NEW GLARUS - New Glarus-Monticello junior linebacker Patrick Craker was all over the field Friday.
Craker had seven tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and a 10-yard touchdown run to lead the Glarner Knights to a 26-14 homecoming win over Iowa-Grant.
"We have a great defensive coach," Craker said. "He made some great adjustments. He called a lot more blitzes and put us in a good position. We have great talent to go out and get it done."
New Glarus-Monticello (4-3, 1-1 Capitol South) scored 19 points off two interceptions and two turnovers on downs by the Panthers.
The one trouble spot in the game for the Knights was 12 penalties for 110 yards - nine of which came against the defense. The Panthers picked up four first downs on penalties in the first half.
"It's hard," New Glarus-Monticello coach Jeff Eichelkraut said. "You talk all week about being intense and getting after them. We want guys flying off the ball. Unfortunately, the penalty bug got us. As the game wore on, we became more disciplined. The penalties are something we will have to work on."
The Panthers opened the first quarter with a 14-play, 63-yard drive, culminating in quarterback Ross Havlik's 5-yard TD pass to Michael Winders. Iowa-Grant converted two fourth down plays on the drive.
After that, it was all Knights.
Facing a fourth-and-4 from their own 28-yard line, Iowa-Grant senior running back Brady Peat dropped a pass and the Knights capitalized on the golden field position. Five plays later, Tanner Jelle bowled in for a 1-yard TD run to give the Knights a 7-6 lead.
Craker then intercepted a Havlik pass late in the second quarter to set up the Knights' next scoring opportunity. Three plays later, Jelle punched in another 1-yard TD run. The extra point attempt failed after a botched snap, and the Knights led 12-7 at the half.
Jelle, who was back in the starting lineup after missing the past two games for undisclosed team reasons, rushed for a team-high 93 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns.
"It felt great coming back after having four starters out the last two games," Jelle said. "It was great being back on the field, especially for homecoming. We just really stepped up, came together as a team and got the 'W.'"
Jelle credited the offensive line for taking over the game at the line of scrimmage.
"The big boys up front stepped up," he said. "They (Iowa-Grant) came out and pushed us around on that first drive and we pushed back. It takes a couple hits for the guys up front to get going sometimes."
The Panthers tried an onsides kick to start the second half and the Knights recovered at their own 39-yard line. New Glarus-Monticello senior quarterback Jared Carney hooked up with senior Cullen Brooks on a 49-yard pass play on the first offensive play of the third quarter. Moments later, Craker raced for a 10-yard TD run to give the Knights a 19-7 lead early in the third quarter.
New Glarus-Monticello rushed for 144 yards as a team and had 236 total yards.
"The whole backfield did great," Eichelkraut said. "That is the backbone of our team - the running. They wanted to take our outside away. We were fine with muscling it up inside."
The Knights put the Panthers away with a trick play. With NGM facing fourth-and-8, senior running back Noah Zimmerman took a handoff and tossed a 25-yard TD pass to Brooks to give the Knights a 26-7 lead with 2 minutes, 16 seconds to go in the third quarter.
"The pass from Carney to Brooks really set up the second half," Eichelkraut said.
Carney completed 4 of 7 passes for 67 yards. Brooks had four receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown - all in the second half.
"You like it that he (Brooks) is a tall guy and he has great hands," Eichelkraut said. "In the second half, he made some big catches."
New Glarus-Monticello junior Trevor Gassman had an interception late in the third quarter, but the Knights didn't capitalize on the turnover.
Iowa-Grant's Matthew Winders had a 5-yard TD run with 2:42 to go in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 12 points. A last-ditch comeback effort by the Panthers resulted in an onside kick recovery at their own 39-yard line. New Glarus-Monticello junior Adam Marty sacked Havlik on fourth down to end the Panthers' final threat and seal the win.
"Iowa-Grant has a proud tradition and they are a good football team," Eichelkraut said. "That first drive we helped them out a few times. I thought our tackling was solid."
New Glarus-Monticello (4-3, 1-1 Capitol South) plays at Waterloo (3-4, 1-2) next week. A win would qualify the Knights for the WIAA playoffs.
