Pirates Edged By Tritons In Late Night Shootout
October 27, 2018
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. - The Independence Pirates took the field Saturday evening for a late-night kickoff facing the Iowa Central Tritons. The Pirates battled to the very end and took the lead several times but fell in the contest 20-19.
In the first quarter, the Tritons began running the ball with Rashad Witty and quarterback Justin Blake to get across midfield with ease, but the defense held strong forcing a fourth down after Treymon Fullwood delivered a sack on Blake.
The Pirates got the ball after and incomplete pass and gained eight yards as Chase Hildreth connected with Markiese King, but on the next play a fumble gave Iowa Central another possession.
The Tritons got into the red zone after a completion from Blake Dever to Andrew Parchment, but the Pirates' defense held strong forcing a field goal from Luke Noonan that was no good and the contest remained scoreless.
Independence was unable to move the ball and went three and out forcing a punt from Adam Barry that rolled all the way back to the 21-yard line. Iowa Central completed a first down pass as Dever found Witty for a 10-yard gain and rumbled for another first down with two straight runs from Draven Peeples.
The defense forced another fourth down as Fullwood and Kelle Sanders stopped Peeples three yards short and regained possession as Ben Hutch Jr. delivered a hit to Dever giving the Pirates the ball at their own 20-yard line.
Independence once again went three and out and punted the ball away short and the Tritons began at their own 48-yard line. Iowa Central oved the ball as Dever found J.M. Young for a 16-yard completion.
Dever would later find Peeples at the 13-yard line but the Pirates forced a fumble and Kelvin Johnson recovered it to give Independence another possession. The Pirates found room to work as Hildreth found King down the sideline for a 27-yard pickup and no gain on the next play ended the period with the game still scoreless.
The second quarter began with Hildreth and King connecting again for a first down as King bounced off defenders for a gain of 10 yards. Independence moved down to the 32-yard line with a much-needed gain of ten yards from running back Davijuan Dean and an end around play with receiiver Tyrone Taylor got them closer forcing a fourth down pass play which fell incomplete giving Iowa Central possession at the 35-yard line.
The Tritons were unable to convert a first down after Trentavious Howard stopped Peeples and Dishon McNary batted away a pass deep down field to force a punt, but Iowa Central regained possession on the next play as Hildreth was intercepted by Darryl Kelley at the 36-yard line.
The Tritons crossed midfield as Dever found Carlton Todd at the 35-yard line but nothing doing as John Mitchell sacked Dever on third down to force a punt that was downed at the two-yard line.
Independence created some separation with a five-yard run from Dean and a completion to King for a first down. The Pirates picked up another first down as Dean ran for 10 yards and more good yardage with a gain of seven from the power back.
Independence was unable to cross midfield and on the punt return Witty was brought down with a booming effect by Aadmir Marshall at the 15-yard line. The defense held tough, not allowing first down yardage and forced another three and out.
The Pirates began the drive at their own 26-yard line and a 10-yard completion to Marqwell Odom moved the Pirates to continue the drive. Hildreth found Odom again at the 44-yard line and then a 26-yard completion to Dontrell Johnson had Independence knocking on the door at the 18-yard line.
Independence was unable to convert another first down and settle for a field goal by Ryan Redman that missed wide right. Iowa Central drove down to the 40-yard line but Mitchell sacked Dever and the contest was scoreless at the half.
In the third quarter, the Pirates received as Corbein Hagans fielded the ball at the 44-yard line. Independence was unable to pick up first down yardage resulting in a punt from Barry that was fielded at the seven-yard line.
The Tritons picked up a first down as Dever found Emmanuel Logan-Greene for a 10-yard completion and then crossed midfield with a completion to Witty to the 47-yard line. The defense came up with a huge tackle for loss by Sanders, but Iowa Central converted with another pass to Witty at the 37-yard line.
The Tritons got down to the eight-yard line with a completion to Witty and then found the receiver for an eight-yard touchdown reception. The extra point was good and Iowa Central led 7-0 with 8:09 left in the period.
The kickoff was fielded by Matthew Wilcox at the 37-yard line and a huge completion to Johnson took the Pirates across midfield. A 35-yard run by Dean took Independence to the five-yard line and two plays later the Pirates scored with Dean from three yards away. The extra point from Redman sailed through and the score was tied at 7-7 with 5:54 remaining in the frame.
The Tritons picked up a first down with a completion to Ezra Naylor on third down and converted another first down with a completion to Logan-Greene, Dever threw a 53-yard interception to Juawan Treadwell who scored. The extra point was no good and with 2:10 left in the quarter, Independence led 13-7. Iowa Central crossed midfield to the 48-yard line and as the quarter closed out the Pirates continued to lead 13-7.
The fourth quarter began, and the defense stood tall as Mitchell got to Dever again sacking him a the 42-yard line to force a punt. Independence found room as Hildreth found Bryson Cannon down the sideline for a 20-yard completion and again across midfield to the 45-yard line.
The Pirates were unable to gain anymore yardage and were forced to punt and the Tritons began the next drive at their own six-yard line. Iowa Central was forced to punt after a huge sack by Chance Main and Independence took over at the 47-yard line.
The Pirates went deep on third down, but an incompletion brought up another punt by Barry and the Tritons took over at their own 22-yard line. A penalty pushed the spot of the ball back to the 11-yard line and on third down a 14-yard completion to Todd kept the drive alive.
Iowa Central got across midfield down to the 23-yard line with a completion to Witty and later scored on a 15-yard run from Jatoviay Hill. The extra point was good and with 5:30 left to play Iowa Central led 14-13.
Independence returned the kickoff across midfield to the 37-yard line as King found an opening down the sideline and after a penalty scored as Dean found pay dirt from 42 yards away. The two-point conversion was no good and with 5:15 left to play the Pirates led 19-14.
The Tritons crossed midfield as Dever found Todd at the 44-yard line and down to the 12-yard line with a 30-yard pass to Witty and later scored with a six-yard completion to TJ Tumbleson. The two-point conversion was no good and with 2:49 left to play Iowa Central regained the lead 20-19.
The Pirates picked up a first down with a completion to Wilcox, but on the next play Hildreth was intercepted by Kelley at the 24-yard line. The Tritons were stopped and forced to punt as Kuony Deng came up with a stop, but it was too little, too late as Independence would come up just short.
Independence (1-7) is on the road next week facing the Highland Scotties with kickoff set for 1 pm.