MLS Football vs. Bath

Football is back!!!

Sadly, there are no photos to this edition, as my laptop is infected by multiple pop-ups promising to clean up my computer.  I consider that highly-ironic, and highly-annoying.  My computer at church has no place to upload photos, and our home computer needs either to be scrubbed clean or to be replaced.  Isn't technology wonderful?

JV -- Bath 22 at MLS 8
Anyway, Michigan Lutheran Seminary had their first games of the year this previous week.  On Wednesday, August 27, the MLS JV took to the field against visiting Bath High School. (Bath is just northeast of Lansing.  Yeah, I had to look it up, too.)  This was Caleb's first game, and he did pretty well.  The last time Caleb put on pads and played football was in 3rd grade.  It is hard to say if that experience carried over to this game or not.  Anyway, Caleb started at safety and played only on defense.  He got in on some tackles, and he will improve as the season goes on, as well the many other freshmen who played.

Though Bath had only 3 people on their bench, their linemen outweighed ours by about 20 pounds a piece.  We had hoped that they would run out of gas in the 4th quarter and that we could make a comeback, but no such luck.  MLS fell to Bath 22-8.  The MLS players looked a bit timid in the first half, but seemed to warm up to the idea of hitting a little better in the second half.  They threatened to make it closer in the 4th quarter, but on 4th and goal, the refs blew an obvious pass interference call (that's not a hometown opinion; it was obvious) and the Cardinals turned the ball over on downs.  Then Bath ran out the clock.

Varsity -- MLS 47 at Bath 7
We drove to Bath for the varsity season opener.  It is safe to say that have high hopes for the MLS varsity this year, and we were not disappointed in their first game.  MLS scored 7 touchdowns, with 6 different players getting into the end zone.  For a recap from M-Live, you can click here.  For my own recap which tends to focus on my own kid, keep reading.

Andrew started at safety on defense and wide receiver on offense.  They threw to him a number of times.  M-Live said 5 receptions for 92 yards and one TD.  That sounds about right.  On defense, he had a decent game, but did give up a long pass when he got caught looking at the QB for too long.  Oh well, that gives him something to work on for future games.  And, as the final score testifies, it did not really hurt the outcome of the game.

MLS was holding an insurmountable lead in the 4th quarter, so the coaches decided to give the back up QB some reps.  As it turns out, that was Andrew.  I can't recall him throwing any passes, but who needed that?  Run the ball and run out the clock!  Andrew did have a decent run on one particular play where he was surprised by the shut-gun snap.  With the ball suddenly in his possession, he just looked for a hole up the middle and ran for close to 20 yards.  That's not how they drew that one up, but it worked out okay.

Next week is against Merrill.  JV will be on the road on Thursday; varsity will host on Friday.
Go, Cardinals!