FINDING DAYLIGHT … Delta running back Landon Lintermoot explodes through the Archbold defensive line. Lintermoot ran for 181 yards, including a 50-yard scamper in the fourth quarter.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Archbold fought back from an early 17-0 lead by Delta in hard-fought conference play to put an end to the Panthers’ undefeated season on Friday night at Bluestreak Stadium.
The Bluestreaks came out of the gate fast, with a successful onside kick to take possession at their own 46-yard line.
A pair of passes from sophomore quarterback Jarett Rufenacht to sophomore Ryder Ryan quickly pushed them to the Delta 19, but then ran into trouble with a pair of incomplete passes to senior Evan Wendt.
A pass attempt to sophomore Morgan Harris on third and 10 was then picked off by Panther senior Landon Lintermoot to change possession at the 20-yard line.
Another Archbold error added to Delta’s momentum when a pitch Lintermoot took to the 28 was aided by a personal foul, putting them on their own 43-yard line.
Lintermoot continued to be the main weapon of attack – as he would remain throughout the game – as he made five consecutive runs to earn three first downs and bring the Panthers all the way to the Bluestreaks 14-yard line.
A pair of runs by sophomore Vincent Martinez and one by senior Carl Warner netted just five yards before Senior Brodey kicked a field goal to put the Panthers up 3-0.
Ryan recovered the kickoff and ran on the first play for 27 yards of travel before Wyse caught one for two yards, but those successes were followed by a pass tipped incomplete before Martinez outright intercepted, giving the ball back to the Panthers on the Archbold 23-yard line.
This time, four runs from Lintermoot were enough to get it to the 1, where freshman quarterback Emric Friess brought it in for a touchdown and a score of 10-0.
The situation for the Bluestreaks didn’t improve on their following drive despite a 34-yard kick return by Ryan. They only gained eight yards before losing one, and a subsequent pass by freshman Jesse Schumacher on fourth and three was dropped, with Delta taking over possession at their own 23.
Friess slipped in the backfield on the first play, dropping eight yards, but a follow-up pass to Martinez saw a gain of 26 in which he almost broke free into the open field.
A pair of pitches and a pass to Lintermoot pushed another 11 yards and gained a first down before he caught another pass under pressure, breaking multiple tackles to get all the way to the Archbold 15.
Despite having the end zone in sight, a false start and a Lintermoot run for one yard were followed by a pass being picked off by Wendt at the two-yard line.
Archbold was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, going three and out before punting to Lintermoot, who caught the ball at the Delta 40 and brought it all the way back to the 25.
Another pair of plays led by Lintermoot gained three yards and a double reverse that ended in the hands of Martinez gained another two before senior Richard Flores III caught a pass in contact in the end zone for a touchdown. Kicker Bodey Roth’s extra point gave the Panthers a lead of 17-0.
The Bluestreaks finally started finding their groove on the next drive, starting with an out-of-bounds kick that put them at their own 40-yard line. A lateral pass to Wendt, a run by Rufenacht, and a pair of runs by Ryan gave them three first downs in quick succession.
Rufenacht dropped the snap on the next play but picked it up in time to take advantage of a confused defense to lob a pass to senior Broden Piercefield, who reached as he fell at the one-yard line to break the plane and score the first Archbold touchdown.
After it was delayed by a flag for offsides against the Panthers, junior Rudy Rodgers’ extra point kick was good to make it a 17-7 game.
Archbold’s defense stepped it up as well, holding Delta to three and out, bringing the ball to their own 35-yard line on the return.
A pair of disastrous drives followed, with Rufenacht fumbling the ball under pressure to lose possession and Friess throwing an interception caught by freshman Anderson Bentley immediately after the Panthers caught a penalty for delay of game.
With less than two minutes left on the clock, the Bluestreaks played fast. Rufenacht carried two under pressure for a total gain of eight yards before a pass to Piercefield pushed them to their own 43 and a first down.
After a spike to stop the clock, Archbold picked up a flag for a false start but made up the ground with a pass to sophomore Aranjer Krieger and another Rufenacht run for another first down, this one at the Panther 43, followed by another spike to stop the clock at two seconds. A pass to Ryan was successful, but he was pulled out of bounds, ending the half.
Archbold came back from halftime with clear changes implemented and a new fire in their bellies, with Ryan nearly breaking free on the return, finally pushed out of bounds by Roth at the Delta 41. Rufenacht carried on the first play for a gain of nine, and a pass over the head of Piercefield was followed by a successful pass to Ryan at the 30 for a first down.
