Redskins Get First Win In Radtke Era!
In no way, shape, or form does the final score indicate the kind of contest that was seen at Community Field in Knox on Friday. It would be a battle of strength-on-strength, with both Hoosier North Athletic Conference teams going punch for punch with each other. On Homecoming Night, it would be the Redskins who would deliver the final blows in an extremely physical competition which saw many tremendous displays of athleticism, as well as great coaching by Knox’s Russ Radtke as well as Culver’s Mike Zehner.
It would be the Culver Cavaliers who would come out of the gate firing first. With the Redskins electing to receive the opening kickoff, the Cavs were able to catch the home team off guard, as they tapped on onside kick which they would immediately fall on, giving the Cavaliers the first possession of the game. Mike Zehner’s group would hammer the ball down the field with the usual suspects running the ball. A steady dose of Shane Shuman, Jalen King, and Blake Thompson is what the Redskins would see as the Cavaliers pushed their way down the field. Surprisingly enough, it would be the passing game that would put Culver on the board first, as quarterback Tucker Fisher would find teammate Marquez Anderson for a 5-yard touchdown PASS. Yes, you read that correctly, the Cavaliers were on the board first due to the utilization of their passing game! After a failed 2-point conversion, the Cavaliers held a 6-0 lead with 5:06 remaining in the first quarter.
Radtke’s Redskins would not take long to answer. After being caught on their heels on the opening drive, Knox came out with a vengeance, as it took them all of one play to find the end zone for the first time in the ballgame. On their first play from scrimmage, Senior quarterback Zac Rose handed the ball off to fellow Senior Gunner Wagner, who followed some great blocking by pulling guard Trevor Busse, as well as running back Gabe Lovins, and flew 55 yards down the field for the Redskins’ first score of the ballgame! After a successful extra point kick, the Redskins had the lead at 7-6 with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter.
The fireworks were not slowing down for either team. On the ensuing possession, the Culver Cavaliers would show their explosiveness once again, this time in the person of Junior Jalen King. With the ball on the Redskins’ 29 yard-line, and the Cavaliers working out of their usual “Straight-T” formation in the backfield, Junior quarterback Tucker Fisher would hand the ball off to King, who would get behind pulling left guard, Hunter Evans, then pick up a nice kick-out block by running back Blake Thompson, which allowed King to turn on the jets as he strode into the end zone to put his Cavaliers back on top. After the successful 2-point conversion, the Cavaliers found themselves leading the Redskins 14-7 heading into the second quarter.
Knox would answer early in the second quarter in the person of quarterback Zac Rose. After being able to take the ball consistently down the field, it would be the decision making of Rose that would get Knox back into the end zone. After sending Junior wide receiver Kole McIntire in motion, faking the “Jet Sweep” handoff going to the left of the formation, Rose would then tuck the ball up, head down the middle of the field, utilizing, what is known in the video game world as an “R1” move, sufficiently faking out a defender, giving him a clear path to the end zone. After briefly acknowledging Knox Band Director Craige Phipps and the Redskin Brigade Marching Band, Rose flipped the ball to the official and celebrated with his teammates. The ensuing 2-point conversion attempt would not be successful, leaving the Cavaliers with a one point lead, 14-13, with only thirty seconds gone by in the second quarter.
The Cavaliers, however, would respond once again through the use of brute force. The ensuing drive would, once again, show the importance of having a strong work ethic in the weight room, as the Cavaliers would push their way down the field behind their offensive line. With 3:33 remaining in the first half, it would be Shane Shuman who was called upon to truck into the end zone from two yards out to increase the Cavalier lead to 20-13, after the failed extra point attempt.
But wait…..there’s more!
