FOOTBALL: Saline Crushes Rockford in Opening Night Showdown

After a couple weeks of playing down opening-night expectations, Saline football head coach Joe Palka watched his Hornets dominate Rockford, 37-24, Friday night at Hornet Stadium.

The early season matchup between the state powers put the spotlight on Saline, and QB Josh Jackson put on a show. Jackson completed 25 of 34 passes for 354 yards, throwing four touchdowns and one interception. He led Saline’s ground attack with 97 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Jackson kept the Ram defense off balance with short sideline passes on roll outs, keepers and then long passes over the middle.

“We were really clicking today. My receivers caught everything I threw them. We blocked well. Everyone did a great job,” Jackson said. “It means a lot to win this game. We knew we were going to play a great team today. So to put all that preparation into the game and win the way we did was great.”

Five different Hornets caught passes. With the Rams shadowing big tight end Bryce Wolma, speedy receivers Stevie Kise (7 catches, 152 yards, 2 TDs) and Jeb Palka (13 catches, 148 yards, 2 TDs) had field days.

“We have balance on offense. Those two slot receivers are the guys that have the speed and at the end of the day, Rockford had trouble with the speed of those receivers,” coach Palka said. “Bryce had a hard time getting open because they latched on to him. We felt (Palka and Kise) could get open and Josh got the ball to them.”

Saline’s offensive production was impressive, but hardly unexpected given the returning skilled offensive players and experienced linemen returning.  But there some questions about how an inexperienced and small defense might handle the traditionally strong Rockford running game. Saline put those questions to rest Friday.

“I’m very impressed with our defense today. We were concerned we would have a hard time stopping them on the run and I think we played the trap well during the week of practice,” Palka said. “I think that bodes well for our future.”

Rockford managed 213 yards on 39 carries. But at halftime, Rockford was down 24-7, and they had just 59 rushing yards on 17 carries, and just two first downs.

Senior DE John Raupp said the players on defense knew they faced questions.

“The defense was underrated coming into this game. We responded the best way we possibly good. We shut them out, except for a field goal, right up until the end,” Raupp said. “We just did what we’re trained to do every single day.”

Raupp and fellow DE Sean O’Keefe are the only returning starters on the line or at linebacker. Raupp was pleased by the way the newcomers stepped into their roles.

“They exceeded my expectations. In practice, it’s hard to know how things are going to look. But when it came to game time, they just pulled it out,” Raupp said.

It didn’t start very well for Saline. A promising drive went awry when Jackson’s pass picked off Tyler Bradfield along the sidelines. Bradfield ran it back for a 74-yard touchdown and Saline was down 7-0 just 2:04 into the game.

Jackson said he knew it was a pick as soon as a he threw it.

“Looking at their defense, we didn’t think they’d trade off, but they did. (Bradfield) made a great play and he’s probably the best player on the team. You can’t think it about it much. I thought it about for a minute and then got it out of my mind because we had a whole game left to play,” Jackson said. “My goal was to make sure the next drive was better.”

He went right back to work. He hit Kise with a pass. Jackson then broke loose for a 35-yard run to the Rams’ 31. The drive looked like it had stalled out a few plays later when a 3rd-and-9 attempt was incomplete. But on 4th-and-9, Stevie Kise ran past the defense and Jackson hit him for a 40-yard touchdown. Will Breen’s extra point made it 7-7 in a drive that look 1:37.

Coach Palka liked the way Jackson and the offense rebounded from the pick-6.

“One of the things we talk about is that there are going to be negatives. We talked about that all week. Today, sure enough…. But we didn’t panic. It’s a tribute to our senior leadership – especially on offense, to come right back down and score,” Palka said.

The Hornet defense battered the rams on the next possession. On 3rd-and-9, DE John Raupp (3 tackles, 1 sack) caught QB Jason Whittaker and brought him down.

Quinn Nordin booted a 51-yeard punt and Saline took possession at its 30.

Jackson and the Hornets went to work. Saline got a couple first downs on some short passes and a couple of runs by Zach Swartzenberger. Another pass to Kise put the Hornets at the 29. A sideline pass for Mike Monahan (3 catches, 28 yards, two first downs) gave the Hornets a first down at the 17. After Jackson hit Palka with a short pass, Saline had a 2nd-and-3 at the Rockford 10. Rockford held Saline there and Will Breen kicked a 29-yard field goal to give Saline a 10-7 lead.

