10-30-2010

Friday, October 21, 2011,  50 degrees, Class 5A, Sectional 1 Quarterfinal in MUNSTER, IN

1st Qtr: CROWN POINT (7-0) Zach Plesac, 17-yard pass (7th TD reception) from Jake Jatis (1st TD pass). 77-yard drive, 11 plays. 3:44 min. Time of Possession (TOP) Brett Bayer kick. 8:09 left.
2nd Qtr: MUNSTER (3-7) Colin Mudroncik, 23-yard field goal. 4 plays after Christian Leonakis recovered a CP fumble at the CP 9-yard line. 0:49.7 left.
3rd Qtr: CROWN POINT (14-3) Pete Parks, 1-yard run (4th TD). 28-yard drive, 6 plays following Austin Stanley interception. 2:50 min. TOP. Bayer kick. 4:47 left.
CROWN POINT (21-3) Tyler Kral, 12-yard pass (2nd TD reception) from Jatis (2nd TD pass). 17-yard drive, 3 plays following Tyler Smith's 43-yard punt return. 0:52 min. TOP.  Bayer kick. 1:28 left.
MUNSTER (10-21) Nick Brajak, 76-yard run. 76-yard drive, 2 plays. 0:52 min. TOP. Colin Mudroncik kick. 0:27.9 min left.
4th Qtr: No scoring.
 

GAME STATISTICS

RUSHING:
CROWN POINT (35 carries, 129 yards 2 fumbles, TD) Tristan Peterson (TB) 27-106 yards; Joe Hopman (QB) 1-0 yards; Pete Parks (FB) 3-8 yards, TD; Tyler Wells (WR) 2-12 yards; Jake Jatis (QB) 2-3 yards.
 

MUNSTER (25 carries, 141 yards, TD) Trace McCarthy (QB) 4-(-4) yards; Colin Mudroncik (QB) 6-24 yards; Christian Leonakis (FB) 9-35 yards;

Nick Brajack (HB) 3-79 yards; Chimez Okolocha (FB) 3-7 yards.

PASSING:

CROWN POINT: Joe Hopman (QB) 1-1, 20 yards; Jake Jatis (QB) 2-6, 29 yards, 2 TDs. 

MUNSTER: Trace McCarthy (QB) 4-8, 26 yards, 2 interceptions.

RECEIVING:

CROWN POINT: Zach Plesac (WR) 2-37 yards, TD; Tyler Kral (TE) 1-12 yards, TD.

MUNSTER: Nick Brajak (WR) 4-16 yards, TD; Oliver Sutter (WR) 1-11 yards.

PENALTIES:
CROWN POINT: 2-15 yards; MUNSTER: 6-55 yards.

TOTAL YARDS:

CROWN POINT: 178 yards; 18 first downs, 2 turnovers;

MUNSTER: 167 yards, 9 first downs, 4 turnovers.
 

MUNSTER, IN (10-21-2011) Crown Point was heavily favored coming into this sectional quarterfinal game at Munster, due in part to a balanced offensive attack led by three year starting quarterback Joe Hopman (81-153, 1150 yards, 12 TDs, 4 INT). Hopman started his team's opening drive, completing one pass to Zach Plesac for 20 yards and a first down. But he was injured on his first carry of the night and did not return to the game after suffering an unconfirmed broken collarbone. Sophomore quarterback Jake Jatis came in to finish the opening 11-play, 77 yard scoring drive by tossing a 17-yard pass to Plesac for a 7-0 lead and CP went on to win 21-10.

Crown Point returns home this week to host the Valparaiso Vikings (5-5) in the Class 5A, Sectional 1 semifinal, who defeated Portage 28-17 at Valparaiso on Oct. 21.

The Bulldogs had some problems adjusting to the new quarterback, as they fumbled the ball three times on exchanges to the running back, losing two of them to the Mustangs. But Munster's three-year starter at quarterback, Mark Strbjak (6-4, 195) has been experiencing some back problems in recent weeks and he was held out of most of the game. That left Trace McCarthy and Colin Mudroncik to share the quarterbacking duties for the Mustangs.

Crown Point relied on the running of sophomore tailback Tristan Peterson, who had 27 carries for 106 yards, along with a solid defense that held Munster's running game in check, with the exception of a late third quarter breakaway run by Nick Brajack for 76 yards and the Mustang's only touchdown of the night.

The Bulldogs stingy defense thwarted an early Munster scoring opportunity when Logan McRae intercepted his fourth interception of the season at the CP 3-yard line. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, a fumble on their next play from scrimmage set up a Munster 23-yard field goal by Colin Mudroncik 10 seconds into the 2nd quarter. That was it for the scoring in the first half, with the Bulldogs leading 7-3.

In the third quarter, Crown Point's Austin Stanley picked off a Trace McCarthy pass to set up the Bulldogs at the Munster 28-yard line. Pete Parks punched the ball in from the one yard line six plays later to give Crown Point a 10-3 lead with 4:47 left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs defense then held Munster to three downs and a punt, which was then returned 43-yards by Tyler Smith to set up the Bulldogs offense at the Munster 27. A late hit out of bounds on Smith by a Mustang defender led to a 10-yard penalty and CP first down at the Munster 17 yard line. Three plays later Jatis hit Tyler Wells in the right corner of the end zone for a 21-3 lead and it appeared CP was in full control with 1:28 left in the third.

Munster rallied, albeit briefly, on an exciting 76-yard touchdown run in front of the Munster home sidelines on the second play fof the Mustangs next series, and Mudroncik's point after kick made it 21-10 with 28 seconds left in the third quarter, a score that would hold up as the final. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.

SECTIONAL NOTES: Crown Point senior halfback Jake Lindeman (93 carries, 384 yards, 4 TDs) did not play at Munster and it is unknown if he will be back in action this post-season. Sophomore Tristan Peterson (5-11, 160) has been filling in at tailback since Lindeman's injury several weeks ago and he has been a workhorse for CP's ground game, with more than 20 carries per game the last several games.

Sophomore Jake Jatis (6-4, 195) was only 2 of 7 passing for 29 yards this season prior to the Munster sectional game. Friday night he was not spectacular, but he did complete two of six passes for 29 yards and he has his first two touchdown passes of his varsity career. He also has not thrown any interceptions while playing on the varsity. With veteran receivers like Tyler Wells (5-9, 160), Zach Plesac (6-1, 175) and basketball player Braxton Rice (6-6, 170) at wide receiver and all purpose men like Tyler Kral (TE) and Pete Parks (H-back) also capable of catching passes, Jatis has plenty of seasoned targets to throw to in the upcoming Valparaiso game.

In the earlier meeting between Valparaiso and Crown Point, Valpo won 21-14 after taking a 21-0 first half lead. Many at Crown Point feel the Bulldogs should have won after scoring 14 points in the second half, but two scoring opportunities in the second half came up empty, allowing the Vikings to go home with the win.

If Crown Point beats Valparaiso this Friday, the Bulldogs would face the winner this week's Chesterton at Merrillville game.  Crown Point would play at either Merrillville or at Chesterton, depending on which team advances.

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Revised: October 23, 2011 .