The Versailles Republican Sports
August 20, 2009

Positive outlook for Milan Indian football
in pre-season scrimmage at Eastern (Pekin)

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

On Friday, August 7, Head Milan Indian Football Coach Ryan Langferman and team traveled across the state to play a pre-season scrimmage at Eastern (Pekin).

The format for the scrimmage began with the home Eastern starters controlling the ball for the first 15 plays, during which time they scored once on their opening drive.

In continuing, the Indians took possession for the next 15 plays, where they gained 189 yards and scored two Touch Downs.

Next on the agenda, both squads had the ball on the goal line for 10 plays each. Here, both the Indian offense and defense shined. The tribe scored five times while on offense with a tough Indian defense not only holding Eastern out of the end zone, but driving them back for loss of yardage.

In concluding the first segment of the scrimmage, each team had the ball for an additional 12 plays.

The second segment of the scrimmage allowed the team's JV players to take the field for two series of eight plays each. Pekin and Milan JV teams each rallied to put one score each on the board.

Coach Langferman stated, "One of the greatest highlights of the scrimmage was that their were no injuries sustained by the tribe's players. The team had a nice crowd follow in support of them even though a good distance from home. After allowing Pekin to drive the length of the field for a score on their opening drive, the Indian defense dug in and shut Pekin down rendering them unable to score again until JV play." Langferman went on to say, "Also on the positive side, stated Langferman, our offensive efforts developed into eight scores on the evening."

Individual efforts noted included: Travis Pennington took the first carry from scrimmage for the year 65 yds. for a TD, Grayson Miller threw three TD passes with two caught by Alex Layden and one by Cody Marsee and young Scott Pennington scored an Indian TD during JV scrimmage off a pass from Jacob White.

Along with positives, a scrimmage produces negatives, noted Coach Langferman. "The two hour drive from Milan to Pekin was an expected tiring one. The defensive struggle on the Pekin opening drive, giving up a score before settling in was a real low. A rash of fumbles during the third session of the scrimmage by Milan's offense must be addressed. And finally, we never want to surrender points but we did in the opening drive of varsity action and one more time during the JV portion", Langferman concluded.

All these bits and pieces culminated from the scrimmage will help to form building blocks to promote a more positive season. The team will learn from those mistakes and the positives and become stronger, wiser and become a better prepared team come actual season play.

The Indian varsity football regular season opens, where production really counts, at the newly rennovated home football field against Northeastern on Friday, August 21, at 7 p.m. With fourteen seniors returning to the squad, high expectations abound.