Craker had seven tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and a 10-yard touchdown run to lead the Glarner Knights to a 26-14 homecoming win over Iowa-Grant.
"We have a great defensive coach," Craker said. "He made some great adjustments. He called a lot more blitzes and put us in a good position. We have great talent to go out and get it done."
New Glarus-Monticello (4-3, 1-1 Capitol South) scored 19 points off two interceptions and two turnovers on downs by the Panthers.
The one trouble spot in the game for the Knights was 12 penalties for 110 yards - nine of which came against the defense. The Panthers picked up four first downs on penalties in the first half.
"It's hard," New Glarus-Monticello coach Jeff Eichelkraut said. "You talk all week about being intense and getting after them. We want guys flying off the ball. Unfortunately, the penalty bug got us. As the game wore on, we became more disciplined. The penalties are something we will have to work on."
The Panthers opened the first quarter with a 14-play, 63-yard drive, culminating in quarterback Ross Havlik's 5-yard TD pass to Michael Winders. Iowa-Grant converted two fourth down plays on the drive.
After that, it was all Knights.
Facing a fourth-and-4 from their own 28-yard line, Iowa-Grant senior running back Brady Peat dropped a pass and the Knights capitalized on the golden field position. Five plays later, Tanner Jelle bowled in for a 1-yard TD run to give the Knights a 7-6 lead.
Craker then intercepted a Havlik pass late in the second quarter to set up the Knights' next scoring opportunity. Three plays later, Jelle punched in another 1-yard TD run. The extra point attempt failed after a botched snap, and the Knights led 12-7 at the half.
Jelle, who was back in the starting lineup after missing the past two games for undisclosed team reasons, rushed for a team-high 93 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns.
"It felt great coming back after having four starters out the last two games," Jelle said. "It was great being back on the field, especially for homecoming. We just really stepped up, came together as a team and got the 'W.'"
Jelle credited the offensive line for taking over the game at the line of scrimmage.
"The big boys up front stepped up," he said. "They (Iowa-Grant) came out and pushed us around on that first drive and we pushed back. It takes a couple hits for the guys up front to get going sometimes."
The Panthers tried an onsides kick to start the second half and the Knights recovered at their own 39-yard line. New Glarus-Monticello senior quarterback Jared Carney hooked up with senior Cullen Brooks on a 49-yard pass play on the first offensive play of the third quarter. Moments later, Craker raced for a 10-yard TD run to give the Knights a 19-7 lead early in the third quarter.
New Glarus-Monticello rushed for 144 yards as a team and had 236 total yards.
"The whole backfield did great," Eichelkraut said. "That is the backbone of our team - the running. They wanted to take our outside away. We were fine with muscling it up inside."
The Knights put the Panthers away with a trick play. With NGM facing fourth-and-8, senior running back Noah Zimmerman took a handoff and tossed a 25-yard TD pass to Brooks to give the Knights a 26-7 lead with 2 minutes, 16 seconds to go in the third quarter.
"The pass from Carney to Brooks really set up the second half," Eichelkraut said.
Carney completed 4 of 7 passes for 67 yards. Brooks had four receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown - all in the second half.
"You like it that he (Brooks) is a tall guy and he has great hands," Eichelkraut said. "In the second half, he made some big catches."
New Glarus-Monticello junior Trevor Gassman had an interception late in the third quarter, but the Knights didn't capitalize on the turnover.
Iowa-Grant's Matthew Winders had a 5-yard TD run with 2:42 to go in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 12 points. A last-ditch comeback effort by the Panthers resulted in an onside kick recovery at their own 39-yard line. New Glarus-Monticello junior Adam Marty sacked Havlik on fourth down to end the Panthers' final threat and seal the win.
"Iowa-Grant has a proud tradition and they are a good football team," Eichelkraut said. "That first drive we helped them out a few times. I thought our tackling was solid."
New Glarus-Monticello (4-3, 1-1 Capitol South) plays at Waterloo (3-4, 1-2) next week. A win would qualify the Knights for the WIAA playoffs.
