FORT MADISON – Disconnect.
It was the story line and the reaction from Fort Madison Head Football Coach Derek Doherty after the Hounds dropped their third straight game of the season Friday night to an 0-2 Centerville squad that had one ambition. Run the football
The Hounds fell 28-12 to the Big Redto wrap up non-district action with the unenviable task of traveling to Class 3A No. 2 Williamsburg next week.
“We’ve gotta find where that disconnect is. We know these kids aren’t showing up to lose. We know they aren’t showing up to make us mad a staff, but there is a disconnect somewhere,” Doherty said.
“They either don’t believe in us or they don’t wanna do their job? We’ve gotta figure that out.”
Centerville lost starting quarterback Landon McGrann in the second quarter to an injury. McGrann had been the main option for the Big Red racking up 85 yards off keepers on 15 carries before the end of the second quarter.
But the visitors offensive line kept Fort Madison front five at bay for freshman back up Mack Murdock, who was just effective if not more taking snaps, including being a bit more proficient through the air. Murdock would end up with two rushing touchdowns and threw for 117 yards.
“We had a really solid game plan. They didn’t do anything we weren’t ready for. The tendencies we’re exactly what we worked on. We’re just not executing,” Doherty said.
The Hounds kicked to start the game and after giving up a first down held the Big Red on 4th-7 at their own 34. The short punt was whistled dead without a touch. The Hounds Tateum Schelich scooped it up and started running down the sideline in front of the Hounds bench with one in front of him, but officials stopped the play on the inadvertent whistle.
Fort Madison went four and out with Henry Graham pinning Centerville deep in their own territory at the 12 on a 50-yard punt. The Bloodhounds would get another opportunity in the next possession. With the McGrann moving the ball on keepers from all different directions on the ground, he rolled and spun a ball to Klayton Lawson on the Hounds sideline. Lawson lost control when he was spun to the ground and Schelich recovered for Fort Madison.
But it was another 4 and out, this time with Graham sticking the Big Red at their own 3-yard line.
Centerville with the drain time from the clock on a 15-play sustained drive that included just one pass, an 8-yard completion, as McGrann and Makoa Kaleponi churning up the Jim Youel turf. McGrann would go down in the series and Murdock would take it in from the 16 of the first score of the game.
Fort Madison lost two yards on the next possession before Hound quarterback Marcus Guzman threw a pick on 3rd and 12 to give Centerville the ball back. They would score again, this time a 36-yard catch and run to Abram Decena for a 16-0 lead.
Fort Madison then put a nine-play run together that culminated with Marcuz Guzman squeezing in through the middle of the line across the goal for a 16-6 game that would hold through the half.
Centerville lined the second half kick-off off a Hound on the kick team in the second tier and recovered the ball scoring six plays later to take a 22-6. They would score again two series later after the Hounds went four and out again for a 28-6 lead
Guzman would score on a 10-play drive in the fourth quarter for Fort Madison’s final score. The play came on a 20-yard run up the middle where Guzman dove over the goal line in the center of the field.
Guzman finished 4-for-11 for just 30 yards and pick for the game. He also has 121 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns on the ground. Caden Barnes had three receptions for 19 yards and a 36-yard nifty touchdown run called back on a holding penalty. Justin Maitner had 8 tackles, three solo and tackle for a loss to lead the Hound defense. Triston Marshall had seven tackles.
Doherty said he’s seeing a lack of drill carryover in the games.
“That’s the biggest frustration for us is why is there no drill carryover,” he said. “I’m not sure where it’s at. Our drills all week were about being physical and burying people and I’m not sure we’ve finished one block on the ground yet - this year.
We’ve got a lot of guys standing up - receivers that don’t want any contact. You’re not going to be a physical football team that way. I promise you that’s not how we coach. I believe in the drills we have and after every game we look back and say what do we need to work on, and then our staff comes up with great drills But we’re not getting the carryover to games. Disconnect.”
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