Elm Creek uses big 4th quarter to turn back Cambridge 36-12.

Cambridge QB Tyler Witte surveys the Elm Creek defense.

Elm Creek uses big 4th quarter to turn back Cambridge 36-12.

By Bobby Mills (1000 Yard Guy)

After fighting to a 6-6 halftime draw, Elm Creek turned to its defense in the 4th quarter to pull away from a hard hitting Cambridge team 36-12 in an opening round Class D-1 playoff matchup.

The Buffaloes recovered two forced two Cambridge fumbles and picked off a pass in that final stanza, all three eventually resulting in touchdowns by the Elm Creek offense.

Elm Creek head coach Jayce Dueland called it the the most physical game, by far, that his team has been involved all year. An attestment to that is the 6-6 deadlock at halftime, a little unusual for an 8-Man football game.

The defenses were stingy, the pads were popping, and you knew things were going to be physical when Elm Creek DE LeShaun Thornabar smacked 1,400 yard rusher Taten Benson of the 4th play of the game, then merely took the ball out of the splendid Trojan running back's hands and rumbled 30 yards downfield.

Elm Creek did not score on the ensuing drive, but did knock one in when swivel-hipped junior, Devon Walker danced his way 16 yards for a touchdown with 2:16 left in the opening quarter.

Cambridge scored their lone 1st half score when Benson smashed over Elm Creek defenders for a 4 yard TD with just 1:34 left in the 2nd stanza. The sensational Taten Benson was already over the 100 yard rushing mark at the half (101 yards)

Elm Creek head coach Jayce Dueland hadn't even put his headset on to begin the 3rd quarter when sophomore Preston Walker bobbled the 2nd half kick-off, froze the Cambridge defense, then skirted 63 yards down the Elm Creek sideline for a touchdown.

Thornabar added the double PAT and the Buffaloes had a 14-6 lead with only 5 ticks gone off the clock in the 2nd half.

Cambridge, apparently unphased by the kick return, answered right back with a 10 play, 4 minute, 5 second drive, culminating with a one yard touchdown run by Benson. The PAT run failed and Elm Creek still had a 14-12 lead, but Taten Benson had already compiled 155 yards on 29 touches for the 4-4 Trojans.

The came the sparking 4th quarter performance by the opportunistic, hard crunching Elm Creek "D".

Ironically, it all began when Elm Creek lost a fumble on the Cambridge 6 yard line to begin the 4th stanza. But it took only 2 plays to get the football back in the hands of the Buffaloes.

Brock Miner, who had been injured and out for a couple of games, came in and absolutely crushed Taten Benson, stripping the ball. Miner then pounced on the loose football at the Cambridge 9 yard line.

Devon Walker carried to the 4 yard line on the next play, then swept into the end zone on the next play from 4 yards out. Brock Miner put icing on his fumble recovery on the ensuing PAT by making a spectacular one handed grab for the double extra point.

The very next Cambridge possession, LeShaun Thornabar forced and recovered his 2nd fumble of the game at the Trojan 37 yard line. Four plays later, Elm Creek surprised the Cambridge defense with a 27 yard TD pass from QB Dillon Gillming to 6-5, 200 pound senior, Nolan Meier.

That made the count, 30-12 with 6:20 left in the game and Big Mo had definitely been seized for good by Elm Creek.

The home team Buffaloes would put another score on the board after junior Anthony Quintana pirated a Tyler Witte pass on the 1st play of the ensuing Cambridge possession.

Beginning at their own 36 yard line, Elm Creek salted away the first round playoff game with a killing 9 play, 5:22 drive that ended with a 1 yard scoring run by Devon Walker, his 3rd TD of the evening.

Want a shocking statistic? Cambridge running back Taten Benson outgained the entire Elm Creek total offense figure by 40 yards. You read that correctly.

Benson ended the night with 229 yards rushing on a massive 44 carries. Elm Creek's passing game produced only 55 yards on Gillming's 3 of 6 passing, while the running game could go for only 134 yards.

The Buffaloes could muster only 189 yards total offense, yet won the football game going away. It's called opportunistic defense, great field position, and top notch special teams play folks.

Devon Walker did lead the Elm Creek rushing game with 65 yards on 19 totes, but those yards produced three TDs. Leshaun Thornabar chipped in 55 yards on 12 carries.

Elm Creek moves into the 2nd round of the playoffs at 9-0 and will host Medicine Valley, who turned away a determined Kenesaw team, 29-20. The game will be next Wednesday, November 2nd.

Cambridge closes their season with a 4-5 record.

.................................1........2........3........4..........F

(4-5) Cambridge.....0........6........6........0........12

(9-0) Elm Creek.......6.......0........8........21.......36

1st Quarter:

EC - Devon Walker 16 Run.........................(pass failed)...........................6-0

2nd Quarter:

C - Taten Benson 4 Run..............................(pass failed)............................6-6

3rd Quarter:

EC - Preston Walker 83 Kick Return..........(Thornabar run).....................14-6

4th Quarter:

EC - Devon Walker 4 Run...........................(Miner pass from Gillming)....22-12

EC - Nolan Meier 27 pass from Gillming..(Thornabar run).....................30-12

EC - Devon Walker 1 Run...........................(pass failed)............................36-12