Panthers hope for less drama

CNA photo by TERRY FREEMAN Hang on: AtlanticÕs David Ieckel tries to grab the football as Creston/O-M running back Kalab Evans charges forward during a gain in FridayÕs 46-45 Panther victory. Evans rushed for 146 yards to take over the district lead in rushing with 887 yards in seven games.

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Creston/O-M coach Dick Bergstrom has a simply strategy for Friday’s final home game against Perry. Let ‘er rip. “We’ve had three comebacks and an overtime win. We have won four games by a total of 16 points,” Bergstrom said. “We are ready to go out and play well and win this thing, score some points and play some defense. I don’t mean any disrespect to Perry, but we think we’re pretty good and we want to show it.” The Panthers are 4-3 overall and in a three-way tie for third in the district at 3-2. The other two teams, Clarinda and Atlantic, still have to play No. 1 Harlan. Playoff picture Besides seeking a 6-3 record, Creston/O-M is not mathematically out of the playoff picture. Second-place Carroll (5-2 overall and 4-1 in district play) would have to lose to both Clarinda and Lewis Central for the Panthers to get back in the mix. “If they lose just one more game, we’re tied with them for second if we win out, but they beat us head-to-head and that’s the first criteria,” Bergstrom said. “We’re rooting for Clarinda and Lewis Central. But we can’t worry about all that. We can just worry about playing well and getting a 6-3 season.” Perry is coming off an 0-9 season. The Bluejays won their first game for new coach Jeff Hayes, 14-12 over Ogden. But they have scored only 29 points since then in six consecutive losses, outscored by an average of 34-6 for the season. “They have a new coach and a new system,” Bergstrom said. “From the tapes we’ve seen, they are improved from last year in execution. They will come out and hit you. We want to take it away from them early. Glenwood and Perry were 7-7 in regulation and Glenwood won (14-7) in overtime. When we watched the Glenwood-Atlantic tape, Glenwood looked like the better team that night, so you have to come out and play.” Running emphasis Perry’s ball-control offense kept the ball away from Glenwood much of the first half, eating up most of the first quarter with a drive capped by Cody Onnun’s 1-yard plunge. Clarinda took a 19-0 halftime lead on Perry, but managed only one more touchdown in a 26-0 victory. Coach Jeff Hayes has changed the Bluejays’ offensive scheme. Junior quarterback Sam Stetzel entered the seventh week a year ago with 659 yards passing already. Against Creston/O-M, he connected seven times with receiver Jackson Whiton for 123 yards. This year, Stetzel is only 10-of-22 for 77 yards for the entire season. On the other hand, they have five of the district’s 21 leading rushers, topped by senior Travis Anderson with 430 yards. He is also one of the leading tacklers in District 8. “They have condensed everything and lined up in a double wing with a quarterback and a big fullback (230-pound Onnen),” Bergstrom said. “They have very tight splits and they just try to pound it at you.” Lewis Central coach Larry Sterbick described the Perry offense to a “rugby scrum.” Hayes is a native of Centerville and a 1999 graduate of Simpson College in Indianola. His coaching experience includes two stints as an assistant at Simpson (one as a graduate assistant) and four years as an assistant at Milan, Mo. Defensively, the Bluejays have been tough in goal-line situations, but lack the quickness to match some of the top contenders in District 8. “We’ve seen some good things each week, but we just did not play defense last week (44-9 loss) against Lewis Central,” Hayes said. “We have Creston and Atlantic left, and we’re not writing those games off. We feel you have to run the ball to be successful. I know there are teams that don’t but that’s what we wanted to do. We have to improve our physicality.” He sees a formidable defense awaiting his team this week, and a Panther offense that features District 8 rushing leader Kalab Evans, who scored the final touchdown and two-point conversion to nip Atlantic 46-45 in three overtimes last week. “Creston looks pretty good in the tapes I’ve seen,” Hayes said. “They have weapons on offense and they fly to the ball on defense. That looked like a good one last week.” Depth problem Attrition is hurting the Bluejays at this point of the season. The roster has 36 players in the top three grades, but without a JV this year, Hayes is using some sophomores with the freshmen in the ninth-grade games, leaving about 25 players for varsity contests. “We’re pretty beat up,” Hayes said. “Some of the guys we’re listing as starters for Friday, we’re just hoping they’ll be ready by then.” Hayes lists eight two-way starters. The only injury costing significant playing time for the Panthers is Cody Pearson’s lingering shoulder problem. The linebacker who has also played fullback and quarterback on offense may not play at all Friday, in hopes of being ready for the finale against Glenwood. “He’s a senior and he would like to play,” Bergstrom said. “He had made some improvement last week, and then by playing in the game he probably lost some of that progress. The therapist said that could happen again, and we’d really like to have him available for Glenwood, which we think could be a significant challenge.” Junior Todd Ramaeker will get the start at linebacker for Pearson, however sophomore Nick Neitzel enters the lineup as a lineman when the Panthers go to a five-man front. Due to Perry’s lack of a JV program, the Panther JV is traveling to Ballard of Huxley on Monday. Creston/O-M (4-3, 3-2) OFFENSE WR Bryant McCabe 6-2 175 Sr. TE Adam Riley 6-2 215 Sr. T Nick Neitzel 6-1 225 So. G Kaleb Livingston 5-10 210 Sr. C Casey Tanner 6-1 235 Sr. G Josh Maitlen 6-0 205 Sr. T Justin Edwards 5-9 235 Sr. WR Luke Schroder 5-10 160 Sr. QB Grant Wood 6-3 205 Jr. RB Kalab Evans 5-9 175 Sr. FB Trent Tucker 5-9 150 Sr.

