By Jeff Patrus
Sports Writer
A day of Homecoming festivities in Goodrich ended with the Mt. Morris varsity football team celebrating.
The Panthers overcame a 14-6 halftime deficit and earned a 24-14 victory against the Martians in Genesee Area Conference action Friday, Sept. 29. Mt. Morris improved to 4-2 overall, while Goodrich fell to 1-5.
Mt. Morris? Miles Hart proved to be the big scoring threat for the Panthers, scoring the three touchdowns that proved to be enough to give the Panthers the win.
‘They made three plays in which we didn’t tackle very well,? Goodrich coach Tom Alward said. ‘We played well enough defensively to win. We stalled offensively in the second half; we didn’t execute very well.?
The game started out on a positive note for the Martians, as Jake Bourassa scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 7:28 left in the first quarter, giving the Martians an early 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Martians? Alex Kauer recovered a Mt. Morris fumble on the Panthers? 21-yard line, and the Martians soon capitalized on the Mt. Morris turnover. Bourassa scored his second touchdown of the game, this one from four yards out, as Goodrich took a 14-0 lead with 5:39 left in the first.
For the game, Bourassa rushed for 109 yards on 25 carries.
However, the Panthers showed they would not go away quietly, as Hart caught a pass from quarterback Adam Tabit and ran 78 yards for a touchdown. The Panthers missed the two-point conversion, leaving the Martians ahead 14-6.
Mt. Morris had a chance to tie the game before halftime, as the Panthers drove to the Martians? five-yard line. However, on fourth and goal, a pass intended for the Panthers? Luke McClain fell incomplete, and the Martians retained the lead at halftime.
In the second half, Hart proved to be a bigger thorn in the Martians? side. He caught an 18-yard pass from Tabit with 1:36 left in the third quarter. Senior Cody Jaggers caught the two-point conversion pass from Tabit to tie the contest at 14.
Mt. Morris took command of the game for good with 6:04 left in the fourth quarter, when Hart caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Luke McClain. Senior Matt Short then ran for the two-point conversion to put the Panthers up 22-14.
Short would figure in the final scoring of the game, as he earned a safety with 29 seconds left in the game.
Alward said there was no lack of effort on the Martians? part against the Panthers.
‘The kids are playing hard,? he said. ‘We had them on the ropes, but we let them off.?
After a scheduled Oct. 6 game against LakeVille, the Martians are scheduled to hit the road once again for an Oct. 13 game against Corunna. The Cavaliers are currently 4-2 on the season, including a 34-24 victory against Swartz Creek in a Sept. 29 game.
Corunna is coming off a 5-4 season in 2005, including a 14-7 win against the Martians on Oct. 14.
Alward said the remaining games on the Martians? schedule will be challenging, but believes the team is capable of ending the season on a positive note.
‘Hopefully, we can execute for four quarters and get three wins,? he said.