Rockford started the next drive on its 35 – but it managed just three rushing yards before the punter returns.  Nordin booted a 55-yard-punt that wasn’t returned. Saline took over at its seven to start the second quarter. A pass interference call on third down helped the Hornets move the chains. Then Jackson broke free for a 24-yard rush. Jackson gained another yard on the next play. On 2nd-and-9 from the 49, Jackson dropped back and found Jeb Palka wide open behind the defense. Palka got Jackson’s pass and sprinted in to the end zone untouched. Breen’s kick made it 17-7 with 9:22 to play in the quarter.

Rockford finally managed a first down on the next drive. On 3rd-and-5, Zachary Owings tripped up a Ram to prevent a second one, and the Rams punted again.

Saline took over at its 35 and began moving down the field. On the run on 4th-and-9, Jackson threw to Palka along the sidelines for a first down. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-10, Jackson was under pressure again. He delivered a perfect pass to Kise just before he got hit. Kise made another leaping catch and ran into the endzone. Saline led  24-7 after Breen’s kick with 3:24 left in the half.

With Saline pulling away, Rockford’s offense began to move the ball. The Rams got all the way down to the Saline 32. Right before halftime, Brad Gasparovich nearly blocked Nordin’s field goal attempt, and the kick sailed wide.

Rockford started the second half with the ball at their 24 and slowly moved the ball to midfield. On 1-10 from the 46, Bradfield broke free and might have scored if Zachary Owings (5 tackles, 1 TFL) didn’t trip him up at the Saline 19.  Rockford managed a field-goal and cut the lead to 24-10.

But if there was any doubt, it was shredded on Saline’s next possession, which began at their 20. Jackson hit Kise for a first down at the Saline 45. Four plays later, on 4th-and-1, Connor Hibbard (8 carries, 40 yards, 3 first downs), got exactly one yard. On the next play, rolling to his right, Jackson threw to Palka along the sideline. Palka ran up the line and then cut in to avoid a tackler near the goal line. Ben Stankovic’s kick was blocked. Saline led 30-10 with 3:03 to play in the third.

In the fourth, Saline scored one more time. The drive started at the Saline 30. Runs by Hibbard and Schwartzenberger accounted for a couple of Saline first downs.  A pass to Bryce Wolma gave Saline a first down at the Rockford 15. On the next play, Jackson swept around the right side and bounced off a tackler before crossing the plain. Stankovic’s kick made it 37-10 with 4:53 to play.

Rockford added two late touchdowns to make the score appear closer than the contest really was.

Coach Palka previously said the game would serve as a measuring stick. The resounding victory bodes well for the Hornets.

“Playing well like this in the opener gives those young guys confidence,” Palka said. “I’m pleased with how a lot of our newcomers played today.”

Raupp said it was a huge victory.

“It means so much. Rockford is such a great program and they’re coming over to ‘little Saline.’ But we’re Saline football. We just do what we do,” Raupp said.

Saline returns to action Friday against Toronto St. Michaels College – the third straight year the Hornets have played a Canadian team.

Here’s how the rest of the SEC Red fared.

Skyline defeated Westland John Glenn, 38-14
Pioneer defeated Ypsilanti 34-13
Toledo St. Francis defeated Bedford, 41-27
Howell defeated Monroe, 28-14
Jackson defeated Huron, 40-7

A&H Lawn Service Three Stars

1. Josh Jackson – Jackson was the star of the show. But for an interception on the first drive, he was virtually flawless, hitting receivers along the sidelines, throwing on the run, completing TD passes as he’s getting hit. To top it all off, he was Saline’s leading rusher.
2. Jeb Palka – Could have gone with Stevie Kise here, too. Both receivers had monster games, two TD receptions and about 150 yards in receiving. Palka had 13 catches, including four for first downs.
3. John Raupp – DE kept the Rams off balance and came up two big third-down stops when the game was still close in the first quarter. Zachary Owings also had a great game on defense.

    

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• BASEBALL: Saline Rebounds to Split Doubleheader with Dexter Saline lost its first SEC Red game of the season against Dexter Monday but rebounded for a split to keep the Hornets atop the conference.