Raiders down Cardinals, face Timberwolves

Adler Shay makes a move through the open gap Friday night on his way to the first score of the night.

The Raiders hosted the Earlham Cardinals on Friday in what was a big game for both teams as they both entered the contest at 3-1 in the conference and 4-2 on the season.
Earlham was without their star quarterback, Darrell Matchem, which put the offense in the hands of junior Kaden Kasel.
The Raiders received the ball to start the contest and Jaixen Frost and company marched down the field, however, the offense stalled on the Earlham 18 yard line and turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert the fourth down attempt.
The Cardinal offense struggled on its first drive, getting driven back by a blitzing Raider defense for a three-and-out and loss of one.
The Raiders began their second drive from their own 48. The first play saw Frost look deep for Hunter Case and the Raiders caught a break on a defensiver pass interference call which took the Raiders to the Cardinal 34.
It wasn’t long after that Adler Shay punched the ball in for six. Frost’s PAT attempt was good, putting Mount Ayr ahead of Earlham, 7-0.
The game was a defensive battle in the first half, with the Raiders leading the Cardinals 15-0 at halftime after Shay was handed the rock one more time at the goal line.
The Raiders went for two on the extra point attempt which saw Frost roll out to his right before throwing a cross-body pass to a wide-open Drew Ehlen that set the halftime score.
Earlham added their own score after falling down 22-0 after a pass attempt from the Cardinals went off the finger tips of Raider defensive back, Braydon Pierson. Earlham’s Brody Morrison made the catch and ran downfield for a 32-yard touchdown catch and run.
The point after bounced off the left upright.
The Raiders scored another touchdown before seeing Frost tack on three on a field goal attempt to see Mount Ayr win 31-6.
“We said all week it was going to come down to who wanted it more and who executed better,” said coach Ryan Victor. “That’s a well coached football team, they are a tough football team. I know they are going to be 4-3, but they are in some hard-fought battles. Our big thing was living day-to-day making sure we are our best version of ourselves and that really was our gameplan.”
Coach Victor praised defensive coach, Daniel Showalter, for his gameplan coming into the contest.
“Coach Showalter had an amazing gameplan when it came to the defensive side of the ball,” said coach Victor. “That was great to see to keep that team out of the endzone. They got one off a tipped ball, but that’s what we want out of our defense.”
The win put the Raiders in good position as they head to Southwest Valley on Friday this week.
The Timberwolves defeated Riverside which will now see Mount Ayr and Southwest Valley battle for the district title in the final week of the regular season.
“As corny as it sounds, for me, it’s not a whole lot,” said coach Victor on a district title. “I’m excited, but I think it’s more for our guys. Selling out for what we are trying to do, for the amount of work they put in, the time they spend here. We go from being 0-1, 0-1, and 2-2 at one point in time, to being able to play for district champs says a lot about these kids. I’m excited for them. For me, I’ll be here for as long as they keep me, but I’m excited for our kids.”
Stats
1 2 3 4 F
MA 7 8 7 9 31
EC 0 0 0 6 6
Scoring
1st Quarter
1:13 – MA – Shay 2-yd rush. PAT good.
2nd Quarter
3:23 – MA – Shay 4-yd rush. 2pt try good.
3rd Quarter
10.3 – MA – Frost to Knight 4-yd pass. PAT good.
4th Quarter
79:40 – EC – Kasal to Morrison 32-yd pass. PAT no good.
7:40 – MA – Frost to Case 29-yd pass. PAT no good.
2:11 – MA – Frost 22-yd field goal.
Team Statistics
1st Downs MA EC
Total 19 9
Rushing 11 9
Passing 7 0
Penalty 1 0
Rushing
Attempts 44 38
Gained 206 161
Lost 3 14
Net 203 147
Passing
Completions 9 6
Attempts 12 8
Percentage 75 75
Intercepted 0 0
Net 122 41
Total Offense 325 188
Punts 0 2
Average 0 32.5
Return Yards
Punt Return 0 0
Kickoff 4 53
Int. Returns 0 0
Fumble Ret. 0 0
Fumbles 4 2
Fumbles lost 0 2
Penalties 2 4
Yards lost 15 26.5
Individual Statistics
Passing
Comp Att Yds
Frost 9 12 122
Rushing
Att. Gain Avg
Frost 9 35 3.8
Shay 23 98 4.2
Knight 1 3 3
Cole 12 67 5.5
Receiving
Rec Yds Avg
Case 2 36 18
Shay 2 34 17
Knight 5 52 10.4
Tackles
S A
Frost 2 0
Ehlen 2 1
Case 0 2
Pierson 1 1
Martin 2 0
Dugan 0 2
Shay 4 5
Grose 1 1
Murphy 1 1
Knight 6 2
Cole 2 4
C.Larson 2 0
M.Larson 4 3
Swietlik 0 2
Barnes 1 0
Strange 2 4
Kick-Offs
Kicks Yds
Frost 5 184
Cole 1 28
Punt Return
Returns Yds
Pierson 1 0
Kick Return
Returns Yds
Frost 1 4
Fumbles
Recovery Yds
Martin 1 0
Dugan 1 0