ORANGEVILLE - Three big plays spelled the difference between Polo and Orangeville on Friday night, as the Marcos earned a hard-fought 12-8 victory on the Broncos' home field.
Polo running back Drew Cheathem opened the scoring, racing 58 yards up the middle on the third play from scrimmage for the Marcos, to put the visitors a touchdown ahead with just under five minutes gone in the first quarter. A two-point conversion attempt failed, and Orangeville faced a 6-0 deficit.
The Broncos came right back on the next series, taking over at mid-field after the kickoff, and pounding running back Riley Kubatzke on the first two plays for a first down. Senior fullback Steve Snider then appeared to reel off a 30-yard run deep into Polo territory, however, the third Orangeville penalty of the game, after just seven minutes of play, called Snider’s run back. That left the Broncos with a first down, and 25 yards to get another first down, on their own 45.
Quarterback Trace Hanson then tossed a sideline pass to junior Caleb Carr, who shook off several Polo defenders and raced to the one yard line to put Orangeville in scoring position. Two plays later Snider finished the work with the one-yard dive. Kubatzke added the two-point conversion with a power run through the line, and the Broncos grabbed the lead with just over two minutes left in the opening quarter, 8-6.
Neither team threatened in the second quarter.
The third quarter was marked by turnovers. Orangeville linebacker Ben Hulfachor recovered a Polo fumble at the 8:41 mark, putting the Broncos on the Marco 43.
On the next series, Snider opened with a 13 yard run, followed by a Hanson interception toss, picked off by Connor Lincoln, to give Polo the ball at its own 10. On the first play of its possession, Polo fumbled again, giving Orangeville the ball at the Marcos’ 10 yard line.
That’s when the Polo defense stiffened. Despite an encroachment penalty that moved the ball to the Marcos 5-yard line, Orangeville was unable to score on its series, and Polo took over on downs at its own four-yard line.
Cheathem struck again, bursting through the middle for 62-yard run to put the Marcos on the Orangeville 38. The Marcos kept driving until they faced a fourth down on the Orangeville 19-yard line. The Broncos managed to hold however, and took over on downs.
Polo got the ball back at the end of the third quarter at mid-field, still trailing, 8-6. Senior quarterback Matt Scholl opened the fourth quarter for the Marcos with a keeper play through the middle, racing 40 yards for the final score of the game at the 11:42 mark. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the score 12-8.
Good defense by both teams finished the game, and time ran out on Orangeville deep in their own territory when they failed to get a first down with just under a minute to play.
Polo improved to 2-1 on the season, and it was Orangeville’s first loss of the season, leaving them at 2-1. Polo will host West Carroll next Friday, and Orangeville will play at Stockton.
- Eric Petermann, journalstandard.com
