OH Football, 9-12-08

The Oak Harbor Wildcats traveled to Monroe for their first league game of the season and came away with a 28-10 win.

This is the second year in a row the Wildcats have hit the road to Monroe. Last year the Wildcats pounded Monroe 47-21 in a pouring rain during Monroe's 0-10 season. This year the Bearcats started out with a new coach, and a win, beating Shorewood 20-6.

Monroe got the opening kick at their own 35, but after an 11 yard gain on the first play, wound up punting 4 plays later after two tackles for loss and a sack. OH mufffed the punt, but it looked to me like it was interference. In the end, OH got the ball on their own 35, but could do nothing with it, punting with a 4th and 9 on their own 36. Monroe brought the punt out to the 34, but backed up to the 25 due to an illegal block. 4 plays later they punted back to Oak Harbor, who returned the favor after 5 plays. With just over 3 minutes left in the first and Monroe on their own 34 with 2nd & 8, Clarence LaMont intercepted the Monroe pass at the 50, returning it to the Monroe 37. Runs by Brad Farnum, Donovan Hunt and Stephen Lewis, along with a Lewis reception had the ball down to the Monroe 10 and a 3rd & 1 when time ran out in the first with the score 0-0.

Starting the 2nd, Farnum ran the ball down to the 7 and Hunt took it into the end zone with 11:25 left in the half.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Monroe returner fielded the ball at his own 1, and was able to run the ball all the way to the Oak Harbor 37 before being tackled by kicker Kevin Flavin. It was a really nice solo tackle. Flavin wrapped him up and brought him down in a textbook manner.

Monroe then moved the ball down to the 22, and were facing a 4th & 4. Going for it, the Monroe QB through a pass that looked like it could be intercepted, but instead OH was called for Pass Interference and Monroe had a new set of downs at the OH 11 with 7:50 left in the half. Two plays later the Monroe running back went around the left and and dove across the corner of the end zone for the TD with 6:06 remaining.

OH took the short Monroe kick at the 32, running it out to the 41. After an incomplete pass, Lewis took the ball 59 yards for the score, making it 14-7 OH with 5:48 left.

Monroe retaliated with a a nice drive of 4 runs and 3 passes, including a 22-yard catch for a score, knotting the score at 14. OH was able to move the ball to the Monroe 45 before time ran out in the half.

OH received the opening kick of the 2nd half, but went 3-and-out. A rather poor punt gave Monroe great field position at the OH 48. Monroe, assisted by another Oak Harbor Pass Interference call, moved the ball to the Wildcat 15, but the defense stiffened, and a Monroe field goal attempt with about 6 minutes left in the 3rd was about a yard short.

OH took over on their own 20, and 8 plays and 3 flags later, Hunt ran in from the 19 to put OH in the lead for good. During the drive there was a nice run by QB James Jordan, and after what appeared to be two penalties, gave OH the ball at the 19 with a 1st down.

Monroe started their next possession with an illegal procedure penalty, then threw 3 straight incompletions before punting. The Wildcats started their drive with 2 minutes left in the 3rd and the ball on their own 43. After a run by Hunt and Lewis, two runs and a nice 15-yard reception by Farnum, the ball was on the 5. Jordan gave the ball to Lewis who slipped in the end zone to build a 28-14 OH lead.

Monroe muffed the kickoff and started from their own 18, ran one play, and started the 4th quarter with a 1st & 10 from theri own 31. After coming out of the quarter break, and before running a play, the Monroe coach called a timeout. Monroe then proceeded to move the ball across midfield. On one play the Wildcats were able to flush the Monroe quarterback, and he was tackled for a 2-yard loss by Javon Payne. The Wildcats held after that play and Monroe turned the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass with a 4th & 5 on the Wildcat 39. The 'Cats then only moved the ball 6 yards before punting themselves. Monroe moved the ball from their own 22 to the Oak Harbor end zone with 8 plays and in just under 2 minutes. OH was able to get a hand on the Monroe PAT kick, leaving the Wildcats with a 28-20 lead and 3:56 left in the game.

Monroe attempted the onside kick, but OH was able to recover at the 'Cat 43. After a couple of runs by Farnum and a Jordan run, OH faced a 3-1 (I thought) on the Monroe 47. The refs looked at the ball, which I thought was just under a yard short, and without measuring, awarded OH a first down. OH was able then to run the ball 3 times, gaining one more first down, allowing Jordan to take a knee with 0:47 left.

Video highlights will be coming either Monday or Tuesday.

Some impressions from the game (I was on the Monroe side taping the game). It was REALLY noisy in the home stands. Even after an 0-10 season, the fans, especially the students, were out in force and were loud and proud. Second, Jordan showed a lot more poise and patience behind the line. Finally, Monroe football is back. They played hard and looked good. Their QB had a nice arm and completed (as far as our defense is concerned) way too many passes.

Next up for football is the JV squad vs Monroe at Wildcat Memorial Stadium on Monday, then Freshmen at Monroe on Thursday, finally Varsity vs Everett at Everett Stadium next Friday.

See you there!