MC football team continues MWC dominance

By: Ian Van Anden
Sports Editor

The Scots took the field on Saturday, Sept. 23, to face Carroll College in what was to be a great Midwest Conference match-up, as both teams entered the game undefeated in the conference. The Scots were able to take it to the Pioneers, beating them 38-7.

The big story at game time was freshman Jared Mundt replacing sophomore Steve Zidow at quarterback.

On the defensive side, the Scots were also experiencing injury troubles. Senior safety Doug Stichter and senior linebacker Jason Goldsworthy were both sidelined with injuries. Sophomore Marc Artozqui, who led the Scots in tackles against Beloit last week, filled in for Goldsworthy and sophomore Jordan Slee took over for Stichter.

After the first quarter, it looked as though it would be a high-scoring affair, as the Scots only led the Pioneers by three points, 10-7. The Scots opened the game with a methodical, 19-play, 73-yard drive that took just under seven minutes. The opening drive ended with a 28-yard field goal form the leg of junior Nate Palkovic. The drive stalled after the Scots got bogged down in the red zone.

Carroll then struck back quickly with a five-play, 62-yard drive spanning only two minutes and 40 seconds. A 50-yard touchdown pass put the Pioneers up momentarily, 7-3, capping the scoring drive. The score silenced the home crowd.

Monmouth answered back with their own touchdown drive. Senior running back Dante Daniels carried the ball in on a two-yard run to put the Scots up 10-7. Senior wide receiver Evan Haffner got MC into the red zone with a 39-yard catch. Mundt found Haffner open down field when the Scots were facing third and 15 to keep the Scots’ drive alive.

The MC defense then rose to the challenge on the Pioneers’ next possession. After forcing an incomplete pass, the Scots then recovered a fumble. The Carroll quarterback, Dan Clay, muffed a snap and Monmouth’s senior defensive end Adam Troll pounced on the miscue.

The Scots were unable to capitalize on the Carroll mistake as they turned the ball over on downs in the ensuing drive. The MC defense then forced the first punt of the game and the offense was given great field position.

Mundt began to answer some of the doubts as he led the Scots 52 yards for the score. Mundt started out the scoring drive with a five-yard pass to Haffner. After a Daniels four-yard run, Mundt picked up a first-down on third and short with a three-yard gain.

On first and 10, Mundt hooked up with fifth year senior tight end Shane Gordon for a 32-yard pass. Daniels then capped off the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run. Daniels found pay dirt and was nearly untouched by the Pioneers’ defense.

Daniels’ second touchdown of the game marked the end of the scoring for the first half. The Scots returned to the locker-room with a comfortable 17-7 lead. Mundt had a successful first half despite some overthrows, which may have resulted in some big plays for the Scots, if they had reached their target. At the half, Mundt was nine for 17 for 140 yards; he was sacked only once.

The Scots opened the second half with a bang. On Carroll’s first play from scrimmage, the Scots intercepted a pass. The ball slipped through a Carroll wide receiver’s hands and into the waiting arms of MC junior defensive back Aaron Payette. Payette took the interception into the end zone for a score, but the score was called back on a clipping penalty by the Scots.

The Fighting Scots still started deep in Carroll territory at the 22-yard line. Monmouth was able to capitalize on the turnover this time. Again it was a Daniels touchdown, his third of the game. After a shifty move to get back into the middle, Daniels turned up-field and broke the goal-line to put the Scots up 24-7 early in the second half.

After the two teams traded possession, the Scots defense came up with another big play. Payette picked off his second pass on the game, this time making a diving catch after the ball was deflected by a Carroll wide receiver.

MC wasted no time capitalizing on the interception. On their first play, Mundt found Haffner, who had beaten his defender, down field and open for a 34-yard score. Haffner’s touchdown put to rest any thoughts of a Carroll comeback as the touchdown put the Scots up 31-7 in the middle of the third quarter.

