Big plays, big numbers: Panthers outscore Cascade 42-27 in opener


Caleb Sauser pulls in a pass that turned into a Monticello touchdown in the Aug. 27 season opener at Dean Nelson Field. (Photos by Pete Temple)

Gage Guilford (12) and Caleb Sauser (2) of Monticello wrap up a Cascade ball-carrier, as teammates Owen Thomas (70) and Preston Ries move in.
FOOTBALL
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     Sophomore quarterback Preston Ries contributed 481 yards of total offense, senior receiver Caleb Sauser set a school receiving record, Christian Castillo kicked two field goals, and the Monticello defense stepped up at the most critical moments.

     It all added up to a season-opening 42-27 football victory over neighboring rival Cascade Friday night at Dean Nelson Field in Monticello.

     Big plays were the story of the night for the Panthers. Ries connected on three long touchdown plays with Sauser, covering 89, 64 and 54 yards.

     Ries finished 10-for-16 for 263 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 218 yards and two more scores.

     Sauser’s receiving total of 221 yards broke the school record of 214 set by Jeff Lambert back in 2004.

     “Preston is a tremendous athlete and a great competitor,” Monticello coach Wes Wilson said. “His ability to throw the ball and run the ball make him very dangerous.

     “Caleb is electric when he gets the ball in his hands. He has the ability to score anytime he touches the ball.”

     All of this would have been much more difficult without the consistent play of the Panther offensive line. Only three times were the Panthers unable to score on a possession: once when they got the ball at their own 11 with 30 seconds left in the half, once on an interception, and on a kneel-down as time ran out at the end of the game.

     “I think our offensive line did a great job,” Wilson said. “I thought we pass protected very well most of the night, and really got good movement in the running game.”

     The kicking game opened the scoring Friday. Castillo kicked field goals of 25 and 36 yards, and Monticello led 6-0 after one quarter.

     The teams traded scores in the second quarter. The Panthers took a 13-0 lead after Sauser caught a swing pass from Ries, slipped a pair of tackles, and sprinted down the right sideline to complete an 89-yard play.

     Cascade answered with a 77-yard drive, scoring on the first of Jack Menster’s three touchdowns.

     Monticello made it a two-score game again on another big play. Ries fired the ball downfield – a replay showed the throw traveled 47 yards in the air – and Sauser, who had beaten a defender, caught it in stride and scored on a 64-yard play.

     The Cougars then had an 80-yard drive, scoring on a 17-yard pass from Justin Roling to Luke Ruggeberg, to pull within 20-14 with 33.7 seconds left in the half.

     Cascade briefly took the lead in the third quarter, scoring on a three-yard run by Menster, to go up 21-20 with 4:40 left in the third quarter.

     Ries put the Panthers back on top on a 31-yard scoring run, breaking several tackles and switching directions at least twice before crossing the goal line with 1:08 on the clock. Monticello led 28-21 after three periods.

     The Monticello defense made a key stop early in the fourth quarter, halting a Cascade drive near midfield.

     “Our defense did some really good things,” the coach said. “I think what we need to work on the most is getting off the field on third down. We were in position multiple times to hold them and force a punt, and just couldn’t make that stop. It was good to see some guys with very little varsity experience step up and play well.”

     The Panthers then regained a two-score lead with 8:16 left in the game, on a four-yard run by Ries that capped a 48-yard drive.

     Cascade had one more sustained drive to score, going 80 yards and scoring on a one-yard run by Menster with 3:38 to play.

     Then it was Ries-to-Sauser again on a long pass. Sauser caught the ball at about the 30-yard line, was nearly tripped up, but regained his balance and raced to the end zone. The Panthers led 42-27 with 2:09 to play.

     The Cougars’ final possession was halted at the Monticello 23 with 14.9 seconds to play, and the Panthers ran out the clock.

     Defensively for Monticello, Tate Petersen had six tackles and Ries had 5.5, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss. Caden Sternhagen recovered a Cascade fumble, forced by Ries.

At Maquoketa Friday

     Monticello will play its second non-district game Friday, Sept. 3 at Maquoketa.

     “Maquoketa has a new coach this year, so they will be a little different than in the past,” Wilson said. “Like us, they lost some key contributors at key positions and have some talented young kids stepping in.”

 

Aug. 27

(at Monticello)

Cascade  0 14   7   6  – 27

Monti        6 14   8 14 – 42

SCORING SUMMARY

FIRST QUARTER

     Monti – Castillo 25 field goal, 9:33 remaining.

     Monti – Castillo 36 field goal, 3:10.

SECOND QUARTER

     Monti – Ca. Sauser 89 pass from Ries (Castillo kick), 8:30.

     Cas – Menster 1 run (kick blocked), 4:36.

     Monti – Ca. Sauser 64 pass from Ries (Castillo kick), 3:43.

     Cas – Ruggeberg 17 pass from Roling (Menster run), 0:33.7.

THIRD QUARTER

     Cas – Menster 3 run (Nava kick), 4:40.

     Monti – Ries 31 run (Ca. Sauser run), 1:08.

FOURTH QUARTER

     Monti – Ries 4 run (Castillo kick), 8:16.

     Cas – Menster 1 run (kick failed), 3:38.

     Monti – Ca. Sauser 54 pass from Ries (Castillo kick), 2:09.

TEAM STATISTICS

                                  Cas       Monti

First downs                26            9

Rushing yds.             307         245

Passing yds.              119         263

Comp.-att.-int.       12-25-0   10-16-1

Total yards                426         508

Fumbles lost               1              0

Penalties-yds.          6-40         7-65

MONTICELLO STATISTICS

     Rushing – Ries 23-218, Cooper 2-14, Ca. Sauser 1-3.

     Passing – Ries 10-16-263-3-1.

     Receiving – Ca. Sauser 6-221 (school record), Petersen 3-26, Tallman 1-16. 

     Fumble recoveries – Sternhagen.

     Tackles – Petersen 6, Ries 5.5, Sauser 3.5, Phelps 3.5, Thomas 3.5, Weber 3, Cooper 3, Schilling 2.5, Guilford 2.5, Tallman 2.5, Etzel 2.5, Sternhagen 2, Co. Sauser 2, Fuhrmeister 2, Bartachek 2, Wickman 2, Castillo 1.5, Graves 1.5.

     Sacks – Ries 1.

     Tackles-for-loss – Ries 2.5, Cooper 1.5, Thomas 1.5, Sternhagen 0.5, Guilford 0.5, Graves 0.5.

 

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