MLS Football vs. Breckenridge (JV)

The Michigan Lutheran Seminary JV Cardinals played host to the Huskies of Breckenridge on Thursday night.  It began as a dark, overcast game, then cleared up for a while.  Then there was a lightning delay for at least an hour, though the lightning stayed well north of us.  When play resumed at 8:09 PM, the winds picked up in the 3rd quarter with MLS staring right into it.  The winds calmed down for the 4th quarter, but the temperature was noticably chillier than at kickoff.  And if that weren't enough, the game ended up being way more exciting than the weather.

Breckenridge took the opening kickoff and drove the ball right down the field for the quick 8-0 lead.  MLS responded with a long TD pass, catch, and run by Adam Arrowsmith to Caleb, but we missed the PAT, leaving the score 8-6.  The MLS defense stiffed up, forcing Breckenridge to punt and/or turn the ball over on downs for the remainder of the half, except for one score.  MLS, meanwhile, had great success moving the ball.  Going into halftime, MLS had a comfortable 34-16 lead.  One of those TD's was another Caleb catch in the end zone.  In addition, Flin Breland (sp?) hauled in a catch and ran it almost into the end zone.  Unfortunately, he fumbled.  Fortunately, MLS had another receiver in the area.  Unfortunately, Breckenridge had two defenders there as well.  Fortunately, the MLS receiver moved in quickly.  Unfortunately, the Breckenridge defenders were closer and appeared to get on the ball.  Fortunately, the MLS receiver slid into the pile and scooped up the ball for the MLS TD.  That receiver was Caleb.  Woot!  Woot!

With the game looking like a blow out, we were hoping that everyone would just decided the extended lightning delay would be reason enough to call the game at halftime.  The Breckenridge coaches were eager to get back to the field, however, so we waited it out.  The lightning in the distance subsided, and play resumed in the 3rd quarter.

Breckenridge came out of the locker room fired up and played very hard in the 3rd quarter.  MLS looked like the game had been called at halftime, lacking the intensity that Breckenridge had.  Perhaps their minds were already on their study halls.  It was not until a controversial call early in the 4th quarter on a fair catch, resulting in Breckenridge getting the ball after they hit the receiver (fair catch, remember?), that the fires began to get stoked again for the MLS team.  After giving up three TD's in the 3rd quarter, the MLS defense began to play with intensity again.

By the end of the 4th quarter, MLS was holding on to a 41-40 lead with Breckenridge driving the ball.  Since Breckenridge had broken a number of plays for long TDs, this game was by no means over.  With the clock running out, Breckenridge thew a deep ball on a roll out right.  Caleb made a sliding interception on the sideline to seal the victory for the JV Cardinals.  Final score, 41-40.

Photos:

At the beginning of the game -- rain clouds in the east; sunset in the west.

TD saving tackle to begin the game.

Caleb had two interceptions in the game.  This one was in the 2nd quarter.

Return for yardage after the interception.

Caleb's second TD catch, 2nd quarter action.

3rd quarter, Caleb makes a hit/tackle on a Huskie reception that resulted in a fumble.
(You can see the ball by the Breckenridge receiver's helmet.)  MLS recovers.