Raiders defeat Blue Demons in opener
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Austin Cole breaks through the contested goal line for the first touchdown of the game against the Blue Demons. Cole rushed five times for 17 yards and one touchdown.
Mount Ayr 36, Albia 7
Last Friday marked the season opener for the football season for the Mount Ayr Raiders.
Mount Ayr hosted the 2A Albia Blue Demons, a team the Raiders had yet to defeat on the gridiron.
“I was a ball boy when the Raiders went to the dome,” said Payton Weehler. “I remember playing Albia and they beat us pretty bad. I knew I wanted to come back and get them for those guys.”
That all changed Friday night when the Raiders set the tone of the game on the game opening kickoff.
Peyton Stull kicked a squib that squirted out of the Blue Demon returnmans hands, prompting the Raider kickoff team to swallow that ball in a sea of black.
The Raiders would march down the field with ease, scoring on an Austin Cole one-yard run, followed by a Stull PAT that split the uprights.
Albia would face a couple three-and-outs as the Raiders continued to move the ball on the ground.
Adjustments were made at the conclusion of last season, with now senior Payton Weehler coming to coach Lambert with an idea.
Weehler knew sophomore Jaixen Frost was a talented athelte and wanted him to take over under center, while Weehler moved to runningback.
“Last year I went to coach Lambert and said this is where we are going to benefit the most,” said Weehler. “I told him you’re the guy, let’s do this.”
Frost was humbled by the decision.
“It means everything,” said Frost. “Sitting on the sidelines, watching Weehler play is an experience. I love it. I’ve learned so many things from him.”
Coach Lambert agreed with Weehler on the transition.
“It’s really impressive and a testament to his parents and how he has been raised,” said coach Lambert. “Payton wants to make sure this team is the best it can possibly be and he really felt like he could use his skills better as a running back.”
Other Raiders seeing Weehler give up the top position to an underclassman was a big deal.
“It’s big for our other players to see that and to see that positive communication,” said Lambert. “The most important thing to come out of it is other players seeing that and saying hey there is a bigger picture than just me.”
The move proved to be successful for Weehler as he racked up 73 yards on nine carries with one touchdown on the night.
Frost had a difficult time in the air, throwing for 16 yards on one completion with seven attempts on the night.
Frost did collect 42 yards on three attempts on the ground, though.
The Raiders amassed 406 yards of offense with 390 of those yards on the ground.
Albia saw 118 total yards on the night with 113 coming through the air.
By the end of the night, the Raider and Albia coaches put their junior varsity squads in as the Raiders went on to defeat the Blue Demons for the first time.
“I was really impressed with how our kids played,” said coach Lambert. “A lot of them played last year but not in significant roles. They did a great job and responded right away.”
Stats
1 2 3 4 F
MA 7 13 16 0 37
Albia 0 0 0 7 7
Scoring
1st Quarter
9:08 – MA – Cole 1-yd run. PAT Good.
2nd Quarter
5:48 – MA – Weehler 5-yd run. PAT Good.
1:45 – MA – Shay 9-yd run. PAT No Good.
3rd Quarter
6:16 – MA – Swank 25-yd run. 2pt PAT good.
1:15 – MA – Swank 2-yd run. 2pt PAT good.
4th Quarter
Team Statistics
1st Downs MA Albia
Total 17 9
Rushing 16 2
Passing 1 6
Penalty 0 1
Rushing
Attempts 47 36
Gained 395 53
Lost 5 48
Net 390 5
Passing
Completions 1 9
Attempts 7 20
Percentage 14.2 45
Intercepted 0 1
Net 16 113
Total Offense 406 118
Punts 1 5
Average 19 29.4
Return Yards
Punt Return 44 0
Kickoff 45 55
Int. Returns 0 0
Fumble Ret. 0 0
Fumbles 7 3
Fumbles lost 1 1
Penalties 8 0
Yards lost 85 0
Individual Statistics
Passing
Comp Att Yds
Frost 1 7 16
Rushing
Att. Gain Avg
D.Ehlen 1 0 0
B.Pierson 1 17 17
J.Frost 3 42 14
P.Weehler 9 73 8.1
A.Shay 11 85 7.7
A.Cole 5 17 3.4
J.Knight 6 77 12.8
D.Swank 10 79 7.9
K.Dugan 1 0 0
Receiving
Rec Yds Avg
T.Ehlen 1 16
Tackles
S A
P.Weehler 2 2
A.Shay 2 3
A.Cole 0 1
J.Knight 4 2
D.Swank 1 1
C.Larson 1 1
S.Shelman 1 2
R.Larson 3 2
W.Strange 1 1
D.Morales 2 1
E.Trujillo 2 5
R.Maudlin 1 2
B.Shaha 0 2
B.Pierson 1 1
H.Case 1 0
K.White 0 2
Kick-Offs
Kicks Yds
P.Stull 5 190
D.Swank 1 37
Punts
Kicks Yds
B.Pierson 1 19
Kick Return
Returns Yds
T.Ehlen 2 31
B.Pierson 1 13
Fumbles
Recovery Yds
B.Shaha 1 0
Interceptions
INTs Yds
T.Ehlen 1 0