Carroll was undeterred by the score and tried to score on their next drive. After moving the ball down the field, the Pioneers began to stall and were forced to try a field goal. But, the Carroll kicker pushed his 36-yard attempt wide left.

As the third quarter came to a close, the Scots once again turned the ball over on downs. Carroll then began their drive already in MC territory and used a trick play to get to the Scots’ 17-yard line. The Pioneers’ quarterback flipped the ball outside to the running back who heaved the ball down field to a wide open Carroll receiver.

Monmouth’s defense res-ponded well, stuffing the Carroll red zone attack once again. The Scots held the line after Carroll got inside the 10-yard line and forced the Pioneers to turn the ball over on downs once again.

The only smudge on the Scots’ game was a fumble by Daniels off a nice screen pass from Mundt. Daniels had picked up 20 yards before a Carroll defender stripped him; the Pioneers then recovered the fumble.

Despite the great field position, the Carroll attack was again stuffed by the MC defense. After getting inside the Scots’ 10-yard line, the Carroll offensive unit was shut down by a 10-yard sack by senior linebacker Phil Kleckler.

Monmouth then got the ball back after stopping the Pioneers once again on fourth down in the red zone. On the next drive the Scots traveled 83 yards in only three plays. The big play was a 59-yard pass from Mundt to Haffner who beat his man on a streak route.

The drive capped the scoring for the day and was also the last series the Scots’ first team offense participated in. Neither team did much of anything for the rest of the game; the Monmouth’s offense just ran time off the clock as the Pioneers packed it in and accepted defeat.

The big numbers on the day were the Scots’ third down conversion rate and their red zone defense numbers. The MC offense converted 10 of their 19 third downs. Third down conversions are huge because they extend drives and wear out the defense.

When the Scots’ defense was guarding inside their own 20-yard line, they did not allow Carroll to score. All four times the Carroll offense entered the red zone the Scots’ defense stepped up and stuffed them.

The MC offensive unit was equally effective when they were in the red zone. Monmouth scored all four times they passed the Carroll 20-yard line. Three of those conversions came on Daniels touchdowns; the other was Palkovic’s 28-yard field goal that began the game’s scoring.

Mundt may be the most important story coming out of the game. The freshman quarterback got his first collegiate start and played very well. He finished the game 16 of 29 for 273 yards and two touchdowns; he did have one interception.

Daniels and the offensive line did their part to take the pressure off Mundt. Daniels not only scored three of the Scots’ five touchdowns, but he also rushed for 114 yards. The offensive line kept Mundt clean for most of the game as he was sacked only once.

MC dominated the trenches offensively and defensively. They got consistent pressure on the Carroll quarterback with only three down linemen. Sophomore defensive end Wes Levy and senior defensive tackle Zach Kirchner dominated their gaps. Troll rotated with sophomore preseason All-American Antho-ny “Gumba” Goranson at the other defensive end spot.

The defensive line’s do-minance allowed the Scots’ athletic linebackers to wrap up the Pioneers’ running backs. The pressure that the front seven were getting near the line of scrimmage gave the defensive backs an advantage as well. The defense played tremendously as a unit and that is why they were so dominant.

Despite a cracked bone in his leg, Haffner was able to play and be effective against the Carroll secondary. The wide receiver had his first big game of the 2006 season, catching 10 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns. Haffner, another preseason All-American, is a key to the Scots stretching the field and he and Mundt proved that they could do that on Saturday.

Unfortunately, Monmouth did lose junior starting right tackle Joe Pilger who was forced to leave the game at the end of the first half due to a concussion. Daniels also had to leave the game at the end of the first half due to a neck strain. He did return at the beginning of the second half.

The Scots’ next game, Saturday, Sept. 30, will be at Grinnell College. The ball club will look to continue their Midwest Conference dominance. MC has not lost a Midwest Conference game since 2004 when they fell to St. Norbert. Last year when Monmouth faced Grinnell, they trounced them 69-14.