Indians Dominate Red Devils
The St. Francis Indians completely dominated the Decatur Community Red Devils in high school football on Friday, September 21 in Oberlin. Though it was the Red Devils' homecoming, the Indians showed little mercy earning a 50-0 win and ending the contest early in the 3rd period. St. Francis only allowed the Red Devils one first down from scrimmage during the contest, that coming on a penalty on the Indians. The Indian defense did not allow an "earned" first down in the contest and only allowed a total of minus 17 yards to the Red Devil offense. The Red Devils entered the contest sporting a 2-1 record. The game was the first district contest for the teams.
Brady Dinkel's opening kick-off sailed into the end zone for a touchback. The Decatur Community (DC) quarterback, Colton Ketterl (5' 10 135 lb. Jr.), entered the contest with a casted arm after suffering a broken arm during practice. On the first snap, Ketterl was tacked by Shadryon Blanka for a one-yard loss. On 2nd down, DC fumbled the football, and Jordan Raby scooped up the football on the 7 yard line and sprinted into the end zone. The play put the Indians ahead with only 41 seconds gone in the contest. The conversion attempt, a run by Dinkel to the left side, was stopped short of the goal. St. Francis led 6-0 with 11:19 remaining in the first period.
With the kick-off resulting in a touchback, the Red Devils set up offense on their own 15. A pass from Ketterl intended for Zach Corbett (6' 1" 135 lb. Sr. tight end) fell incomplete on first down. The second-down snap was fumbled; but was recovered by DC's Alex Eskew (So.) for a 6-yard loss. After a 3rd-down pass was nearly intercepted by Brady DInkel, the Red Devils punted on 4th down.
The punt was returned by Brady Dinkel to the DC 30 yard line. A flag for an illegal block on the return backed the Indians up to mid-field. Shadryon Blanka gained 5 yards over the left side on the first snap, and Jordan Raby added 4 more going the opposite direction on the next play. On 3rd down, Raby was stopped by Zach Corbett and Aubrey Sporn (5' 7" 135 Sr.) for a short loss. A 4th-down pass from Dinkel, intended for Cody Baxter, fell incomplete on the ensuing snap.
The Red Devils took over on downs at their own 35 yard line. An option right by Dawson Kempt (5' 10" 165 lb Jr.) was stopped for a 3-yard loss by Adam Krien and Jesse Baxter. The 2nd-down snap was bobbled, and Krien and Baxter dropped the Devils for a 7-yard loss. On 3rd & 20, Ketterl dropped back to pass, but was flushed from the pocket by the Indians. Krien tackled the DC quarterback after a four-yard gain. The Red Devils punted. The ball was downed on the Indians' 14 yard line.
Brady Dinkel gained 3 yards over the left side on 1st down. On 2nd down, a low snap was bobbled and recovered by Jordan Raby before being stopped by Reegan Witt (6' 3" 205 lb. Sr.) and Jack Mumm (Sr.) causing a 2-yard loss. Dinkel's 3rd-down pass to Connor Keller covered 45 yards and set up a 1st-&-10 at the DC 20. A Dinkel run to the left earned 4 yards on the next play. Raby sprinted 16 yards around the right end for his 2nd touchdown of the night on 2nd down. Shadryon Blanka powered up the middle for the conversion points. With 4:46 left in the first period, St. Francis led 14-0.
Again, Dinkel's kick-off sailed into the end zone. Ketterl's first down pass intended for Drew Juenemann (5' 8" 145 lb. Sr.) fell incomplete in the left flat. Kempt's run up the middle was stopped by Cody Baxter and Adam Krien for a two-yard loss on the following play. A 3rd-down fumble was recovered by the Red Devils, but resulted in an 8-yard loss. Facing 4th-&-20, the Red Devils punted. Witt's punt was short; the Indians took possession at the DC 13 yard line.
Jordan Raby's run to the right side was stopped for a two-yard loss by Eskew. On 2nd down, Brady Dinkel started up the middle then bounced outside breaking tackles to earn 6 yards. Another Dinkel run netted 4 yards on the following play. On 4th & 2, St. Francis called time-out with 2:02 remaining in the first period. The next play, a Dinkel run to the left side, ended with a tackle by Corbett short of the line-to-gain.
Decatur Community took over on their own 7 yard line. Eskew's run into the middle was met by Adam Krien and Jesse Baxter for a 3-yard loss. Ketterl attempted a pass on the next snap and was heavily pressured by Krien. A pass interference penalty on the Indians resulted in the 1st first down from scrimmage for the Red Devils and advanced the ball to the DC 19. Ketterl's option to the right was stopped by a Krien tackle for a 4-yard loss. Hunter Helton ended Eskew's run up the middle on the following play finalizing the first period. Kempt gained one yard on third down over the left side. On 4th-down, the Devils punted again. The punt went out-of-bounds at the St. Francis 32.
