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Only numbers that matter for Plano are in final score
September 30, 2007
BY GREG BURKS Special to the Beacon News
PLANO -- The scoreboard at Reaper Stadium showed the only numbers that really
mattered on Saturday afternoon.
Plano 13. Wilmington 8.
The Reapers gained only one first down in the second half, and the usually solid Plano rushing attack was held to only 73 yards. Still, Plano celebrated homecoming with a hard fought win over Wilmington.
The victory was Plano's 20th in a row as the Reapers improved to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in the Interstate Eight Conference Small Division. That in front of next week's I-8 showdown with also undefeated Coal City.
Wilmington dipped to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the league.
"You knew it was going to be a tough game," said Plano coach Jim Green. "(Wilmington) is probably going to end up 6-3, and that's going to be a tough 6-3 team that someone has to face in the playoffs."
The Reapers got off to an ominous start when they were forced to take a safety on their first possession. After going three-and-out, Kevin Jernigan came on to punt for Plano. But the snap got away, and Jernigan decided to kick the ball out of the back of his own end zone.
Plano came back later in the first quarter with a drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock.
Jernigan booted a 38-yard field goal into a strong south wind to put the Reapers up 3-2.
Things turned sour on Plano's next possession.
After forcing a Wilmington punt, the Reapers took over at their own 21-yard line. On the first play of the drive, tailback Luis Alvarado fumbled. It appeared that Randy Niles recovered, but the officials gave the ball to Wilmington at the Plano 17-yard line.
"I'm still perplexed about the fumble," Green said. "There was no bean bag on the field and nobody signaled."
Wilmington scored three plays later when quarterback Colin Webb scampered in from five yards out. The score stood at 8-3 after the Wildcats failed on the two point conversion attempt.
The Reapers took the lead for good just before the half ended. An eight play, 82-yard drive ended when Jeremy Cannon caught a 10-yard pass from Brian Green with only :28 remaining in the second quarter. Jernigan's point after made it 10-8.
"The play wasn't designed to go to (Cannon)," said Brian Green. "He was supposed to block. He saw me scrambling, so he released."
Green finished the day 7 of 12 passing for 102 yards. He completed a screen pass to Luis Alvarado that went for 54 yards to set up the touchdown.
Wilmington dominated statistically in the second half but couldn't put any points on the board. The Wildcats ran 36 plays to only 19 for Plano and also held a 9-1 advantage in first downs. But a 43-yard field goal by Jernigan was the only scoring in the half.
Niles and Chris Martinez both recovered fumbles for the Reapers in the second half. The big stop of the day came midway through the fourth quarter when Plano held on a fourth and goal play from the four-yard line.
The Reapers now look forward to Friday's battle at Coal City.
"It's the conference championship for either team to win the (I-8) Small Division," said Jim Green. "And it has huge playoff implications as well."
Football: Plano 13, Wilmington 8