By: Daniel Cooley
Stryker’s season and home opener brought about plenty of firsts for the eight man football program. Take a look at these program firsts, in Stryker’s 46-0 win over North Adams-Jerome, Michigan: The program’s first shutout, the first season opening win, the first home win, the least amount of first downs allowed (2) and most ever rushing yards by a single player, 347.
“The defense was very sound tonight and didn’t get too aggressive,” said Stryker head coach Kent Holsopple. “Overall, we were very sound tonight. We have a veteran group of kids who believe in each other, so that helps us a great deal.”
Panthers running back Levi Barnum picked up the school record 347 rushing yards, in just 18 carries, for an average of 18 yards per tote.
Barnum started out with 62 yards on seven carries, but four of his next five carries went for double digit yards, including two straight jaunts of over 50 yards.
He ended the first half with 143 yards on 10 carries and then picked up 204 yards in the second half, on just eight carries.
“In the beginning, our offensive line started feeling (their defense) out and then they started to open some holes,” Barnum said.
“I did what I needed to do and my vision (to see the holes) got better as the game wore on. I’ve never had anywhere near those kind of rushing yards in a game, but kudos go out to the offensive line (for opening up the holes).”
“It showed how much our line has improved, as they had the ability to push through, for all four quarters.”
Stryker set the tone right away, taking the opening kickoff and driving 67 yards in seven plays for a touchdown, on a four yard run by quarterback Jacob Cadwell. Barnum ran in the two-point conversion and the Panthers led, 8-0.
North Adams then drove to the Stryker 33-yard line, but a quarterback sack and a bad snap on third down resulted in a thirteen yard loss and North Adams was forced to punt.
Following the punt, Stryker then took a 16-0 lead on Cadwell’s 38-yard TD pass to Mateo Villanueva and a two point run by Cadwell.
Stryker’s next two drives stalled on a loss of down and a lost fumble, recovered by North Adams at the Stryker 32.
But Stryker quickly stopped the scoring threat when Stryker’s Jacob Myers intercepted North Adams quarterback William Thielen’s pass at the Stryker 16-yard line, late in the first half.
But Stryker was able to get a touchdown with just 1:32 left in the first half, on a seven yard TD run by Cadwell. He also ran in the two-point conversion to put Stryker up at the half, 24-0.
Cadwell’s TD run was set up by Barnum’s 50-yard scamper to the North Adams seven yard line.
Following Barnum’s 53-yard run to the North Adams 19-yard line on Stryker’s first possession of the second half, Stryker scored four plays later on Barnum’s one yard one.
Barnum then finished off the scoring for Stryker on TD runs of 37 and 50 yards.
North Adams Stryker
First Downs 2 16
Rushes-Yards 22-(-20) 33-418
Passing Yards 24 69
Passes 3-9-3 6-10
Total Yards 4 487
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 1-1
Penalties-Yards 10-86 10-93
North Adams-Jerome 0 0 0 0 – 0
Stryker 16 8 14 8 – 46
S – Cadwell 4-yd run (Barnum run)
S – Villanueva 38-yd pass from Cadwell (Cadwell run)
S – Cadwell 7-yd run (Cadwell run)
S – Barnum 1-yd run (run failed)
S – Barnum 37-yd run (Villanueva run)
S – Barnum 50-yd run (Villanueva pass from Cadwell)
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