Late touchdown lifts Panthers, 20-19; After delay, Mustangs race past E. Union, 76-22
WINTERSET — Creston/Orient-Macksburg trailed Winterset for the entirety of the game until 1:44 left in the game when quarterback Luke Neitzel scored from 22 yards out, dragging a Winterset defender 5 yards across the goal line.
Up 18-13, the Panthers elected to go for the 2-point conversion. On a broken play, just as it looked like Neitzel was about to go down, he tossed the ball into the air and into the waiting arms of Trevor Frain in the back of the end zone.
That 2-point conversion proved to be huge, as Winterset marched down the field — aided by two Panther personal foul penalties — and scored a touchdown with :15 remaining.
The Huskies sent the kicking team onto the field, and then decided to go for the 2-point conversion for the win.
The late formation change caused a delay of game penalty, backing the ball up to the 5-yard line.
Cory Briney's pass into the corner of the end zone was broken up by Briar Evans, securing the 20-19 come-from-behind victory for the Panthers.
Creston/O-M moves to 7-1 for the season and stays 4-1 in district play. The Panthers host Lewis Central in the regular season finale next week.
•••
Murray 76, East Union 22
MURRAY — After the teams waited out a 90-minute lightning delay before opening kickoff, second-ranked Murray raced to a 42-0 lead in the first quarter en route to a 76-22 victory over East Union Friday night.
The same storm pattern ended up cancelling the Lenox at Melcher-Dallas game, which was called after one play. It's the second year in a row Lenox has lost a game due to lightning early in a contest. Last year's opener at Fremont-Mills had the same result.
The loss bounces East Union's playoff hopes in Eight-Man District 6, as the Eagles fall to 2-4 in district play and 3-6 overall. East Union closes the season by hosting Grandview Park Baptist (2-4, 3-5), a 58-31 loser to Colo-Nesco Friday.
Murray improves to 6-0 atop the district and 8-0 overall. The Mustangs host Lamoni in the regular-season finale.
Quarterback Austin Halls passed for four touchdowns and ran for another for the Mustangs Friday. Cody Scroggie had two receiving touchdowns before injuring an ankle late in the first half. Seth Nerness caught two touchdown passes and ran for another.
Mustang running back Andrew Rider had another spectacular night of big plays. He ran for three TDs, returned a kickoff for a touchdown and had a punt-return TD called back on a penalty. Corey McCracken added a rushing touchdown for Murray.
With several Murray regular still in the game on defense, East Union had a better second half under the running clock, scoring twice on touchdown passes by Trevor Barnett and a short-yardage run by the Eagle quarterback. Sean Schmitz and Caleb Case made TD grabs for the Eagles. East Union played to 14-14 draw in the final two periods.
Still unbeaten
OGDEN — Fourth-ranked Mount Ayr remained undefeated with a 19-7 victory over Ogden Friday.
See complete coverage in Monday's Creston News Advertiser.
Friday's scores
Adair-Casey 72, Ankeny Christian 16
ADM, Adel 28, Perry 13
Audubon 33, Martensdale-St. Marys 13
Bishop Heelan Catholic 53, Denison-Schleswig 7
CAM, Anita 44, Corning 30
Carroll 34, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 12
Colo-Nesco 58, Grandview Park Baptist 31
Creston-Orient-Macksburg 20, Winterset 19
Dallas Center-Grimes 3, Ballard 0
Des Moines Christian 21, Central Decatur, Leon 6
Essex 49, Nishnabotna 0
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 49, Ar-We-Va, Westside 14
Fremont Mills, Tabor 63, Villisca 19
Greene County 54, Clarinda Academy 0
Griswold 20, East Mills 14
Guthrie Center 49, Earlham 6
Harlan 28, Atlantic 21 (OT)
Kuemper Catholic, Carroll 45, Red Oak 0
Lamoni 50, Mormon Trail 6
Lewis Central 20, Glenwood 7
Logan-Magnolia 49, AHST, Avoca 3
Madrid 38, Bedford 19
Mount Ayr 19, Ogden 7
Murray 76, East Union, Afton 22
Shenandoah 36, Clarinda 14
Sidney 66, Stanton 22
St. Albert, Council Bluffs 51, Nodaway Valley, Greenfield 7
Treynor 51, Missouri Valley 6
Tri-Center, Neola 34, Panorama, Panora 24
Twin Cedars, Bussey 35, Moravia 0
Van Meter 35, West Central Valley, Stuart 7
