SPORTS

November 1, 2011

Indian drums on Warpath Drive resonate with rhythmic pride

Gary Franklin, Sports Editor

Many terms can be used to describe the Milan Indian football team's fantastic journey to date this season. Positive, awesome, tried & tested, lucky, fortunate, strong, etc., but unwilling to settle in defeat would likely be one of the best.
A few ties over the regular season and now two games into sectional action, the opportunity availed itself for them to fold and just walk away. That is not an option for this team, nor its coaching staff led by Head Coach Ryan Langferman in his seventh year at the top spot.
Perhaps the label of representing the 50th year celebratory MHS football team has made a difference. Perhaps meeting all the players on the gridiron after the game when the 50 year recognition of past and present players put a little more fire in this year's team to deliver.
Whatever the case, the tribe fan base, truly loves it!
Go Indians!!!
Next on the agenda, the Indians travel to Greensburg, to face the North Decatur Chargers for the Sectional Championship battle at 7 p.m., on Friday night, November 4, at NDHS.
*Limited seating was available at the earlier regular season contest between Milan and ND. Indian fans are advised to take a lawn chair for the game.
Sectional Round 2
Milan Indians vs
Ind. Lutheran Saints
Second round Sectional action, hosted by Milan High School on Friday, October 28, resulted in a 24-20 Milan win. A game that aroused even more pride in the Indians for their unyielding effort to waiver or fold.
The game's outcome remained very much in danger until the 11 second mark of the fourth quarter of regulation play. A genuine nail biter for much of the game, even more so in the final minutes of the last quarter especially.
First scoring of the game came at the 7:36 mark of the first quarter, the result of 7 yard TD run by Indian junior Scott Pennington and his PAT that followed with senior QB Zack Lewis #12 holding.
The 7-0 lead was great to see on the scoreboard for the home team, who had opted during the coin flip to defer their choice to the start of the second half.
Holding the Indianapolis Lutheran Saints in their first possession off the game's opening kick off by Indian Pennington #10, to little gain, was a positive beginning for the tribe's defensive unit as well.
The tribe added a second TD and PAT with senior QB Zack Lewis #12 1 yard run into the end zone with just 25 ticks left on the clock in period one. Pennington #10 booted the PAT between the uprights to put Milan up 14-0.
At the 9:22 mark of quarter two, the Saints truly went marching in, as the story goes, with a 25 yard TD pass from QB Bryce Brockett #3 to receiver Sam Craven #22, followed by the PAT off the kick of Mike Sass #43 cutting the Indian lead in half at 14-7.
Continuing second quarter action at the 3:59 mark, Indian Pennington #10 added his second TD of the game off a 2 yard run into the end zone, followed by his third successful PAT of the game. In doing so, Milan regained a 14 point edge at 21-7.
At 21-6, the IL Saints responded for a TD and PAT, cutting Milan's lead to just eight at 21-13.
The Saints were in no way ready to wave the white flag and go home. Saint QB Brockett #3 delivered a 37 yard TD pass to receiver JC Faubion #1, followed by a Sass #43 PAT, closing the gap to just seven points with 2:55 yet remaining in the first half.
The tribe settled for a Pennington #10, 21 yard field goal with just two seconds remaining on the scoreboard at the conclusion of period two.
Milan carried a 10 point, 24-14 lead into the locker room at the halftime break.
With just 1:37 remaining in the third period, the Saints put another TD on the score board off a QB Brockett #3, 20 yard pass connection to Faubion #1, but failed to add the PAT, leaving Milan leading by four at 20-24.
Helter skelter evolved on the playing field during the fourth quarter as MHS couldn't score. The IL Saints too were denied in the Red Zone.
Milan gained an opportunity to seal the deal, only to wind up with a fumble, recovered by the Saints.
Threatening with time expiring on the game clock, the Indians managed to turn the Saints away, regaining the football with just 11 seconds to finish it off.
Downing the ball on their first down play allowed the game clock to expire, securing Milan's spot in the 2011 Sectional Championship game hosted by North Decatur High School in Greensburg.
The North Decatur Chargers advanced into the other half of the Sectional Championship bill after drawing a first round bye, then defeating the Edinburgh Lancers 41-14 in second round action on Friday night, October 28.
Game stats vs IL Saints
Time of Possession
Milan 28:17 - 19:27 IL
Penalties
Milan 6/45-4/30 IL
Fumbles
Milan 4/2 yds - 0/0 IL
Punts
Milan 6/ 31.8 ave yds. -
IL 4/ 27.5 ave yds.
Return Yards
Milan 104 - 55 IL
Passing Yards
Milan 63 - 305 IL
Rushing Yards
MHS 52-254 / IL 14-38
First Downs
Milan 20 - 18 IL
Individual Indian stats
Rushing
#23 Strunk, Cory 39 A / 254 Y
#12 Lewis, Zack
6 A / 17 Y & 1 TD
#10 Pennington, Scott
7 A/ 17Y & 2 TD's
Passing
#12 Lewis, Zack
6 Comp/10 Att for 63 Y
Receiving
#15 Mays, Willie 2 Rec/30 Y
#10 Pennington, Scott
2 Rec/23 Y
#25 Kimla, Kurtis
1 Rec/10 Y
#25 Seaver, Erick 1 Rec/0 Y
Fumbles
#12 Lewis, Zack 2F/ 2FR
#23 Strunk, Cory 2F/ FL
Kicking
#10 Pennington, Scott
FG + 3XP
Punting
#10 Pennington, Scott
6/ 191 Y
Kickoffs
#10 Pennington, Scott
3/ 133 Y
Kickoff Returns
#10 Pennington, Scott
2 Att/ 52 Y
#23 Strunk, Cory
1 Att / 32 Y
Punt Returns
#23 Strunk, Cory 2/ 20 Y
Total Offense
#10 Pennington, Scott
2TD's, 3XP's & FG /18 pts
#12 Lewis, Zack 1TD/ 6 pts
Defense
#60 Arkenberg, David
2 Tkl's/ 2 Sacks/ 11 Y
#23 Strunk, Cory 4 PBU
#12 Lewis, Zack 1 PBU
#15 Mays, Willie 1PBU
#24 Beard, Brandon 1PBU
Interceptions
#10 Pennington, Scott 1 Int.

Milan Indian Head Football Coach Ryan Langferman and his assistant coaches join the team following the sectional second round victory celebration, reminding them of the goals the team made prior to the season's onset. They're still working toward that mark and have no desire of falling anything short of it. Good job Indians!