Staff
The Muskie football team saw their comeback bid fall just short Friday afternoon.
The black-and-gold scored a pair of touchdowns late in the fourth quarter, but fell 24-22 to the visiting Daniel McIntyre Maroons (3-0) in the annual Homecoming game.
The game opened promisingly for the Muskies (1-2) as they were able to hold the Maroons’ offence in check—and even tallied the first point of the game when the ball skipped through the end zone after a Maroons’ returner couldn’t handle Britton Green’s punt.
Daniel Mac was able to rev its attack midway through the second quarter, however, as Tre Jackson rumbled for an 18-yard touchdown.
The convert was unsuccessful and the Maroons led 6-1.
Then in the dying seconds of the quarter, quarterback Tobijah Gerber marched the Muskies down the field with help from his favourite target, Brad McDonald.
To help the drive, McDonald hauled in a 47-yard pass-and-run to set Fort High up in the Maroon zone.
Then he caught a 24-yard bomb from Gerber, shaking off a Maroon defender and just breaking the plane of the goal line.
With the convert, the black-and-gold led 8-6 at the half.
The second half didn’t start as the Muskies had envisioned when Daniel Mac recovered its own kick-off in Fort High’s half of the field.
Soon after, Benedict Muhima pounded his way to paydirt to put the Maroons up 13-6.
On the Maroons’ next possession, Muhima pulled out a similar trick and the Maroons quickly were ahead 20-8.
Daniel Mac extended its lead to 24-8 after a rouge late in the third quarter and then a field goal early in the fourth.
The Muskie attack was plagued with ball security issues, turning the ball over six times in all, but still was able to get things going late in the game.
Gerber marched the squad downfield, eventually allowing running back Tyler Abma to pound in the ball.
The two-point conversion was successful as Gerber connected with McDonald in the end zone to bring the Muskies within 24-16.
On the ensuing kick-off, the Muskies got one of their turnovers back—recovering the ball on the short kick that a Maroon player mishandled.
Then after a circus catch by McDonald to march the home crew forward, Abma plunged in for another major to make the score 24-22.
The two-point convert failed, however. And although the Muskies did get the ball back once more, they could not stage a final drive.
Muhima was the cornerstone of the Maroon offence, accounting for 256 of Daniel Mac’s 362 rushing yards.
The Muskies will hit the halfway point of the WHSFL season this Friday afternoon (Oct. 1) when Stonewall (2-1) pays a visit to Muskie Field at 3 p.m.