After a two-yard gain by Dinkel, Shadryon Blanka tried the middle of the DC defense and was stopped by Witt for no gain. On third down, Dinkel's run-pass option advanced the football all the way to the DC 12. An illegal shift penalty on the Indians nullified the play and backed the Indians up 5 yards. Dinkel's 3rd-down pass was just off Connor Keller's fingertips. Facing 4th-&-13, the Indians punted for the first (and only) time in the game.
The Red Devils took possession at their own 18 yard line. Ketterl earned one yard up the middle on first down. A fumbled snap lost 4 on the ensuing play. A well-executed middle screen (Ketterl to Eskew) earned enough yardage to cause a measurement. Facing 4th-and-the length of a football, the Devils punted the ball away. The punt rolled out-of-bounds at the SF 14 with 7:57 remaining in the 2nd period.
Brady Dinkel took the first snap and ran up the middle breaking tackles for a 66-yard touchdown. Dinkel also ran for the conversion points. St. Francis led 22-0 with 7:43 left in the first half.
Drew Juenemann returned Dinkel's kick-off to the DC 19. A strong run by Kempt netted four yards before Hunter Helton ended the play with a tackle. Kempt earned two more on the left side on 2nd down. Jesse Baxter sacked the DC quarterback for a 1-yard loss on the next play. Facing 4th-& 5, the Devils punted yet again.
Brady Dinkel returned the punt to the DC 38. After a Dinkel run up the middle gained zero yardage, Jordan Raby sprinted around the right end for a 38-yard touchdown. Shadryon Blanka followed good blocking by the Indian linemen to run untouched into the end zone for the conversion points. With 4:47 left in the first half, St. Francis led 30-0.
Juenemann returned the kick-off 15 yards to the DC 25. A reverse to Kempt was stopped for no gain by Jesse Baxter. On 2nd down, Ketterl was sacked by Baxter for a 7-yard loss. A keeper by Ketterl gained good yardage around the right end on the next play, but facing 4th-& 9, the Red Devils punted.
Dinkel returned the punt gaining minimal yardage before being stopped at the Indian 25. After a Dinkel gain of one on first down, Raby rounded the right end carrying the football to the DC 38 on the next play. Cody Baxter gained 8 yards on a reverse before a pass from Dinkel to Baxter fell incomplete in the end zone on 2nd down. Drew Juenemann provided good coverage on the play. Another Raby run advanced the ball to the DC 25. Runs by Dinkel and Raby set up 3rd-&-3 and caused a St. Francis time-out with 16.9 seconds remaining in the half. Dinkel's pass attempt to C. Baxter in the end zone fell incomplete. On 4th down, Dinkel rolled to his right and found Shadryon Blanka open in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown pass. Blanka ran for the conversion points. With 5.8 seconds remaining until halftime, St. Francis led 38-0.
The Indians' squib kick only traveled two yards and caused a re-kick from the 25. Freshman Reece Grafel recovered the kick at the DC 32. The Red Devils attempted a long pass at the snap. The pass was deflected by Brady Dinkel ending the first half. St. Francis led 38-0 at halftime.
Witt's squib kick to open the second half was recovered by Richard Johnson for the Indians at the SF 34. Brady Dinkel's first-down run to the right was stopped short by an Eskew tackle for a one-yard loss. On the next snap, Jordan Raby, sprinted up the middle for a 47-yard touchdown for the Indians. Connor Keller's run for the conversion points was stopped short. With only seconds gone in the second half, St. Francis increased their lead to 44-0.
After another Dinkel kick-off went into the end zone, Ketterl attempted a pass on first down. The attempt was batted down by Jesse Baxter's pass rush. Eskew's run to the right was stopped for a 2-yard loss by Shadryon Blanka and Baxter. A 3rd-down pass attempt to the right flat fell incomplete. On 4th-&-12, the Red Devils punted the football. The punt was high, short, and out-of-bounds.
St. Francis took possession at the DC 29. A spinning first down run by Raby netted two yards. Dinkel gained two more up the middle after the Indians went without a huddle. Dinkel then followed good blocking around the right end before being forced out-of-bounds at the 7 yard line. On the next snap, Jordan Raby cruised around the left end for his fifth touchdown of the contest. St. Francis defeated the Decatur Community Red Devils 50-0. The game ended with 9:22 left in the 3rd period due to the 45-point rule.
St. Francis will play Hoxie on Friday, September 28 on Greene Field in St. Francis. The Hoxie Indians are ranked number one in Class 1A-D1 by MaxPreps.
