Fremont-Mills dominates in 43-8 victory over Stanton

TABOR - Turnovers, any coach will tell you, often tell the tale of wins and losses in football.

The rule is simple: commit fewer turnovers than your opponent, your chances for winning considerable improve.

Fremont-Mills proved that rule true by forcing four first half turnovers – including three interceptions by Carter Jennings – and converting three into touchdowns and rolling to a 43-0 halftime lead in a 43-8 victory over Stanton in Eight-man football Friday.

“That’s pretty beneficial,” Fremont-Mills coach Jeremy Christiansen said of his team forcing four first half turnovers. “That’s what you hope to do. Anytime they turn it over, you have to take advantage of it.”

The Knights wasted little time jumping on the Vikings (1-1) after forcing a three-and-out and taking advantage of a shanked punt. Jaeger Powers capped a five play, 31-yard drive with five-yard touchdown scamper. Following the two-point conversion the Knights led 8-0 with 9:43 to go in the opening frame.

After trading possessions on the next two drives, the Knights took advantage of good field position at the Stanton 26. A Sam Phillips one-yard plunge four plays later and the subsequent two-point conversion put the Knights in control at 16-0.

The Vikings opened their ensuing drive determined to answer. A rare “center eligible” resulted in a 55-yard hook up between quarterback Connor Hultman center Austin Houston down to the Knight six-yard line. But there the Knight defense would stiffen and Jennings would snag the first of his three first half picks and race the length of the field for a pick-six.

On the very next play from scrimmage Jennings snagged another Hultman pass and return it to theViking 22. The Stanton defense would hold the Knights out of the endzone on a key fourth down stop but after failing to gain a first down of their own three plays offensively, a bobbled snap on a punt gave FM the ball right back at the Stanton eight. Phillips wouldn’t be denied this time, rumbling in from eight yards out to make the score 28-0 with just over six minutes remaining in the half.

Stanton once again responded with a big play – a 56 yard strike from Hultman to Drake Johnson – down to the Knights 15 but four snaps netted the Bluejays negative five-yards and set FM up at their own 10. Four plays later Mason Vanatta found Parker Powers on a 45-yard pitch and catch. A missed extra point made it 34-0.

But the Knights – and Jennings – weren’t done there.

Jennings stepped in front of another Hultman pass to set up the Knights at their own 30-yard line. A Vanatta to Powers dart from 10 yards out made it 40-0 with less than a minute to go before intermission.

On the very next play from scrimmage, Knight defensive lineman Nathen Hardesty snagged the defense’s fourth interception of the half on an impressive dive. Connor Alley’s 20-yard field goal two plays later competed the Knight scoring with a 43-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, Christiansen’s junior varsity took majority of the snaps.

Stanton was able to get on the board in the fourth quarter when corner Chris Jones picked off a pass by freshman QB Colton Hauschild and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown.

The Knights were keyed in defensively holding an offense scoreless for the second straight week. The Vikings recorded 166 total yards in the game but 111 yards came on just two plays and twice they turned away inside the Knights’ red zone without points.