DEFENSE DE Trent Tucker 5-9 150 Sr. T Casey Tanner 6-1 235 Sr. T Kaleb Livingston 5-10 210 Sr. DE Adam Riley 6-2 215 Sr. MLB Galen Geidel 5-9 210 Sr. OLB Todd Ramaeker 5-9 160 Jr. OLB Brandon Frey 6-0 180 Jr. CB Luke Schroder 5-10 160 Sr. CB Seth Pals 5-8 150 So. SS Jacob McGehee 6-3 170 Sr. FS Jared Johnson 6-0 165 Sr. Perry (1-6, 0-5) OFFENSE WB Travis Anderson 6-1 180 Sr. TE Brent Wedebrand 6-0 160 Jr. LT Josh Davis 6-1 185 Jr. LG Jordan Lynch 5-10 210 Jr. C Brad Sheeder 6-0 215 Sr. RG Eric Morman 6-2 290 Sr. RT Joe Wolter 5-9 210 Jr. TE Nick Zander 6-1 200 Jr. QB Sam Stetzel 5-8 150 Jr. FB Cody Onnen 6-1 230 Sr. WB Jeff Bramer 6-1 168 Sr.

DEFENSE DE Jordan Lynch 5-10 210 Jr. DT Patrick Thompson 6-0 170 So. DT Eric Morman 6-2 290 Sr. DE Miguel Alarcon 6-1 180 Sr. LB Jeff Bramer 6-1 168 Sr. LB Travis Anderson 6-1 180 Sr. LB Cody Onnen 6-1 230 Sr. LB Nick Zander 6-1 200 Jr. CB Sam Stetzel 5-8 150 Jr. CB Ryan Nemeth 6-0 165 Sr. FS Brent Wedebrand 6-0 160 Jr. Who: Perry at Creston/O-M What: Class 3A District 8 game Where: Panther Field, Creston When: 7:30 p.m. Friday (freshman game at 4:45 p.m.) Last meeting: Creston/O-M 44, Perry 6 on Oct. 20, 2006 at Perry High School Field. The Panthers scored 23 points in the opening 10 minutes and established a 37-0 halftime lead. A running clock and liberal substitutions in the second half slowed the offensive barrage. Perry was in the midst of an 0-9 season, while Creston/O-M was climbing back from 2-4 to a 5-4 final record. Kalab Evans and Greg Irr combined for 105 yards rushing, and quarterbacks Keith Peterson and Cody Pearson passed for 254 yards. Josh Kaufman had 89 yards receiving. Nathan Baier collected two sacks for a dominant Creston/O-M defensive front. Senior Jackson Whiton had seven catches for 123 yards for Perry. Last week: Creston/O-M defeated Atlantic 46-45 in three overtimes at Panther Field. The Panthers held a 14-3 lead in the second quarter, but Atlantic opened up its passing game and made it a battle the rest of the way. Both teams scored field goals in the final 4:44 of regulation to force overtime at 24-24. Then, the Trojans and Panthers scored touchdowns and kicked extra points in each overtime possession until the Panthers made good on a 2-point running attempt by Kalab Evans to break the deadlock. Evans ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Lewis Central earned its first win of the season last week with a 44-9 triumph over Perry. Blake Whatcott scored tree touchdowns for the Titans. Perry managed a fourth-quarter touchdown when the score was 44-3, as the Bluejays fell to 1-6 overall and 0-5 in the district. Alex Chavez had a 12-yard touchdown reception and Cesar Tobar kicked a field goal for the Bluejays. Quarterbacks Sam Stetzel and Brent Wedebrand were 3-for-4 passing for 26 yards and one interception. Travis Anderson had 83 yards rushing. Coaches: Creston/O-M — Dick Bergstrom (31st season, 36th overall), career record 197-140; Perry — Jeff Hayes, first season.

____________ Larry Peterson can be reached at 782-2141, ext. 232 or lpeterson@crestonnews.com