Panthers, Indians both seek end to losing skids

At about 10 p.m. Friday night, one of the two teams struggling the most in Class 3A District 8 this year will finally walk into a dressing room victorious. It’s been a long wait for Creston/O-M, even longer for Clarke of Osceola. Creston/O-M enters the season finale at Panther Field with a 1-7 season mark, on the losing end every week since starting the 2008 campaign with a 20-9 triumph at Chariton. That Charger team is now 3-5, and sitting in a four-way tie for the fourth postseason spot in District 6 at 3-3. One of those deadlocked teams is Grinnell (5-3), which lost to Chariton 31-8 last week. Grinnell was the team that started a series of lopsided Creston/O-M defeats in the second week of the season (53-20). The Panthers have allowed 46 points or more in each of the past five games. Last week Harlan, rated sixth in the Associated Press poll, took a 56-7 halftime lead on the way to a 56-21 victory with liberal substitution throughout the second half. Better defense Clarke, meanwhile, has allowed more than 45 points only four times during an 0-8 season to date. So, despite a 24-game losing streak, the Indians have had a better year defensively. “It’s no gimme, for sure,” said Creston/O-M coach Dick Bergstrom. “I’m sure they are looking at this game as one they can compete in. They see that we’ve been beat just like they have. All you have to do is look at some of the scores.” Winterset got past Clarke 19-0 while routing Creston/O-M 48-12. Atlantic defeated Clarke 28-0 last week and the Panthers lost a 48-12 homecoming game to the Trojans. Harlan topped Clarke 49-7 in similar fashion to last week’s 56-21 Cyclone victory at Panther Field. Lewis Central was deadlocked 0-0 through one quarter with Clarke before rolling 47-6. “They’re a little like us, when the floodgates go, they go, Bergstrom said. “Both of us have been dealing with (low) numbers and injuries.” Tradition At least the Panthers have tradition on their side in terms of a better football pedigree. Since the 2001 season, Clarke has a 2-69 record, with the last win a 7-6 game against an 0-9 Davis County team in the second week of the 2006 season. The other victory was in 2003 over an 0-9 Saydel team. During that same period, Creston/O-M is 41-34 with three playoff appearances. Season records were 9-1, 5-4, 7-4, 3-6, 6-4, 5-4 and 5-4 before this year’s 1-7. The last matchup against Clarke was a 51-0 victory during that 9-1 campaign in 2001. But things have been much different this season. Creston/O-M has only a couple more varsity players available in grades 10-12 than Clarke’s present squad of 24. “We know Creston has been in the same boat as us with the injuries,” said Clarke coach Ryan Sweeney, brother of Winterset head coach Zach Sweeney. “I think our kids are excited about this game, because we should be matched pretty evenly in size and numbers.” Sweeney has also experienced quarterback problems, but original starter Joe Lampe, a junior, is back at the helm after suffering mononucleosis during the season. Freshman QB The Panthers will be starting their third quarterback of the season on Friday, each time dipping into the younger ranks. Senior Grant Wood started the first four games before ending his season with a shoulder injury. Sophomore Luke Eblen started his fourth game last week, but went down with a knee injury and is unavailable this week. An MRI indicated a possible meniscus cartilage tear and ACL stretch or sprain, Bergstrom said. It’s possible arthroscopic surgery may be needed for the tear, but the timetable for basketball looks promising for Eblen, he said. Freshman Alan Smith, who has two recent 300-yard rushing games, makes his varsity debut Friday. Rather than converting receivers Kevin Irr or Seth Pals to quarterback — Irr filled in last Friday — the coaches opted to give Smith the ball Friday night. “We discussed it as a staff Sunday,” Bergstrom said, “and I have been reaffirmed during practice this week. There is a huge difference in being a quarterback, and being somebody just put in that position. He has been so much smoother with all of the backfield action, and he throws a good ball. I’ve been impressed. This also allows Irr and Pals to have the ball in their hands out in space, where they can make people miss.” Last week Pals scored on an 88-yard kick return, Irr raced 74 yards on a quarterback keeper, and Brody Jay had a 51-yard touchdown run. Offensive woes Clarke has not been able to generate many big plays. Last week the Indians gained 25 yards and had one first down against Atlantic, and that was on a pass interference penalty. Clarke has scored 27 points in eight games and two of those scores came on the final play of games against Lewis Central and Harlan. “We think we should be able to shut them down, and we think we should score,” Bergstrom said, “but we thought that against other people, too. We want our seniors to go out with a good taste, and we’re looking at it as a way for our underclassmen to get excited about the possibilities next year.” Lewis Central was 2-7 last year and this week is playing Harlan for the district championship with an undefeated record, Bergstrom noted. Only two Panther offensive starters on Friday are seniors, with four are seniors on the defensive side. Injuries have even hit the captains ranks. After Wood was no longer on the team after the fourth week, the staff appointed Todd Ramaeker and Clay Daggett as captains to go with original selections Tony Cruz and Brandon Frey. Ramaeker was later lost for the season with a knee injury in the sixth game. Alex Davis, who has been practicing quarterback all year and played the position in two freshman games, takes over as the freshman game quarterback Friday night. Creston/O-M (1-7, 0-6) OFFENSE WR Spencer Bakerink 6-5 180 Jr. TE Travis Kipp 6-0 190 Jr. T Jordan Hayes 6-1 220 So. G Brandon Frey 6-0 180 Sr. C Keaton Lundquist 5-10 200 Jr. G Jackson Foreman 5-9 180 Jr. T Nick Neitzel 6-1 230 Jr. FL Kevin Irr 5-7 155 Jr. QB Alan Smith 5-10 135 Fr. RB Tony Cruz 5-9 160 Sr. SB Seth Pals 5-8 155 Jr.