Fourth-quarter heroics headline home opener
SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Morningside’s home opener for football may have ended up with a lopsided 47-17 score, but it took a dominant fourth quarter for the Mustangs to put the game away, out-scoring Mount Marty’s Lancers 20-0 in the final frame.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
|
|
14 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 47 |
Team Stats
Mount Marty
| Game Statistics | Mount Marty | Morningside |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 256 | 272 |
| Rushing Yards | 47 | 228 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of Poss. | 30:03 | 29:48 |
SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Morningside's home opener for football may have ended up with a lopsided 47-17 score, but it took a dominant fourth quarter for the Mustangs to put the game away, out-scoring Mount Marty's Lancers 20-0 in the final frame.
Morningside got on the board first as Trent Lane galloped across the goal line from one yard out, putting the Mustangs on top for good. Lane would have the next score for Morningside, reaching the end zone twice on six total rush attempts for 26 yards.
Key for the Mustangs was a defensive stand late in the third quarter. With Mount Marty knocking on the door of the endzone after a 67-yard pass, trailing 27-17, Malik Hampton stripped a second-and-goal run attempt, hopping back to his feet after making the hit to dive on the loose ball. Morningside would march down the field, scoring after a two-minute drive.
KJ Williams, a member of this year's Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, emerged as the primary back in today's game, taking the ball 28 times for 148 yards and one score. Williams was crucial down the stretch as Morningside was eating up the clock late.
Cash Parker emerged as the favorite signal caller against the Lancers' defense, completing 15-of-22 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Zach Norton, who looked to be neutralized by Mount Marty's secondary early, broke free for 10 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Norton split double coverage as he hauled in a long of 66-yards to open the fourth quarter with a score.
Hampton's pivotal forced fumble and recovery was just the beginning of his stat line as he added nine total tackles to his resume for the day. Lonell Boyd Jr. and Isaac Pingel each also had nine total tackles. Brady Schlaeger had a pair of sacks and 2.5 tackles for a loss.
Morningside, with off weeks behind it, prepares for next Saturday's contest with Midland. The teams will meet at 1 p.m. at Elwood Olsen Stadium.