After the Redskins got the ball back, it would once again be Zac Rose who would provide heroics for Knox. Rose sent Cade Short in motion, briefly putting the ball in his mid-section as he read the defensive end to the right of the offensive formation. As the defensive end showed he would commit to stopping Short, Rose quickly made the correct read, pulling the ball away from his Senior teammate, dancing his way through the remaining defenders on his way to yet another touchdown. The 2-point conversion this time would be good, as Gunner Wagner would bulldoze his way into the end zone to give the Redskins a 21-20 lead. After the Cavaliers were unable to get anything going on their next possession, they were forced to punt the ball back to the Redskins with time starting to run out in the first half. There was enough time for the Redskins to give the ball to Short once again. On his final homecoming football game at Knox, the Senior did not disappoint, as he took the “Jet Sweep” handoff going to the right of the formation, made a gorgeous cut back to the left, got to the Redskins’ sideline and flew to the end zone from 55 yards away. After a successful 2-point conversion, the Redskins found themselves leading 29-20, which would be the score as the teams entered their respective locker rooms at halftime.
Things would continue to get more difficult for the Cavaliers in the second half, as the Redskins continued to execute with explosive plays coming from a multitude of players. After getting the ball back from the Cavaliers, having not given up any points on the opening drive of the third quarter, the Redskins would turn to Wagner once again. Like a hot knife through butter, the Senior would take the handoff and explode through the line of scrimmage, 68 yards for his second touchdown of the game. After converting the 2-point conversion, the Redskins found themselves leading the Cavaliers 37-20 with 8:57 left in the third quarter.
Zac Rose would be the highlight reel for the Redskins in the final stages of the ballgame, as he would find the end zone two more times, giving him four touchdowns in front of the Homecoming crowd! The Redskins would get on the board one final time with 5:30 remaining in the ballgame, as Senior Payton Baugh would punch in a touchdown from five yards out. The final points for the Redskins would come in unusual fashion. On the ensuing extra point attempt, there would be a mishap as the ball was not able to be placed on the ground for the attempted kick. Instead, Sophomore holder Cohen Watson would pick the ball up, elude multiple defenders, and power his way into the end zone for a two-point conversion, giving the Redskins their total of 58 points.
The Cavaliers would not go quietly into the night. On the following possession, Sophomore fullback Shane Shuman would break off the longest run of the night for the Cavaliers, as he hammered his way through the Knox defense, exploding 55 yards for his second touchdown of the game. After a successful 2-point conversion, the scoreboard showed it’s final tally of the game, with Knox defending Community Field in a 58-28 Hoosier North Athletic Conference competition.
In what was a surprise to very few listening to the game on WKVI, or in attendance at Community Field, the Starke County Co-Op Play of the Game as well as the Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game, went to the same individual. Knox’s Gunner Wagner earned the Play of the Game on his 68-yard touchdown run, which was just his fifth carry of the game. His total performance of 8 carries for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns, with an eye-popping 21.0 yards per carry average, made the selection of the Player of the Game fairly easy for the decision makers.
It was a game which showed an immense amount of gutsy performances on both sides of the field. In the end, it would be the overall power and depth of the Knox Redskins that would be the difference in the ball game. Both teams came to Community Field with similar game plans of wanting to pound the ball down the field for four quarters. To a certain degree, each team was able to do so fairly effectively. The depth the Redskins were able to play with on both sides of the ball, allowed them to wear down the Cavaliers, who were the better team for the first quarter and a half. It was truly football the way the Hoosier North Athletic Conference wants it to be. Clean, hard-nosed, and well coached!
Statistics
Knox
Rushing: 30 carries, 417 yards, 8 touchdowns
*Attempts-Yards-Touchdowns*
Individual: Gunner Wagner: 8-168-2; Cade Short: 6-100-1; Payton Baugh: 7-80-1; Zac Rose: 11-71-4; Kole McIntire: 1-6
Passing: Zac Rose: 0-3
Culver
Rushing: 51 Carries, 234 yards, 3 touchdowns
Individual: Shane Shuman: 22-122-2; Jalen King: 12-67-1; Blake Thompson-13-39; Tucker Fisher-3-6
Passing: Tucker Fisher: 3-6-26-1
Receiving: Marquez Anderson: 2-23-1; Jalen King: 1-3
*Statistics Provided By Knox Statistician Tim Knowlton*