CMB, PCM enter rivalry game on two different ends
BAXTER — Before East Marshall could blink Friday, Collins-Maxwell-Baxter grabbed control of their district game and never looked back.
Senior quarterback Dan Samson scored three quick touchdowns to put CMB up 20-0 in the opening quarter, and the Raiders moved into their Class 2A, District 7 showdown with rival PCM undefeated after knocking off East Marshall (1-2, 0-1) at home, 41-6.
“It was the best game of the year for us so far,” CMB coach Rob Luther said.
Samson connected with Ethan Schmidt from 50 yards out on the second play of the game to give CMB (3-0, 1-0) the early advantage. Samson then returned a fumble 47 yards on East Marshall’s first possession to put the Raiders up two scores and then a 40-yard run by Samson made it 20-0 early.
Samson added another short touchdown run later in the game, and CMB also got a touchdown run by Schmidt in the second half and another score on an option pass from Parker Murphy to Dylan Hansen.
The Raiders led 34-0 at halftime. Samson ran 10 times for 80 yards and threw for 107. Murphy gained 50 yards on eight carries.
“It’s nice to be 3-0, but the next three games is the gauntlet for us,” Luther said. “We have to get better in a hurry.”
The gauntlet for CMB includes road games with PCM and West Marshall the next two Fridays and a home meeting with Bondurant-Farrar.
PCM falls behind in third, loses 38-14
STATE CENTER — PCM head coach Dar Dahms found his special teams to not be particularly special Friday night against West Marshall.
PCM and West Marshall were tied 14-14 at halftime of the Class 2A, District 7 contest, but the home Trojans pulled away in the second half to win 38-14.
“We did not tackle very well,” Dahms lamented. “I really thought that if we tackled better, we could have been up 14-0 at half. Special teams in particular didn’t tackle very well.
“We set them up well constantly,” Dahms added. “They were always working with a short field. We made it easy for them to score touchdowns on us, because we weren’t making tackles.”
After West Marshall (2-1, 1-0) took a 7-0 first quarter lead, PCM (2-1, 0-1) came back as quarterback Wes Van Wyngarden scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 4:23 left in the quarter to make it 7-6.
Van Wyngarden connected with Josh Fosenburg on a 54-yard touchdown pass with 9:36 left in the second quarter to put the Mustangs up 14-7. The Trojans later tied it at 14.
“From halftime until four minutes left in the game, we only had 10 offensive plays,” Dahms said. “We fumbled twice and had an interception. We didn’t have the ball much in the second half.”
Special teams issues surprised Dahms.
“I was real shocked how our special teams was struggling,” he said. “We knew which way they were going to go on the kicks. The kids just didn’t get down here and get the job done.”
Van Wyngarden was 5-for-12 for 125 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Fosenburg led the receiving with two catches for 82 yards, while Joe Gilson led the PCM rushing attack with 54 yards.
The loss overshadowed a strong defensive effort by Kyle Kane. Kane had 17 tackles, 12 of which were solo.
PCM has a big game this week, hosting CMB Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Monroe.
L-S falls at home to SE Warren, 18-6
SULLY — Southeast Warren senior Skylar Thornton was too much for Lynnville-Sully Friday night, leading the Warhawks to an 18-6 Class A, District 7 victory.
Thornton rushed for 221 yards and three touchdowns on the night. After the Hawks (1-2, 0-1) scored with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Josh Van Wyk to Shane Jansen with 8:46 left in the second quarter to make it 6-0, Thornton took over.
The first touchdown by Thornton led to a 6-6 tie at the half. Thornton scored once each in the third and fourth quarters as well.
“He was definitely a hard runner,” L-S coach John Kramer said. “He was hard to bring down. He did a good job controlling the ball and the tempo.”
Southeast Warren (1-2, 1-0) outgained the Hawks on the ground (289-27) and in total yardage (330-94).
L-S looks to rebound Friday when the Hawks play at Martensdale-St. Marys (0-3, 0-1) at 7 p.m.
