Pec Indians stay close but fall in season opener

By Chris Johnson

Reporter

As the 2016 fall football season began, fans in Pecatonica knew their team would be home and they would be celebrating their seniors. Unfortunately a win couldn’t be celebrated as the East Dubuque Warriors came away with the 27-6 conference victory.

In a spin on the ceremony acknowledging those who sacrificed their time and effort for their school, twenty-six seniors were recognized.

The junior varsity lost their match to East Dubuque, 22-8. In the clash the Warriors won the toss and received the opening kick-off, with the ball paced at the 25-yard line.

On the first play from scrimmage, a pass attempt was knocked away by the Pecatonica defense, however, a flag was thrown for pass interference. East Dubuque was given a new set of downs with the ball at their own 40-yard line. The next play from scrimmage was stuffed, as the Pec defense responded to the rush attempt to the left.

A short play brought up a third and five for the visitors. A play later, the Warriors were at the Pecatonica 37. Joey Quinn took a pitch from his quarterback and found his blockers. The chains were then moved to the Pecatonica 23.

One play later, sophomore Layne Boyer collected a pass attempt and scored from 22-yards out. The extra point attempt was good as East Dubuque took the lead with 9:52 to go in the opening frame.

Neither team would score again in the opening period. After one, the Warriors were in front by seven.

In the second quarter, the Indians found ways to slow the East Dubuque plan and managed to find themselves in a position to get on the board with a little under three minutes to go in the first half. As Pecatonica worked down the field, with counters and misdirection from the backfield, they found themselves at the East Dubuque 30, looking at a second and nine.

With the clock approaching 2:30 to go in the period, the Indians crossed the goal line, as Jake Deppe broke multiple tackles on his run up the middle. A final push into the end zone gave the Indians their first points.

The extra point attempt would be unsuccessful, as the half ended with East Dubuque in front 7-6.

The Indians received the opening kick-off in the third quarter and put together a drive that came to midfield. Looking at a fourth and three, the Indians punted. The ball rolled dead at the East Dubuque seven-yard line.

Seven-teen plays later the Warriors scored again, the extra point gave the visitors an eight-point lead, 14-6, with only the fourth quarter to play.

The Warriors scored again, with 5:45 to go in the game, as they built a the 15-point lead at 21-6

As the Pecatonica offense took its last shots in the fourth quarter, East Dubuque got one more break.

With just over three minutes to go in the game an Indians’ pass attempt was taken away by East Dubuque. Six plays later, with the clock at 1:58 to go in the game, East Dubuque scored for its final time. The extra point attempt was stopped, as the lead grew to 27-6.

Pecatonica fell to 0-1 on the season following the conference-opening loss.

The Indians travel to Lena-Winslow this Friday night, Sept. 2. The Panthers were defeated by Eastland-Pearl City in their season opener, 28-14.

Pecatonica Senior athletes and band members were recognized with their parents during Senior Night of the Pecatonica Indian’s opening home football game of the 2016 season on Friday, Aug. 26.