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Vipers Defeat Eagles
The Arlington Eagles Midgets team (11 -12 year olds) finished their regular
season with a loss to the undefeated Valley Vipers, 20 - 7.
Arlington started the game with a kick-off return to the Eagles 31 yard
line. Arlington marched the ball down the field, behind the blocking of
Beau Brown, Doug Hilzendeger, Joseph Hansen, Conor Harper, Nathan
Hilgenkamp, Taylor Escamilla, Alvin Voss, and Jordon Johnson, to the
Vipers' 40 yard line, before being intercepted by Valley, who returned it
to the Eagles' 45 yard line.
The 2 teams exchanged possession before Valley finally regained control.
Valley moved the ball down to the Eagles' 15 yard line where they were
facing 3rd and 9. With 2 ½ minutes left in the first quarter, Valley took
it in for the touchdown. The extra point was no good.
Arlington was unable to move the ball, on their next possession, so they
were forced to punt. With 40 seconds left in the first quarter, the Vipers
stormed up the middle and blocked the punt which rolled through the end
zone for a touchback. The score now stood at Vipers 8, Eagles 0.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Vipers returned the ball to their own 40 yard
line. But the Arlington defense continued their relentless attack on the
Vipers' offense. With key plays by Joseph Hansen, Bruce Mastin, Thomas
Grove, Nathan Hilgenkamp, Jordon Johnson, Taylor Escamilla, Conor Harper,
Seth Pearson, and Doug Hilzendeger, Valley was only able to muster 13 yards
in this series. Arlington took over at their own 47 yard line.
The second half started with the Vipers returning the kickoff to the 48
yard line. The Eagles' defense was relentless as they held the Vipers on
the first 3 plays of this possession. But on 4th and 10, from the 48 yard
line of Valley, the Vipers quarterback threw a touchdown pass. The extra
point conversion was no good.
Arlington then methodically moved the ball down the field and capped their
own drive, with 5:44 left in the 3rd quarter, with a 33 yard pass from Adam
Hamre to Seth Pearson. The extra point run by Bruce Mastin was good.
Vipers14, Eagles 7.
The Vipers had their hands full while dealing with the aggressive defense
play of Nathan Hilgenkamp, who broke up a pass, and later Chase Kratochvil,
who ended their drive, with an interception, at the 13 yard line of Arlington.
The Eagles again set their sights for the Valley end zone. The offensive
line provided the path towards that goal, with mammoth blocks from Conor
Harper, Alvin Voss, Doug Hilzendeger, Thomas Grove, Taylor Escamilla, Seth
Pearson, Bruce Mastin, Beau Brown, Nathan Hilgenkamp, and Joseph Hansen.
They pounded the Vipers' defense while moving the ball all the way down to
the Valley 5 yard line before loosing possession of the ball on 4th and goal.
Valley move the ball down the field and perfectly executed a fake punt
which took them down to the Arlington 5 yard line. 3 plays later, with 31
ticks left on the clock, Valley scored to make the score Vipers 20, Eagles 7.
As the clock ran down, Arlington's longest run from scrimmage, for the day,
came on the next possession. With Cody Falk at the helm, Chase Kratochvil
ran through a gapping hole, compliments of Tyler Kotrous, Beau Brown, John
Mark Hunter, Nick Layman, Chase Kratochvil, Josh Gloeb, Michael Dobson,
Stephan Lowe, Adam Maas, and Quinton Cottle, and rambled for 40 yards to
the Valley 30 yard line.
The Midgets end their regular season with a
record of 4 - 3.
Written by Dan Layman
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