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Chieftains sack Immac

By Shawn Linenberger - | Sep 12, 2001

The tales of two halves were as different as night and day literally.

Tonganoxie and Immaculata played a half of football Friday night at Abeles Field in Leavenworth before lightning forced a postponement. The Chieftains led 6-0 at the break. Instead of 15-minute pause, it was about 14 hours.

The two teams resumed play Saturday afternoon and Tonganoxie won, 22-8.

The Chieftains scored first in the second quarter on senior quarterback Troy Morando’s one-yard run with 3:57 left in the half.

That score stood after officials decided at about 9 p.m. not to challenge the stormy weather. The game was postponed until 1 p.m. Saturday.

THS coach Mark Elston took advantage of the delay and had a brief practice Saturday morning.

“We were more ready to go on Saturday,” Elston said. “I thought the weather had something to do with it. It was so unbelievably hot Friday night.”

A cold rain came after play Friday, but Elston said the weather during the first half didn’t help injuries.

Sophomore running back Billy Baska, who ran for 108 yards on seven carries against Perry the first week, had 57 against Immaculata. He and senior running back Joe Sledd were fighting injury, but the better weather on Saturday was helpful.

“When it’s hot and humid injuries tend to wear on you more than if it’s 65 and cool,” Elston said.

Sledd finished the game with 60 yards rushing, as did Chuck Riddle.

Morando led the running game with 110 yards on 16 carries. The Chieftains finished with 354 total yards, 81 of them in the air.

Tonganoxie’s defense held Immaculata to 119 total yards.

The Chieftains scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and controlled the ball Immac’s offense ran just seven plays in that period.

The defense had it’s own success, limiting the Raiders to two gains of more than 20 yards. The defense did give up a lone touchdown on what Elston called a mental lapse, but the Chieftains contained Raider running back Justin McGlinn.

“The kids are starting to understand you make big, fast guys run sideways instead of north and south,” Elston said. “It gives you longer to get people to help and four or five guys on the tackle. It wears running backs out.”

The Chieftains hope to wear out another opponent on Friday when they go against Pembrooke Hill (Mo.), but that could be a tall task.

Pembrooke (2-0) brings senior quarterback Joe Ferguson, rated as one of the top 100 players in the country. Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri have heavily recruited Ferguson.

“He’s a player,” Elston said. “They’re a senior-dominated team.”

At 2-0, Tonganoxie appears to have some talent as well, but Elston said his team is cautious about being undefeated.

“It’s great to be 2-0, but it don’t mean diddly Friday,” Elston said.

Tonganoxie (2-0, 2-0) 0 6 14 2 22

Immaculata (0-2, 0-2) 0 0 0 8 8

T Troy Morando 1 run (pass failed)

T Kyle Mayse 18 pass from Morando (pass failed)

T Morando 27 run (Mayse pass from Morando)

I John McEvoy 41 pass Kevin Pike (Justin McGlinn from Pike)

T Safety, intentional grounding in end zone