FOOTBALL: Indians slip by A-J after missed kick
ANNA, IL - Du Quoin capitalized on a late Anna-Jonesboro fumble to escape 'The Pit' with a 15-14 victory after Wildcats' kicker Damian Reed's 22-yard field goal attempt with under a minute to play sailed wide left.
A-J had a first-and-ten at Du Quoin's 12-yard line with 3:12 to go in the game but failed to punch it in against an Indian defense holding their opponents to under 10 points per game through four weeks of action.
"Our defense, Coach Ellis, Coach Gross, Coach Miller, they did a wonderful job once again," said DHS head football coach Al Martin, who has only lost at Anna one time in his coaching career (2006).
"The kids came up with great efforts," Martin added. "It was just team football, it was around the ball and stopping them. To hold a team like that down at the goal line like that and keep them from scoring that's a great feat, because they've got some outstanding football players."
Disaster struck early for the Indians when they fumbled the ball away to the Wildcats on their first play from scrimmage. A-J took over at the Du Quoin 21 and ran two plays, the second a 14-yard touchdown carry by quarterback Jay Kemp. Reed took in the two-pointer to make it 8-0 with less than a minute gone by.
Du Quoin had to punt it away on the ensuing possession, but then it was their turn to make points out of a turnover.
On second-and-ten from the Indians' 29, Reed fumbled on a pitch and Dalton Pinski picked it up for Du Quoin. Deeja Cole took the first-down carry all the way to Anna's 21-yard line for a 49-yard gain before Baxter eventually punched it in from one yard out to cut it to 8-6.
"They realize they have to just hang in there and keep playing," Martin said. "You have to keep playing, keep harping on the kids, take it one play at a time. Don't get frustrated, keep your heads up, keep playing hard."
The Wildcats twice drove deep into Indian territory before the half ended, but Du Quoin's defense was up to the task both times, forcing turnovers on downs.
With 1:25 to go in the second quarter, the Indians took over on their own 33-yard line looking for points before halftime. Brenden Fred picked up a key first down on a run across midfield that ultimately led to his field goal attempt with less than a second on the clock. The kick had plenty of distance and split the uprights for a 9-8 Du Quoin lead at the break.
"I was real happy the way we executed the final few seconds of the half to get in a position to kick a field goal, and then to execute that field goal," said Martin. "For Fred to drill that field goal the way he did, he could have kicked it from the 40-yard line - and it was from an angle. I told the kids I was very thankful for the effort they gave right there in that last minute because that was some really good football."
Anna-Jonesboro struck back with a 77-yard touchdown drive to open the second half, scoring on a 32-yard pass from Kemp to Alex McRaven with 6:36 left in the third then forcing a three-and-out by Du Quoin to seemingly snag all the momentum.
Once again, the Indian defense took care of it. Du Quoin's offense turned the ball over on downs at the Wildcats' 23-yard line, but a fumble on a handoff exchange gave possession right back to the Indians when Thomas Hamlin got on the ball.
Fred connected with Travis Chapman on the next play for a 23-yard touchdown and a 15-14 lead with 6:42 to play.
The Wildcats got a solid return by Reed to the Indians' 49-yard line, then drove deep into the red zone before setting up Reed's field goal attempt with 51 seconds on the clock. The kick was wide left, and Du Quoin took over to down out the remaining time.
"I was a little shocked that they decided to go for the field goal," said Martin, "because they don't consistently kick extra points, they like to try to draw you offsides and then try to go for two."
"I thought in my mind, that's something you've got to do and do and do over again - your extra point, your field goal."
Cole (11-74), Baxter (12-68) and Fred (6-21) combined on Du Quoin's 166 rushing yards. Fred added 3-of-7 passing for 68 yards.
The Indians (2-2, 1-0) return to Van Metre Field for homecoming in week five when they host Sparta (0-4, 0-1).