Earlham Echo

September 17, 2024

Earlham is a ‘run-first’ team, to be sure. But that’s a little misleading. They’re also a ‘run-second’ and ‘run-third’ team. But in their 40-18 win over IKM-Manning last Friday, the Cardinals sent a message loud and clear that their passing game cannot be ignored. The Cardinals only attempted 11 passes, but Blake Reynolds connected on 9 of them for 189 yards and 3 touchdowns. ­­

Passing was part of the game plan against the Wolves, but the Cards also kept throwing just because it was working.

“It seems like in a lot of our games, the other team tries to take away (running back Caleb) Smith,” said Coach Caskey. “So we were trying to use him as a decoy.  It worked out that they bit really hard on that. It opened up some lanes and we were able to hit them.”

Teams should be concerned about Smith. He’s 3^rd in Class A in rushing yards this season. But for a ‘decoy,’ he still had a pretty good night. On only 12 carries, Smith ran for 213 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 67-yard gallop for six points early in the 3^rd quarter didn’t exactly seal the deal, but it broke open a close game, boosted the Cardinals’ confidence, and set the tone for the rest of the game.

“We needed that run to reassure us that we were still better than these guys,” said Coach Caskey. “Because I think there were a lot of doubts after last week’s game. And when IKM fought us pretty hard in the first half, I think there were still doubts. But when we were able to do (the long TD run), I think offensively we knew we could move the ball. Defensively, we needed to find ways to stop them, and it took us until the second half to figure it out.”

The Wolves got on the scoreboard first. After recovering Earlham’s onside kick, they drove 50 yards in 10 plays in a little over 4 minutes, scoring on an 8-yard run. They missed the PAT.

After a short kickoff and short return, the Cardinals took over at their own 35-yard line. The ‘run-first’ Cards probably surprised the Wolves by opening their first possession with an empty backfield and 4 wide receivers to the right. Reynolds threw a quick screen to Josh Winey, who picked up 9 yards behind some good blocking. After an IKM penalty and 3 Cardinal running plays, they had the ball on the Wolves’ 38. On the next play, Smith went in motion behind Reynolds to the right and Reynolds pitched it to him. Two Wolves’ defenders held the edge well, so Smith cut up field, broke a tackle at the 33, stiff armed a defender at the 27, and ran into the end zone for a TD. The Cards’ 2-point conversion failed, so the score remained tied at 6 with 4:55 to go in the 1^st quarter.

IKM recovered the Cards’ onside kick on their 49. They scored again in just over 3 minutes. Their 7-play drive was highlighted by a 29-yard pass play and capped with a 1-yard TD run for a 12-6 lead. Their PAT failed.

IKM obviously watched the tape of Earlham’s long kick returns against ACGC in week 2, so their plan was to kick short and to a sideline. The strategy was effective again on their next kickoff. After a short return, the Cards started at their own 29. After a run by Canoyer, a pass to Canoyer, and 2 runs by Smith, Earlham had a 1^st down on the Wolves’ 49. Reynolds faked a handoff to Smith and rolled to his left. As the play developed, he had 3 receivers open; short, medium, and deep. He threw the ball to the guy in the middle, Canoyer, who hauled in the pass at the 32. Jaxen Speedling leveled the only IKM defender that had a chance for a tackle at the 29, and Canoyer ran untouched into the end zone. Hank Terrell kicked the PAT and the Cards led, 13-12, with 11:20 to go in the 2^nd quarter.

After the teams exchanged punts, Klayton Wolken recovered an IKM fumble at midfield with 2:37 to go in the half. Three plays later on 4^th down, Reynolds rolled to his left again looking to pass. His receivers were covered, so he dashed to the 40 yard line, getting just enough for a 1^st down. On the next play, Reynolds completed a quick out to Winey at the 37. Winey broke a tackle at the 30 and dashed down the sideline. He juked two tacklers at the 20 with a wicked stutter step. He was nearly tripped up at the 15, but he regained his balance and ran for the score with 55 seconds left in the half. Terrell’s PAT was good, and the Cards led at halftime, 20-12.

IKM opened the 2^nd half with another well-placed short kick, and the Cards took over at their own 33. On the first play of the drive, Smith took a handoff wide right and followed a wave of Cardinal blockers, who annihilated everybody in a white jersey. Smith picked his way through the carnage and ran into the clear at the 40, sprinting the remaining 60 yards all by himself. Terrell’s PAT was good, and the Cards led, 27-20, with just 18 seconds off the clock in the 2^nd half.

The Cardinal defense got another stop, and the offense took over on their own 34. The Cards got one 1^st down, then converted on a 3^rd and 3 when Smith ran 19 yards to the IKM 26. After a delay of game on the Cards, they struck again with a well-designed pass play. (The same one Canoyer scored on earlier). Reynolds rolled to his right again, but this time threw a laser into the end zone to his deep receiver. Winey leaped and made an acrobatic catch over a defender for the touchdown. The Cards led, 34-12, after Terrell’s PAT at the 4:44 mark of the 3^rd.

The Wolves answered with an 11-play, 59-yard touchdown drive, scoring on a short run with 9 seconds left in the quarter. Smith blocked the PAT, and the Cards led, 34-18.

IKM’s kickoff bounced down the middle of the field this time. Smith grabbed it at the 25 and ran all the way to the IKM 41. Two plays later, the Cards ran the ‘sweep right’ again and Smith cruised 29 yards for another touchdown. The PAT was no good. The Cards led, 40-18, with 10:34 left in the 4^th quarter.

On the next play from scrimmage, Winey capped his excellent night by intercepting a long pass at the Cardinal 30 and returning it into IKM territory.

Neither team scored again. The Cards took the opportunity to play some subs late in the game.

Winey caught 4 passes for 80 yards and 2 TDs. Canoyer caught 2 for 57 yards and a touchdown. Smith had 2 receptions for 43 yards. Canoyer led both teams with 10 tackles.  

Next up for the Cards (2-1) is Southwest Valley (1-2) in Corning on Friday. The Timberwolves have a win over Red Oak and losses to South Central Calhoun and Grand View Christian.

(Special contributor to this story: Quinn Weber).