Post-season road included dramatic, one-score wins

PANTHER STATE FOOTBALL
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     When Monticello lost to Waterloo Columbus on the final day of the football regular season Oct. 25, at Dean Nelson Field, the players and crowd walked away with a bittersweet feeling.

     It had been a successful season, with a 6-3 record and dramatic, one-score victories, but losses to Waukon and Columbus, plus a hard-to-swallow home loss to previously winless Anamosa, left the Panthers wondering if 6-3 would be good enough for a postseason berth.

     The answer came past midnight – it was good enough. As the evening went along, it was apparent that several Class 2A schools that had been in the top 16 of the Rating Percentage Index (RPI) had lost as well, providing hope for the Panthers and their followers. Those results enabled Monticello to finish 14th in the RPI (16 qualify), and the Panthers were in.

     “We were trying to do some number-crunching after the game,” Monticello coach Wes Wilson said. “We thought we were sitting pretty good with how week nine played out, but you never know unti you get the official news.”

     Here’s a look at the path that led Monticello to its first postseason berth since 2014, and its third in the last seven seasons:

 

Aug. 30

(at Monticello)

Monticello 14,

Cascade 7

     Defense was the story for Monticello, as the Panthers opened the season with a victory. Monti made six interceptions, including two by Luke Lambert. Five of those picks came in the second half, as Monticello made a 14-7 halftime lead stand.

     Also making interceptions were Justin Recker, Tyler Luensman, Kain Luensman and Devin Kraus.

     The Panthers scored on touchdown passes by Jeff Carlson to Tyler Luensman for 33 yards and to Lambert for 14 yards, both in the second quarter.

 

Sept. 6

(at Monticello)

Monticello 34,

Dyersville Beckman 33,

overtime

     There is no question about the most dramatic win of the season for the Panthers; it was this wild comeback game at Dean Nelson Field.

     After Beckman missed a potential game-clinching field goal with 52.3 seconds left, the Panthers took over, trailing 27-20. Passes of 35 yards from Carlson to Tyler Luensman, and 37 yards to Justin Recker, put the ball at the Beckman 8-yard line, and two plays later Carlson hit Tyler Luensman on a five-yard touchdown with 5.1 seconds left in regulation time, then kicked the extra point to tie it.

     In overtime, Beckman scored but missed its fifth kick of the game. Carlson hit Kraus on a 10-yard touchdown pass, then kicked the game-winning extra point.

 

Sept. 13

(at Bellevue)

Monticello 21,

Bellevue 13

     Two quick touchdowns put the Panthers in early control, as Carlson hit Recker on touchdown passes of 13 and 19 yards in the game’s first nine minutes. A third touchdown pass, Carlson to Tyler Luensman in the third quarter gave Monticello a 21-6 lead.

     Spencer Avery made 9.5 tackles, and Ben Oswald had 7.5 as the Panther defense held Bellevue to 228 total yards.

 

Sept. 20

(at Delhi)

Monticello 21,

Maquoketa Valley 14

     Maquoketa Valley took an 8-0 lead early in the second quarter, and continued to lead until Carlson hit Kraus on an eight-yard touchdown pass with 7:29 to play.

     Monticello overcame three turnovers to post a 4-0 season record for the first time since 2002. Kraus finished with nine catches for 161 yards, and also made an interception. Colin Jordan rushed for 68 yards.

 

Sept. 27

(at Monticello)

Waukon 52,

Monticello 7

     Waukon, ranked first in Class 2A all season, spoiled the Panthers’ homecoming game with a 36-0 first half. Monticello was held to just 163 yards of total offense, while the Indians racked up 366, including 189 passing yards and 89 rushing yards for quarterback Creed Welch.

     It was the first District 4 game for the Panthers, and also their first loss of the season.

 

Oct. 4

(at West Union)

Monticello 30,

North Fayette Valley 14

     Carlson passed for 403 yards, just missing a school record, as the Panthers scored their fifth win of the season. Carlson hit Tyler Luensman on a slant route on the second possession of the game, and Luensman turned it into an 86-yard touchdown, setting the tone for what was to come.

     Three receivers had triple-digit yardage: Justin Recker with 118, Kraus with 104 and Tyler Luensman with 101. Tyler Luensman also made two interceptions. Carlson finished with five touchdown passes.

 

Oct. 11

(at Monticello)

Anamosa 21,

Monticello 13

     A fired up Anamosa team took a surprising 21-0 first half lead, and though the Monticello defense shut out the Blue Raiders in the second half, the Panthers couldn’t score enough to catch up.

     It was the first Cowbell Trophy game win for Anamosa since 2015, breaking a three-year Monticello streak.

 

Oct. 18

(at Oelwein)

Monticello 34,

Oelwein 20

     Monticello erased Oelwein’s early 20-0 lead with a touchdown just before halftime, and a 27-point barrage in the second half, to get back on the winning track.

     The Panthers defense shut out its opponent in the second half for the fifth time this season.

     The Panthers took the lead on a two-yard sneak by Carlson and his extra point kick. Carlson then completed two touchdown passes to Recker in the fourth quarter; the first a short sideline pass that Recker broke for a 68-yard score; and the other on a 10-yard strike with 7:26 to play.

 

Oct. 25

(at Monticello)

Waterloo Columbus 34,

Monticello 21

     Ray Seidel of Columbus rushed for 290 yards and two touchdowns, and the Sailors made a 20-7 second quarter lead stand, as the Panthers fell in the regular season finale.

     Carlson completed 26 of 41 passes for 267 yards and two scores; completing passes to seven different receivers.

     A win would have clinched a spot in the postseason, but it turned out the 6-3 record and Monticello’s RPI were enough to get the Panthers in.

 

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