GHV takes to the air to overcome FC

In a game that showcased two very good defenses, it was the ability to adapt that resulted in a Garner-Hayfield-Ventura (4-0, 2-0) win over the Forest City Indians (1-3, 0-2).

Known for their fondness of – and proficiency at – running the football, the Cardinals knew something needed to change when a packed-in Indian defense successfully clogged their running lanes. GHV then began to successfully pass the ball. Unable to find an answer, Forest City fell to the undefeated Cardinals, 15-14.

A quarter and a half into the game both teams had made little progress on offense. Each defense was keyed into the opposing teams’ strategy, resulting in a battle for field position.

After five consecutive punts, a spark of energy ignited both teams.  With the ball on their own 44, Forest City lined up to punt the ball, but a botched snap put the Cards on offense within striking distance of the end zone.

The Cardinals were first on the board as Ryan Meyers avoided the incoming pressure and delivered a pass to Nick Joynt who turned it up for a 24-yard receiving touchdown. Meyers got it done for two on the PAT attempt on a pass to Conner Shaw, putting the Cards up 8-0.

Forest City’s Richard Gildemeister received a booming 53-yard kickoff and nearly took it to the house, but was finally stopped, at last, by Meyers, the kicker, on the Cardinal’s 32-yard line.

Motivated by a spark of their own, the Indians got their running game going and rolled right into the end zone on a three-yard Ben Midtgaard touchdown run.

The Indians matched the Cardinals’ passing PAT conversion with one of their own on a Midtgaard-Jacob Wilson pass to end the half, 8-8.

The third and part of the fourth quarter found both teams plagued in different ways. GHV committed several costly penalties that kept Forest City drives alive. Meanwhile, multiple fumbles found Forest City stalling out on offense.

The fight for field position culminated in Meyers’ pass being intercepted by Chris Jermeland to give the Indians the ball on their own 46. On the very next play, a big 36-yard run set the stage for a Wilson touchdown. The PAT failed, giving the Indians a 14-8 lead with less than four minutes left in the game.

With no time to lose, Meyers and the offense got busy, resulting in good routes and nice passes. The big break came with a minute and one-half left in the game, when Chase Theobald hauled in a catch and took it 45-yards for a TD, tying the game, 14-14.

GHV Head Coach Scott VanDusseldorp turned to the tried-and-true leg of kicker Conner Burke to try the PAT for the win. Burke split the uprights for a Cardinal lead and the victory, 15-14.

“We’re very happy to come out with a win. It felt good to know that we can throw the ball when we need to,” said VanDusseldorp. “This district is very tough all the way through.  We will have to come ready to play every week.”

From the number of first downs and plays, to total number of yards, the two teams were as close as the final score. GHV tallied 92 yards rushing and 153 passing for 245 total yards of offense, while Forest City earned 150 yards rushing and 52 passing for 202 total yards.

Meyers lead the GHV offense with 153-yards passing, completing nine passes on 14 attempts and recording two touchdowns. Joynt was his primary receiver, who recorded 64-yards on four catches and one TD. Theobald had two catches for 52-yards and a touchdown. Anthony Sherwood had two catches for 23-yards and Shaw had one catch for 14-yards.

Shaw was the leading rusher with 64-yards on 19 attempts. Dylan Mahlstedt had 17-yards on seven attempts.

  Leading the way on defense was GHV’s Joynt with six solo tackles and five assists for 11 total and Grady Umbarger with six solo tackles and four assists for 10 total. Other leaders included Dane Whipple with two solo and six assists for eight total; Theobald and Meyers recorded four solo tackles with one assist apiece.

The Cardinals take the field Friday in a home district game against the Hampton Bulldogs (0-4; 0-2) at 7:30 p.m.

“We can’t let their record fool us, they are a pretty good football team that we will have to prepare very hard for this week,” said VanDusseldorp.