Sports
Yorkville Suffers First Defeat At Hands Of Morris
Jones comes through with big second half in Foxes' 35-7 defeat
After going 3-6 last season, already had improved this year, taking a 4-0 record into Friday night’s game against perennial power Morris in the Northern Illinois Big XII East opener.
But, while the Foxes have shown improvement so far, the Redskins showed them they have more improving to do after Morris came away with a 35-7 victory.
“In the first four games, we didn’t get out-physicaled,” coach Karl Hoinkes said. “We got out-physicaled tonight. This is a very good Morris team. I think they are one of the three best Morris teams that I have seen.”
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Morris (5-0, 1-0) was clicking on all cylinders from the start. The Redskins’ Jimmy Pelnarsh picked up a fumble on the game’s opening drive and returned it 18 yards to the Foxes’ 27. On Morris’ first play, Jake Ruettiger swept to the left and scored on a 27-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter, Morris quarterback Austin Feeney scored on a 1-yard plunge. With 3:31 to play until halftime, Feeney, who completed 13 of 19 passes for 173 yards, hit Ruettiger for a 3-yard score and a 21-0 lead.
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After a punt, Morris took over on its own 46 and Feeney found Ruettiger streaking down the left sideline for a 54-yard touchdown. fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Morris’ Jake Hogan recovered at the 29.
On third-and-11, Feeney hit Ruettiger (four catches, 78 yards) for 17 yards and a first down. Feeney then hit tight end Danny Friend over the middle for a 13-yard touchdown and Morris took a 35-0 lead into halftime.
“We were able to do what we wanted offensively,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “Our special teams and defense did a great job of giving our offense good field position, and we capitalized on it. Austin Feeney did a great job of spreading the ball around to the receivers and Jake Ruettiger is a special athlete. If he gets just a little bit of space, he has the speed to break it big.”
Junior running back Anton Jones got the call in the second half for the Foxes (4-1, 1-1) and he responded with 94 yards on 17 carries. He scored on a 7-yard run with 1:45 left as avoided the shutout.
“Jones is a good back,” Hoinkes said. “He works hard and he deserves some carries. He did a real good job there in the second half.
“We got a look at a real good team, and we saw some things we need to work on. But we will take something from this and move forward from here.”
