Knights rough up C-A-M, lock up playoff spot

A sluggish half on offensive was saved by a dominating defensive effort by Fremont-Mills in a playoff clinching victory over C-A-M.

The Knights overcame their own miscues – twice having touchdowns called back by penalty – in getting out a 21-0 lead in a first half that saw them limit the Cougars to 16 total yards and no first downs in a 42-12 victory in Eight-man, District 7.

The win puts Fremont-Mills into the state playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. They will play at Stanton (8-1) Friday in the opening round. Kick off is set for 7 p.m. The Vikings downed the Knights 42-35 in a Sept. 1 non-district game that featured a combined 12 turnovers and multiple lead changes.

Against C-A-M, the Knights marched right down the field on the opening possession of the game, taking the early lead when Mason Vanatta hooked up with Austin Gartner on a 44-yard touchdown pass. The extra-point made it 7-0.
The Knights would make it 13-0 after a Vanatta touchdown scamper and a missed extra-point.

But the Cougars would hold F-M largely in check for much of the first half. On four of the Knights six possessions in the second quarter C-A-M held firm on fourth downs inside their own territory to force a turnover on downs.

The Knights would go almost 10 minutes in the first half without scoring until Jaeger Powers capped a five play, 59 yard drive with a two yard TD dive.

While the Cougar defense was clogging up running lanes and running Knights’ receivers off routes, their offense had no such success. Seven first half possessions ended in five punts and a turnover and the final at the halftime horn thanks in no small part to a defensive game plan that smothered quarterback Thomas Hensley every time he dropped back to pass.

Fremont-Mills head coach Jeremy Christiansen was quick to credit the play of his defensive line for a dominating first half.

“To contain a quarterback like him is impressive,” Christiansen said of Hensley, who he calls one of the district’s best quarterbacks.

C-A-M’s offense showed signs of life in the third quarter.

After its opening drive that moved them into Knight territory ended in an interception, the Cougars held on defense and got the ball back at their own 33. Nine plays later Hensley connected with Darien Burnison for an 18 yard TD. They would miss the extra point to make it 21-6 with just over five minutes to go in the third quarter.
But the Knights would answer in a big way.

Back-to-back runs by Powers of five and then 55 yards set F-M up inside the C-A-M 10. Two plays later Vanatta dove in from two yards out. The two-point conversion put the Knights back in front 29-6.

The answers seemed to take the fight out of the Cougars.

“To be able to score and take it back to where we were, I thought was big,” Christiansen said.

Despite its offensive issues – and eight penalties on the night – Fremont-Mills racked up total yards. Powers was a workhorse for the Knights carrying 31 times for 301 yards – both career highs.

“He ran hard, obviously the offensive line did great blocking and he (Powers) had a 60 some yard called back by penalty as well so yeah he gave us everything tonight,” Christiansen said.

Vanatta threw for 106 yards and two scores on 8-of-13 passing and added 74 yards and two more TDs on the ground.