Posted: 9/14/05
Coach: Tigers were 'sloppy' but it was a win
By Luther Dorr
A win is always better than a loss.
For that reason coach Scott Walquist was happy with Princeton's 25-7 win over Monticello here last Friday night.
It was the first-ever Mississippi 8 game for Princeton and the Tigers are one of four 1-0 teams in the league.
But Walquist characterized his team's play as "sloppy" after the Tigers quickly took a 25-0 lead on the opening play of the second half when Dwayne Warren ran 83 yards for a touchdown on the kickoff.
"I?don't know if we lost focus or what but we just kind of fizzled in the second half,"?he said.
"When we start subbing we lose a lot . . . but I?didn't expect that,"?he said.
"That"?was a touchdown by the Magic against reserves with 7:17?to go in the game and it was followed by Monticello recovering the ensuing onside kick.
But, with the first-team defense back in the game, an interception by Ryan Nelson got the ball back on the next play.
The sloppy play Walquist referred to included no first downs in the second half, nine penalties (five for delay of game), two touchdowns being called back because of penalties, and only 19 yards of offense in the second half against a team that surrendered 57 points the week before.
One of the touchdowns that was called back, an 18-yard pass from Scott Roehl to Grady Milesko, came on the second play of the second quarter, Princeton leading 13-0 at the time.
"I?thought that really took us out of sync,"?said Walquist. "And then I thought the next one [a 53-yard run by Blake Perkins in the final period] would get us over the hump but it was called back."
The series on which the Milesko touchdown was called back typified Princeton's night. After the 16-yard holding penalty there was an incomplete pass, a four-yard loss on a run, a delay-of-game penalty that made it 4th-and-31, followed by a punt of -5 yards when Milesko had to field a bad snap.
But, as Walquist said, it was still a win.
"I?thought we played real tough on defense,"?he said. "We wanted to shut down their speed option and we did, except for that late touchdown, and we wanted to take away their trap plays. We did do that."
Monticello, until the 49-yard touchdown run, had run 45 plays in 41 minutes and gained only 62 yards.
"We got a lot of kids in the game and got to see how they responded in game situations," Walquist said. "And we got a win and started to get some confidence going."
Long run helped team to early advantage
Warren took a pitchout from quarterback Roehl on an option play and ran 73 yards for a touchdown on Princeton's first play of the game.
Walquist remembers asking assistant coach Ryan Jensen, up in the booth, if he saw what he saw.
"They had their strong safety on the opposite side of our tight end," Walquist said. "Ryan said he saw the same and I said, ėThen let's run the option.' "
Roehl got downfield past the line of scrimmage, pitched the ball to Warren and he went untouched into the end zone with 8:18 to go in the first quarter.
Milesko's PAT kick was wide and, although he made the next one, extra points were hard to come by for the Tigers, two two-point tries failing later.
Princeton drove 43 yards in eight plays the next time it got the ball, Cody Ammerman going in from two yards out with 3:46 left in the first quarter.
Penalties stymied the Princeton offense most of the second quarter but an interference penalty on Monticello on third down kept a drive going near the end of the first half.
Roehl then hit Milesko for a 13-yard gain and, after a Princeton timeout with 24 seconds left, Roehl connected again with Milesko who shook off a tackle and scored from seven yards out. Only 19 seconds remaining in the half.
Warren, who now has scoring plays of 78, 73 and 83 yards, was untouched as he ran the second half kickoff back for a touchdown.
The Tigers had two turnovers in the second half and failed to score on a 2nd-and-3 situation at the Monticello 27 late in the third quarter after Chris Norman recovered a Magic fumble.
Rogers next opponent
Princeton had an easy time winning when the Tigers played at Rogers in 2003 when Rogers was a new high school.
That won't be the case this time, Walquist said.
Rogers beat Zimmerman two weeks ago, 42-6, and lost 27-18?to St. Michael-Albertville on the road last Friday.
"They played St. Michael real tough," Walquist said. "They had a chance to win in the fourth quarter."
Rogers is primarily a running team with senior running back Josh Schultz as the primary threat. He ran for 131 yards on 14 carries against Zimmerman and had 138 in 10 carries against St. Michael. He has scored five touchdowns, two against St. Michael.
Quarterback Logan Kingren was 11-for-19 against St. Michael, although for only 65 yards, and his primary target has been Marshall DeWerd who has caught two scoring passes, one for 82 yards against Zimmerman.
"They seem to be primarily a running team," Walquist said. "And they're not going to let you run inside. St. Michael had some success throwing the ball and hopefully we can."
Calling Rogers a much improved team over two years ago, Walquist said it "is one of those games you have to win. But we'll have to play well."
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