MHS Football Team Plays Unusual Game

The MHS football team traveled to Madison Friday, August 25, for the opening game of their season. Everything began in the usual fashion: the fans lined the bleachers, the teams took the field, and the Star Spangled Banner was sung.

In the first quarter, Madison scored a touchdown on a 70-yard pass from quarterback Josh Giles to Jadon Janke. The extra-point kick failed. Later in the quarter, Giles scrambled into the end zone from 11 yards out for the score. Madison attempted a two-point conversion, but was again denied. They held a 12-0 advantage.

Then, with only 37 seconds remaining in the quarter, a severe thunderstorm struck the area. Play was suspended. The Bulldogs got on the bus and headed home. On Monday, August 28, the Bulldogs got back on the bus and drove to Madison.

In the second attempt to complete the game, Milbank got out to a quick start and provided a spark for the Bulldog Fans. The Dawgs outscored Madison in the second quarter to keep things interesting. Senior quarterback Jonny Ash pushed the ball over the goal line from one yard out to cut the deficit to 12-6. His extra point kick failed. Madison answered with a six-yard TD run to widen the gap to 19-6, but Milbank also added another touchdown to the scoreboard. Ash found sophomore Max McCulloch open from 14 yards for the score. A failed two-point conversion resulted, but Milbank pulled to within seven points at 19-12 to end the period.

Madison stepped up its efforts in the third quarter. They found the end zone on a 41-yard TD pass, and hit another 25-yard touchdown, to break the game open at 32-12.
Milbank’s quarterback, Ash, was then injured and carried off the field on a backboard to an ambulance.

Neither team added additional points in the fourth quarter. Milbank fell 32-12. Bulldog Head Coach Jeremy Tostenson said, “We have some things to correct, but the effort was there.”

Ash finished the game with 164 yards on 10-18 passing, one touchdown, and one interception. On the ground, he added another TD with 12 yards rushing on nine carries. Junior Jake Sandvig came in for Ash and added 22 yards on 3-6 passing.

Junior Jake Karges carried the ball 15 times for 89 yards rushing. In the air, senior Derrick Aho led the team with 95 yards on six receptions; senior Mitch Quade had two catches for 46 yards. Other offensive totals included: McCulloch, 15 yards on two receptions and a TD; Riley Gauer, one catch for 14 yards; and Cole Dockter, one catch for 9 yards.

For the defense, Karges led the team with 11 tackles. Quade followed with eight, and senior Tanner Kettwig had six. Tackles also included: Aho, five; Dockter, four; McCulloch and James Weber, three; Ash, two; and Gauer, Jake Fox, Alec Bien, Ethan Paysen, Jordan Riley, and Chandler Peery, one each.

Milbank hosts Redfield-Doland Friday, September 1, at AB Campbell Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Senior quarterback Jonny Ash injured during the Madison game.