Cardinals fall in the 4th quarter, 15-9

(Above) GHV’s Chase Theobald (4) delivers a nice block for running back Nick Joynt during Friday night’s game.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

In a tough-fought game of endurance, the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Cardinals (5-3, 3-3) fell to the New Hampton Chickasaws (7-1, 5-1) on Friday, Oct. 14. The Cardinals led going into the fourth quarter, but a late-game resurgence by the Chickasaws produced a 15-9 win for the visitor.

The Cardinals were first on the scoreboard, racking up six points midway through the first quarter on a 33-yard touchdown run by Chase Theobald. The PAT pass attempt was no good.

Tough Cardinal defense kept the Chickasaws on their heels the rest of the first half and GHV took a 6-0 lead into the half.

Throughout the first half the Cardinals controlled the game with 120-yards of offense to the Chickasaw’s 77.

The third quarter was a continued battle of defense, as both teams struggled to find the end zone. But it was the Cardinals who ended up winning the battle of field position, scoring another three points at the end of the third quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Connor Burke.

The Chickasaws saw the game slipping away and they put it into gear in the fourth quarter.  What was once a stale offense now rolled, picking up big- and short-yard plays on the ground and in the air before scoring on a 20-yard Keaton Geerts touchdown. The PAT kick was good, making the score 9-7.

The Cardinals moved into Chickasaw territory before two big sacks pushed the Cards back to their side of the field, forcing a punt.

On a daring fourth and eight from their own 42 with five minutes left in the game, the Chickasaws went for it. One of the most deciding plays of the game, the fourth down, was converted in a 39-yard dagger of a pass.

The play quickly lead to another touchdown, but this time the Chickasaws went for two and converted, for a final score of 15-9.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team,” said GHV Head Coach Scott VanDusseldorp. “They played with