A pass to Krieger and run by Ryan brought them to the 14 and another first down. Despite a flag in the mix for a false start, Rufenacht carried on two plays for seven yards before throwing a 12-yard pass to Krieger in the end zone which he was unable to bring down. Rodger attempted a field goal from their position on the 12 but was unsuccessful.
A pitch to and run by Lintermoot gained the Panthers a first down, but they went four and out on the next set of downs.
Despite the Archbold player dropping the punt, he was able to recover and start the Bluestreaks on their own 32-yard line.
A pair of passes to Wendt, a pair of runs by Rufenacht, and a pair of runs by Ryan plus one run by senior Tristan Wyse brought a trio of first downs, and a pass to Krieger brought another.
A pass to Wendt and another run by Rufenacht put the Bluestreaks on the Delta 3 as the third quarter came to an end.
On the very next play, the first of the final quarter, Rufenacht again held the ball and ran it in for a touchdown. A successful kick by Rodger put Archbold within a field goal of Delta at 17-14.
Things didn’t improve for the Panthers, with freshman Brady Culler fumbling on the kick return, which was recovered by Archbold at the Delta 39.
After a flag for false start, the Bluestreaks were brought to fourth and four. Feeling the pressure, they attempted a conversion but a near interception on an incomplete pass turned it over on downs at the Delta 33-yard line.
Lintermoot continued to carry the ball and the team, running first to the 42, then to the 50 for a first down, then the remaining 50 yards in a single shot for another Panther touchdown. The extra point put them up 24-14.
An out-of-bounds kick started Archbold at their own 35, but Rufenacht took a solid hit and went down in the backfield for a loss of six.
He was on the ground for some time after the play and was replaced by senior Kurt Krueger, who would complete the game for the Bluestreaks.
After an incomplete pass over the head of Ryan, Krueger threw a bomb to Harris, who carried it all 71 yards for a Bluestreak touchdown, putting them back in striking distance at 24-21.
Another onside kick attempt by Archbold was unsuccessful, with Delta taking it at the Bluestreaks’ 49-yard line.
Lintermoot continued to be the main method of attack for the Panthers, but with significantly less success. After five runs and a pitch, he gained just 22 yards, and an incomplete pass attempt to Flores on fourth and four turned it over on downs with a little more than three minutes left in the game.
A pass to Wendt provided an immediate first down, and a pass to Harris and a run by Ryan provided a second.
Another pass attempt to Wendt was hindered by a holding call against the Bluestreaks, putting them at first and 20 at their own 47, but Krueger immediately fired back with a 24-yard pass to Harris for another first down.
They tried to go straight to the end zone with a long pass on the next play, but it was nearly intercepted and ended incomplete. A run by Ryan gave them the first and goal, followed by another incomplete pass to the end zone which left just one minute and six seconds on the clock.
They would only need one five-second play, with a pass to Wendt resulting in a touchdown and an Archbold lead of 28-24
Now behind and under the gun, a now desperate Delta team broke all their usual customs in their final drive, sending as many receivers downfield as possible while leaving only minimal blocking for Friess.
He took several big hits as he went for big passes on every play, some tumbling through the air end over end, all incomplete, with the final one going through the hands of a triple-covered receiver to turn it over on downs.
DHS AHS
First Downs 12 21
Rushing Yards 38-226 32-176
Passing Yards 53 245
Passing 2-11-2 17-30-2
Total Yards 279 421
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-1
Penalties 4-35 4-20
DELTA 10 7 0 7 – 24
ARCHBOLD 0 7 0 21 – 28
D – Roth 25-yd FG
D – Friess 1-yd run (Roth kick)
D – Flores 20-yd pass from Friess (Roth kick)
A – Piercefield 19-yd pass from Rufenacht (Rodger kick)
A – Rufenacht 3-yd run (Rodger kick)
D – Lintermoot 50-yd run (Roth kick)
A – Harris 71-yd pass from Kruger (Rodger kick)
A – Piercefield 9-yd pass from Kruger (Rodger kick
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Delta – Lintermoot 27-181; Martinez 7-36; Archbold – Ryan 15-112; Rufenacht 13-59; PASSING: Delta – Friess 2-10-2-53; Archbold – Rufenacht 11-21-2-116; Kruger 6-9-0-129; RECEIVING: Delta – Lintermoot 1-33; Archbold – Wendt 7-71; Harris 3-103; Piercefield 3-34
(PHOTOS BY RACHEL NAGEL / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
GOING TO THE AIR … Archbold quarterback Kurt Kruger loads up to go deep in the fourth quarter of the Streaks come from behind win over Delta. VIEW 55 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
