Football 2011

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The Monarch football team is greeted by enthusiastic fans as it returns to the field for the second half of the Ellinwood game September 2, 2011. (Photo by Amy Braun)

Second half hurts Monarchs in loss

Published on -10/2/2011, 6:24 PM by Hays Daily News

By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

The Monarchs were in a shoot-out the first half. In the second half, they shot themselves in the foot.

After leading at halftime, the Thomas More Prep-Marian football team didn't score a point in the second half and lost 41-23 to Hoisington on Friday night at Lewis Field Stadium.

While Hoisington can complete an unbeaten run through the MCAA with a win this week against winless Larned, the Monarchs were denied their first league title since 1988.

Too many mistakes in the second half, said Monarch coach Jon Borer.

"Penalties, turnovers -- you can't have those things in a good ball game," Borer said. "Hoisington is a good team. You can't make those mistakes."

TMP (3-2 overall, 2-1 MCAA) committed two of its three turnovers and was flagged for seven of its nine penalties in the second half.

"Bad things are going to happen," Borer said. "The other team's going to make plays.

"You got to react the right way," he added. "We have to do a better job reacting the right way."

The Monarchs -- plagued by big plays all season -- were hurt by them again. That, and the Cardinals' ball-control offense were too much for TMP in the end.

Hoisington junior tailback Hagan Hanzlick -- all of 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds -- carried the ball 39 times for 282 yards and scored two touchdowns.

"They run the ball real well," Borer said. "The Hanzlick kid runs hard, doesn't go down right away."

The Monarchs, who had 243 yards of total offense in the first half, managed 63 yards in the second half. Senior quarterback Nick Hammeke, who finished 19-of-37 for 308 yards and three TDs, had 67 yards through the air in the second half, with one pick.

"We didn't play very well," Borer said of the second half. "We didn't come out and play well. That was all us."

A dazzling catch and run by senior wide receiver Jacob Fouts on a 36-yard pass from Hammeke put TMP on the board first. Fouts caught the ball near the left sideline, cut back to the middle of the field and weaved his way into the end zone.

TMP led 6-0 with 4:08 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Hoisington (3-2, 2-0) had a 97-yard return by senior Luke Rios for an apparent score, but it was called back by a penalty. Hanzlick went 66 yards on a tackle-busting run down the right sideline on the first play from scrimmage after the penalty, then capped the drive with a 5-yard TD run for a 7-6 lead with 2:13 left in the first quarter.

TMP answered with a TD on its next possession. The Monarchs went 83 yards in 10 plays for the score. Hammeke rolled left and took a hit just as he released the ball, finding senior Dylan Schumacher for a 27-yard TD and 13-7 lead with 10:48 left in the first half.

On the third play from scrimmage after TMP's touchdown, Hanzlick raced 76 yards for a TD to give the Cardinals a 14-13 lead with 9:12 remaining in the first half.

The Monarchs took a 20-14 lead with 5:32 left in the second quarter when Hammeke found junior slotback Shane Zimmerman in the end zone from 5 yards out. The score was set up by Fouts' diving catch good for 42 yards three plays earlier.

Hoisington answered with a heavy dose of Hanzlick. The Cardinal tailback carried seven times in an 11-play drive, capped by an 8-yard TD pass by senior QB Derrick Kaiser to senior tight end Cody Stetler on fourth down. The officials hesitated at first before ruling the catch good, giving Hoisington a 21-20 lead with 1:19 left in the half.

The Monarchs responded with senior kicker Drew O'Brien's 46-yard field goal, which sailed high over the crossbar for a 23-21 lead with 14 seconds left in the first half.

TMP had three penalties on its first drive of the second half, and had to punt. Hoisington then marched 80 yards in 13 plays, nine of them runs by Hanzlick. That opened it up for a 30-yard TD pass from Kaiser to senior receiver Brooks Lisner for a 27-23 lead with 3:04 left in the third quarter.

Hammeke was intercepted on the Monarchs' next series, and the Cardinals scored after the turnover. Hoisington needed seven plays to travel 55 yards, capped by Kaiser's quarterback sneak from a yard out for a 34-23 lead with 10:39 remaining in the game.

TMP couldn't move the ball on its next possession, and O'Brien's 61-yard punt gave the Monarchs good field position. The TMP defense forced a three-and-out and forced Hoisington to punt. The Monarchs appeared to have the ball back at the 50, but the officials ruled a fumble on the return, giving the ball back to Hoisington.

The Cardinals put the game out of reach on Hanzlick's 6-yard TD run with 1:48 left to dash the Monarchs' hopes of their first league title since 1988.
 
September 3, 2011

Yesterday on a warm evening marked with occasional drizzling rain, both the Ellinwood Eagles and the TMP-Marian Monarchs demonstrated the ability to move the ball and collect first downs.  Both teams also showed the ability to mount a respectable defense.  The Monarchs were able to score midway through the first quarter and again toward the end of the second quarter.  Ellinwood answered quickly with the six point touchdown which would be their only score of the game.  There was no scoring in the third quarter; the home team added a field goal and touchdown in the final quarter to leave the field with a 24-6 victory.