Cardinals never give up in Homecoming loss
The Staples-Motley football team played their best game of the season against the toughest team on their schedule, coming close to upsetting Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton before falling one touchdown short in a 34-26 loss. This was the Cardinal Homecoming game on Oct. 2.
The Cardinals kept their opponents off balance with quarterback Cooper Tappe completing passes all over the field and mixing up effective running plays with Beau Carlson and Cayden Niesen.
The Staples-Motley defense allowed some big plays early in the game but learned how to shut down the DGF attack by the end of the game.
Tappe scored a touchdown on a keeper play late in the fourth quarter to get within eight points, but the team never got another chance to pull even after DGF converted on a fourth down play and were able to run out the clock.
DGF came into the game as a top ten team in Class AAA, the class with larger schools than the Class AA Staples-Motley team, which had a record of 1-3.
The game started poorly, with the Cardinals fumbling the ball away on their first possession. DGF ran the ball several times before getting into the end zone, but the Cardinal defense made a stop on the extra point.
Tappe got back to work picking apart the defense and after more first downs, he found Niesen behind the defense for a long touchdown pass. Niesen kicked the extra point for a 7-6 lead. DGF scored quickly again with a big run and again were stopped on the extra point to make the score 7-12 after the first quarter.
Staples-Motley made aother nice drive to the 30 yard line, but were stopped on fourth down. DGF scored quickly again to make it 7-20.
After another first down, the Cardinals had to punt. Russell Milton pinned them back at the five yard line with a great punt. The defense started to show signs of stopping DGF when Owen Roline punched the ball out while making a tackle and Ayden Blue fell on it for a turnover. Unfortunately, they gave it right back with an interception.
Late in the half, DGF started passing down the field until Niesen leaped over a receiver for an interception. The half ended with Staples-Motley down 7-20.
The second half started with Zach Tabatt plugging up the inside and preventing DGF from getting long runs. Linebackers Tristan Moore and Adrian Caldwell were able to fill the other gaps for tackles and DGF was forced to punt for the first time in the game.
The Cardinals gave it back right away with a fumble and DGF made another touchdown for a 7-26 score.
It looked like the game was getting our of reach, but Staples-Motley wouldn’t give up and started another scoring drive. On 4th and 1 at the DGF 40 yard line, Carlson ran around the left side and outran everyone to the end zone to make the score 14-26.
After DGF scored on a long pass to go up 14-34 to start the fourth quarter, the game turned around for good. Passes to Evan Schultz and Carlson, a draw play to Carlson and three runs by Niesen brought the ball down to the two yard line. Carlson took it in for the touchdown, narrowing the lead to 20-34.
Schultz, Tabatt and Caldwell made stops to force DGF into a three-and-out punt, then Carlson made a nice return to the 37 yard line. Tappe passed to Niesen and two more runs by Niesen brought it to the one yard line, where Tappe scored on a keeper play to make the score 26-34.
In the final minute, Moore, Caldwell and Schultz stopped DGF on third down to set up a punting situation, but DGF faked the punt and ran for a first down to end the game.
