FORT MADISON – Friday’s 35-7 loss to Burlington to open the season was the first time in Head Coach Derek Doherty’s six-seasons at the helm that Fort Madison has lost the first game of the year.
The Bloodhounds were pushed around on the line of scrimmage for most of the night as the Burlington Grayhounds avenged at 15-12 loss to Fort Madison to open the season last year.
Burlington took advantage of three Marcus Guzman picks, two on back-to-back possessions in the first half, and some poor Fort Madison tackling, to take control of the game early.
Doherty said the youth of the Hounds, who graduated a dozen two-way seniors last year, was evident in the loss.
“We looked like a circus tonight operationally. Our lifestyle, I can’t tell you how many guys we had come out with cramps tonight. We told them this would be about discipline. By all that cramping, I’m not sure our lifestyle is right,” Doherty said.
Burlington took the opening kick 75 yards on 16 plays for an opening drive that featured quarterback John Phillips, who had 30 yards on six carries, including a four-years score on 1st and goal. The drive ate up almost five minutes and set a tone that Burlington’s traditional rushing attack is alive and well.
Fort Madison put an eight-play, 37-yard drive together and were in Burlington’s territory at the 32 when Guzman floated a ball down the right side and senior Gavin Carlson jumped the rout and picked off Guzman’s third pass of the night.
The Bloodhounds would stiffen up on defense and force a turnover on downs at the 50, but Guzman would throw another pick five plays later. Burlington would capitalize this time when Darius Shealey went 28 yards on 2nd and 3 for the score, wriggling out of several Hound tackles on the way down the left sideline for a 14-0 lead.
The Hounds would drive to the 18 of Burlington on the next drive, but surrender the ball on downs on a 4th and 13.
Burlington would score again on a Phillips' 1-yard dive for a 21-0 lead. Guzman would suffer his third interception of the night on the ensuing drive, but on Burlington’s first play of the drive, senior Gavin Callahan would pick off a Phillips' pass at the Fort Madison 24 and run it all the way back for a score.
“Gavin’s an effort kid. Everything he does well, he’s earned. He works so freakin’ hard and he's going to give you everything he has and we’re proud of him for that,” Doherty said.
The touchdown was nullified on two Hound penalties, including an illegal block and unsportsmanlike conduct, when officials ruled that Callahan somersaulted into the endzone. The Hounds would maintain possession with both penalties coming after the turnover, but Fort Madison would run out of time in the half.
BHS would go up 28-0 on a 15-play 80-yard drive after stopping the Hounds on the first drive of the second half. Adrian Perez-Hall would go in from 10-yards out to cap the drive.
Fort Madison would score its only points of the game on the next drive. Burlington ,who had been short kicking to the sidelines all game, booted one deep to the 8. But the Hounds got things going when Triston Marshall broke off a 32-yard run up the Grayhound side of the field. Guzman would then hook up with Tateum Schelich three plays later for a 34-yard completion. Guzman would take care of things from there, going in three plays later from the seven-yard line.
Burlington would put the final score up three plays later when Phillips went 37 yards after slipping out of a scrum and through the middle of the secondary to the left for the score.
Doherty said tackling is an issue that needs to be cleaned up.
“Honestly, this shows our youth. It shows that we're in our infancy with a lot of new faces. That’s not an excuse, that’s my problem,” Doherty said.
“I have to fix it and I will. We’re gonna come up with a game plan where we tackle. With numbers so low, you don’t get a lot of live tackling. We chose to be undisciplined tonight and that’s what happens.”
He said Burlington has a nice squad, but didn’t show up with anything unexpected.
“They have the luxury of a big squad and a lot of depth. We’ve got kids in the stands who can help us, and that’s my fault. I’m not recruiting the hallways very well and I promise we’re gonna fix this because it means a lot to me.”
Guzman, who went 6-17 for 88 yards and three picks through the air, had to regularly tuck and run out of rollouts. He led the Hounds on the ground with 147 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown.
The senior said he knows he carries a lot offensively, but trusted the coaching staff to make needed adjustments.
“I just think it takes all of us as a team just to work together. We can have some one-man shows, but we have to play as a team,” he said.
“Our rollout game is looking good. We’re gonna drop balls - that’s going to happen. It’s a young team and we’ll have to make adjustments. I believe in the coaching staff. They’ll make some adjustments and we’ll be good.”
Doherty said the calls from the sidelines were good, but the young Bloodhounds need to get used to varsity action.
“We had plans to play fast and get movin’ and we’re not doing that yet. We were making really good calls and we were just a day late and a dollar short,” he said.
“They’re young guys and they just aren’t used to this level of speed. They better get used to it because no one’s coming to save us."
Marshall had 27 yards on 11 carries. Schelich had five catches for 46 yards. Connor Horn had 42 yards on four grabs. Aaron Warner led the Hounds on defense with nine tackles, five solo. Callahan had 6.5 tackles and the interception. Justin Maitner had the only tackle for loss for Fort Madison – a sack good for a 10-yard loss.
Fort Madison (0-1,0-0 in district play) takes on 0-1 Fairfield on the road next Friday night.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here