Despite injuries, Miller Cardinals down Rams in season opener, Dawgs fall to Indians

The Miller Cardinals football team is 1-0 for the first time since 2019 after defeating Hogan Prep Academy 14-12, Friday night.

Hogan received the opening kickoff but the drive stalled after the Cardinals defense forced the Hogan running back to cough up the ball and Connor Neeley recovered for the Cardinals. Miller was unable to capitalize as the Rams forced an interception on the ensuing drive. Miller would strike first with a 34-yard scamper from quarterback Nate Hill. However, it would get called back due to a holding penalty. All that would do is delay the inevitable as Hill powered into the end zone just a few plays later and the Cardinals took an 8-0 lead following a two-point conversion. The defense of the Cardinals held strong for the remainder of the quarter but suffered a major loss after Hill broke his ankle. Miller held an 8-0 lead after the first quarter.

The Cardinals struggled to get their offense rolling in the second quarter. Hogan blocked a Miller punt midway through the second quarter and capitalized with a two-yard run by their quarterback but failed their two-point conversion to cut the Miller lead 8-6 before halftime.

Defenses reigned supreme in the third quarter as neither team found the end zone and Miller took an 8-6 lead into the final quarter of the game.

Miller wasted little time getting on the board in the fourth quarter as backup quarterback Paul Nunez found an open Jarod Lung for a 15-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead 14-6 with nine minutes remaining. Hogan struck back on the ensuing kickoff as they found pay dirt with a 60-yard kickoff return. They failed on the two-point conversion and Miller led 14-12. Miller had a chance to put the game on ice and drove the ball to the Rams 30-yard line but was ultimately stopped on a 4th-and-5, giving the Rams one final chance. Hogan was driving the ball down the field to the Miller 40 with 35 seconds left when junior Jarod Lung jumped a Hogan route and came down with a game sealing interception as the Cardinals secured the 14-12 win.

“This is super great for the kids,” Miller head coach Derek Hill said following his first career win as a head coach. “They bought into what we are trying to do. We are trying to set a culture and teach them to win and to see them win on their own from the despair of the adversity that the football gods were throwing at us and they just kept dodging it. You know your quarterback goes out and is likely done for the year. Then you go to your backup center, then running back, then your backup quarterback. They dodged everything and found a way to win and it's just week one. It's a great feeling.”  

Adversity is without a doubt a word that described the game for the Cardinals as the extreme heat plagued both teams in a game where seemingly everyone was cramping at one point or another. This led the hero of the game junior Jarod Lung who is typically the go to wide receiver to taking snaps under center.

“I never pictured myself at quarterback but I’m glad that Paul (Nunez) is okay and I got a chance to catch the touchdown,” junior WR/DB Jarod Lung said following the win. “I had another shot to grab the game winning slant and missed it but thankfully we stepped up on defense. I know it's a big win. We haven't been 1-0 since the 2019 team and it was definitely a culture change. I really feel like we have a chance to win more games this year than we have in a long time.”

Miller improves to 1-0 following their win. Their season will continue this Friday when they travel to Stockton to take on a Tigers squad that nearly knocked off defending SWC champion Marionville in week one.
(Photo by Skylan Akins)
 
Dawgs fall to Indians in season opener
The Aurora Houn Dawgs opened their season in a 37-0 rout to 2022 Big 8 West champion Seneca, Friday night.

It wasn’t the opening night performance the Dawgs were looking for as Seneca star running back Jax Marrs and the rushing attack of the Indians proved to be too much. The Dawgs defense surrendered 292 yards on the ground. The offense of Aurora didn't fare much better as they hardly amassed 100 total yards. A bright spot was Evan Harwigsen who averaged nearly six yards per carry, that included a 13-yard burst and a 17-yard reception. Ethan Whitlock was a menace on defense totaling 12 total tackles including three for a loss.

The Dawgs open the 2023 campaign 0-1 but will have an opportunity to avenge the district loss from a year ago, as Cassville comes to town this Friday night.