitehall came right back as McCune had runs of 18 and 14 yards and Pientok gained 15. Pientok finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown before McCune ran in the two-point conversion to make the score 21-7.
A fake punt kept I/G’s next drive alive as Guenther connected with Tyler Kingsbury for 34 yards on a fourth-and-five play. They pounded Nathan Pyka down to the 10-yard line before Ben Pyka ran for eight yards and Nathan Pyka finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown. The point after made the score 21-14.
Nathan Pyka ran for 77 yards to lead the Indees while Ben Pyka managed 66.
Whitehall was forced to punt before halftime and their first possession of the second half ended with an interception by I/G’s Mason Gierok.
I/G ran Nathan Pyka down the field, the junior carried four times for 39 yards giving the Indees a first down at the Whitehall 17-yard line.
Whitehall’s defense stepped up, holding the Indees to two yards on the first two runs and four on third-and-eight. The Indees lined up to try and convert the fourth down play, but a false start forced them into a 31-yard field goal, which was drilled by Hunter Guenther.
I/G
Rushing (att./yds.) — N. Pyka 16/77 B. Pyka 6/66 Gierok 3/4 Santillan 4/4 Kingsbury 5/-1 Guenther 1/-8
Receiving (rec./yds.) — Kingsbury 1/34 B. Pyka 1/0
Passing (comp./att./yds.) — Guenther 1/2/34 Santillan 1/2/0 B. Pyka 0/1/0
Tackles (solo/ast.) — G. Bragger 5/3 Gierok 4/4 Medina 5/1 A. Bragger 3/5 B. Pyka 5/0 Kingsbury 2/1 N. Pyka 1/2 S Marsolek 1/1 M. Marsolek 1/1 Santillan 1/0 Guenther 1/0 Rajkowski 1/0 Meier 1/0 Pieper 1/0 Montalvo 0/2
Whitehall
Rushing (att./yds.) — McCune 29/176 Pientok 6/56 Kleinhans 8/29
Receiving (rec./yds.) — Pientok 1/25 Moats 1/15
Passing (comp./att./yds.) — McCune 2/4/40
Tackles (solo/total) — McCune 3/9 Sartor 3/3 Pientok 1/7 Flores 1/1 Sluga 1/4 Katzman 2/2 Hansche 0/1 Kleinhans 9/17 Coburn 1/1 Mateja 1/1 Smith 1/4 Moats 1/4
