Chiefs Slow Down after Fast Start, Hang on to Beat Marietta 21-11

Oct. 11, 2005

LOGAN - Logan used a big special teams play to race to a 14-0 lead at the end of one quarter, and hung on through two sloppy middle quarters to top the Tigers 21-11.  The Homecoming festivities were dampened by a dreary wet night, and the conditions on the field left something to be desired. However, the Chieftains overcame two interceptions and did not complete a pass while topping their Washington County foes.

The Chiefs now sit at 2-0 in SEOAL play, and 5-2 overall.  Logan opened the game by having a drive end on a Tiger interception.  But the Tigers failed to take advantage, and Logan put their first points on the board on their next possession.  Logan marched 90 yards on eight plays, and found pay dirt on a 28-yard Kevin Call.  The run came on a 4th and 1, and Call raced up the home sideline untouched.  Alex Hubbard's PAT gave the Chiefs a seven point cushion.

The Tigers went three and out on their next possession, and the Chiefs put up the winning score when Sophomore Mark Potter broke through the Tiger line and blocked a Justin Estes punt.  Potter picked up the pigskin on the 15-yard line and ran into the endzone untouched.  Hubbard's PAT gave the Chiefs a two score lead.

The rest of the first half was a sloppy affair.  The Chieftains committed 6 penalties for 56 yards, one of their worst nights of the season in that department.  Marietta's Jimmy Flannery picked off Michael Angle in the final minutes of the half, and the Tigers set off on their first scoring drive.

Tom Wire did the bulk of the work as the Tigers moved to the Logan 5-yard line, and it was from their that Justin Estes connected on a 22-yard field goal, cutting the Logan lead to 11 points as the teams headed to the locker room.

The lone Tiger touchdown came with under five minutes to play in the third quarter.  Tiger quarterback Michael Groom connected with running back Tom Wire for a 44-yards down the visitors sideline, and Wire scored on the next play from six yards out.  The Tigers went for two trying to cut the lead to three, and converted when Tiger guard Tucker Davis fell on a fumble by Tom Wire.

With the league cut to three, the fans in purple began holding their collective breaths.  However, the Chieftain held strong the rest of the game, never really letting the Tiger get within striking distance.  The Chieftain "D" got great effort from Potter, Justin Coakley, Kevin Call, Seth Moritz, and Tyson Kratzenburg to contain the Tigers balanced offense.

Logan's last scoring drive came as they took possession with under three minutes to play.   Logan, simply looking to run out the clock, put the game out of reach when Kevin Call raced untouched around right end for 34-yards putting the exclamation point on the Logan victory.

Kevin Call led all rushers, gaining 207 yards on 32 carries.  Call scored twice.  Senior fullback Adam Stohs added 42 yards on 2 carries.  Marietta's Tom Wire ran for over 200 yards a week ago, but was held to 52 yards on 17 carries.  Wire scored once.

Michael Groom completed 10 of 29 passes for 131 yards for Marietta.  Michael Angle failed to complete a pass, and was intercepted twice in three attempts.

Logan will travel to arch-rival Athens next week for a game against the 3-4 (1-1) Bulldogs.  Athens beat Warren 20-18 last week on a muddy field in The Plains.  It will be Senior Night for the Bulldogs, and kick-off is slated for 7:30.

PASSING
Marietta: Michael Groom 10-29-131-0TD-0INT, Kyle Welch 0-1-0-0TD-0INT
Logan: Michael Angle 0-3-0-0TD-2INT

RECEIVING
Marietta: Tom Wire 1-44, Cory Kriechbaum 2-34, Justin Estes 2-21, Alex Wilson 3-13,
Logan: