By Adam Mertz August 25, 2001
Just as Northwestern terrorized defensive coordinators throughout the Big Ten Conference with its spread offense last year, Madison East appears to have the makings of a wide-open attack that will bewilder prep football foes this season.
Behind the playmaking of tailback-turned-quarterback Aaron Evans-Jackson and a suddenly stingy defense, the Purgolders pushed perennial Big Eight Conference power Middleton to the edge in the season opener for both teams, controlling play for much of the second half.
So give the Cardinals due credit for pulling out a 19-6 victory Friday evening at rain-soaked Warner Park. This is not the same East program which stumbled to just three wins over the last two seasons.
"They're definitely improved, and will be better than usual," Middleton senior defensive back Dan Morris said. "They're a really good team this year."
But not quite good enough on this night to trump the savvy Cardinals, who made up for a rough offensive showing under first-year quarterback Boone Block by employing a bend, bend and bend again defense that never quite broke.
They staged a key goal-line stand against Evans-Johnson as time expired in the first half and generated all of their points off three of East's five turnovers.
The most important of those transactions was Morris' 94-yard interception return with 6 minutes, 38 seconds remaining in the game, just as the Purgolders were poised to punch in the tying score after getting great field position when Middleton muffed a punt snap.
"By the end of the game, someone needed to step up and make a play, and Dan did," Cardinals coach Kurt Gundlach said.
Morris, playing single-coverage on East's Erik Meyer in the left slot against a four-wide formation, had noticed a tendency toward hooks and slants in short-yardage situation. He committed all the way and stepped in front of a ball which Evans-Jackson slightly underthrew.
"I was creeping up, because I read him well," he said. "I got a very good break, and it was off to the races."
East coach Dennis Hill said Evans-Jackson checked to the wrong receiver, but expunged him of responsibility for the defeat.
"We love him to death. He realized his mistake. He knew right away what he did," Hill said of his first-year quarterback, who was 8-of-22 for 69 yards but completed just 2 of his final 13 passes and threw three interceptions. "The biggest thing is it's correctable. We'll make sure we do it right next week."
Both quarterbacks got off to auspicious starts in their respective debuts.
Evans-Jackson threw an interception on his initial attempt and fumbled later in the quarter in East territory. The turnovers led to touchdown runs of 2 and 24 yards by Middleton senior back Kyle Brodd (27 carries, 118 yards).
Block also was picked off on his first attempt, with East's Marcus Crowder outdueling Lukas Meier in the end zone. He completed his only pass in the third quarter as the Cardinals shifted almost exclusively to the run, and managed just 38 yards of total offense after halftime. Two plays will haunt East.
Trailing, 13-6, the Purgolders marched 16 plays from their own 20 to the Middleton 2 and faced second down-and-goal with 2 seconds left in the first half. Evans-Jackson started right on a keeper, cut back into space but was stopped six inches short of the goal line as time expired.
Then, late in the third quarter, Evans-Jackson found Crowder behind the defense for what would have been a 43-yard tying touchdown, but the ball slipped through Crowder's hands.
"It was that kind of a night. We just came up short," Hill said. "But I think our spirits are good, and the kids will deal well with this."
Middleton13006 - 19
Madison East0600 - 6
Middleton - Brodd 2 run (kick failed)
Middleton - Brodd 24 run (Morris kick)
Madison East - McCurty 2 run (kick blocked)
Middleton - Morris 94 interception return (kick failed) TEAM STATISTICS
First downs - M 12, ME 5. Rushing (Att.-Yds.) - M 34-156, ME 32-133. Passing yards - M 18, ME 97. Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) - M 1-3-1, ME 9-23-3. Fumbles-lost - M 1-1, ME 2-1. Penalties-yards - Not available.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: M - Brodd 27-118; ME - McCurty 21-136. Passing: M - Block 1-3-1, 18; ME - Evans-Jackson 8-22-3, 69. Receiving: M - Bliss 1-18; ME - Crowder 5-60.