Balanced attack propels Hurons to a 2-0 mark
by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor
Chase McLennan was nine-for-13 passing with four touchdown passes as Rogers City defeated Posen 35-6 in the seventh meeting between the two county rivals. The last six have gone to the orange and black. The Hurons (2-0) took a 21-0 lead into halftime, before Posen (0-2) finally got on the scoreboard early in the second half. That?s when Rogers City head coach Mike Kosiara really opened things up. On two third and long situations, McLennan hooked up with speedy wide out Bret Karsten for touchdown strikes of 57 and 55 yards. McLennan, who also had a rushing TD, would end the evening with 191 yards passing. The Rogers City defense kept Posen in check with a lot of pressure on the line of scrimmage. The Huron ?D? did not allow a Posen first down until 27 seconds were left in the first half.
?Playing with enthusiasm and energy was our main point of emphasis during practice,? said Kosiara. Posen coach Glenn Budnick said the Rogers City team his squad played was not the same one he saw on tape against Hillman. ?He (Kosiara) had his guys ready to play,? said Budnick. Rogers City hosts Alcona 1-1 Friday night at the newly resurfaced Gilpin Memorial Field. The Tigers are coming off a 22-21 win against defending North Star League champ Au Gres. The Hurons dominated Alcona a year ago, 48-0. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Posen hosts St. Basil of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for the second year in a row. Last year, St. Basil went to the air to fuel a second half comeback and claim a six-point win. Game time is 7 p.m.
EARLY IN THE first quarter last Friday, Rogers City had trouble getting into their formations on offense, forcing an early timeout and penalties. It also prompted Kosiara to yell, ?Why is it that you don?t have this down yet?? A fingertip grab to the Posen 30 by Karsten put Rogers City in close, but a penalty, a sack by Nick Idalski and Aaron Romel, along with an incomplete pass, forced the Hurons to punt down to the eight. Posen failed to move the ball and punted it back. Punter Nick Delekta, in his only weak punt of the night, could only get it out to the Posen 22. Four plays later, McLennan tried to take the ball in from five yards out, but fumbled short of the goal line. Romel made the recovery for the touchback. Posen still could not get much going. The RC defense showed a lot of movement and had 10 players in the box prior to snapping the ball. With the help of two penalties, Posen moved the ball to their own 13 before Delekta punted again, this time to the Rogers City 41.
THE HURONS then went to work, moving the ball to the Posen 28 before the end of the first quarter. After they were called for an illegal procedure, it set up a second-and-14 at the Posen 20. McLennan picked up 13 yards on a pass play to Ferris. On a third-and-1, McLennan ran in the six-yard touchdown run off right tackle. The point after was just inches over the cross bar by Joe Finch, making the score 7-0. Two plays after the kickoff, the first Posen pass of the game was underthrown by Justin LaPointe and intercepted by Karsten at the Posen 22. Five players later, McLennan hit Karsten on a corner fade pattern in the right corner of the end zone. The PAT was good, making the score 14-0 with 6:10 left in the first half. The Hurons defense pinned Posen back on their ensuing possession with a sack by Derek Schleben and Jerome Gapczynski. Delekta had his best punt of the night, but the Huron offense was rolling. Chris Cornett had the long rushing play of the first half, as he busted it out to the left near the Rogers City sideline for 54 yards. His race for pay dirt ended with a touchdown-saving tackle by LaPointe. He was tackled at the Posen eight. Two plays later, McLennan went to Ferris across the middle for six points, and a 21-0 lead.
THAT?S THE way the score would stay until halftime. Posen got the ball to start the third. Tyler Krajniak found some running room and dashed for 53 yards. That would set up a one-yard run plunge by Paul Kroll. The two-point conversion failed. At the 9:45 mark of the third, the score was 21-6. Posen would get another chance to score as a Rogers City ball carrier was stripped of the ball and recovered by Delekta. The Huron defense buckled down and did not allow a first down. They stopped Posen on downs on three of Posen?s next four possessions. Rogers City put the game away with 5:33 left to play in the third when McLennan went deep to Karsten for a 57-yard pass play. The PAT made it 28-6. The Hurons capped the scoring on a 55-yard touchdown play early in the fourth. Karsten outjumped the defender, ran toward the middle of the field and was off to the races.
?We must build on our Posen win,?
Statistics:
Rogers City 179 rushing, 191 passing, 370 total. Posen 51 rushing, 0 passing, 51 total. Rushing: Rogers City: Chris Cornett 7/81, Dustin Hein 6/44, Chase McLennan 14/39/1 TD, Kevin Fairbanks 8/15.
Posen: Paul Kroll 20/54/1 TD, Nathan Street 4/12, Tyler Krajniak 4/6, Nathan Strzelecki 1/7, Aaron Romel 2/-3, Corey Hentkowski 3/-7, Justin LaPointe 5/-18.
Passing: LaPointe 0-2, 0 yards, int., Krajniak 0-2, 0 yards. McLennan 9-13, four TD, 191 yards. Receiving: Karsten 5/141 3 TD, Devon Ferris 4/50, 1 TD.
Defense: Rogers City: Jerome Gapczynski 15 tackles, Hein 10, and T.J. Sobeck 7. Bret Karsten, one interception. Posen: Jordan Hincka 12 tackles. LaPointe, Nick Delekta, and Romel fumble recoveries.