Crown Point rallies in 4th Qtr for 31-21 win at Portage

A USA-365.com report by Dave Woodworth

9-17-2005

Friday, Sept. 16, 2005,  67 degrees, DAC at Portage

1st Qtr:  CP (7-0) Ryan Forney, 70-yard run (1st TD). Brad Mallers kick. 10:59 left.

CP (14-0) Jordan Rhye 30-yard Interception return (1st TD). Mallers kick. 9:43 left.

2nd Qtr:  PORTAGE (6-14) Shane Dixon 13-yard pass from Erik Rhein. Kick blocked. 11:54 left.

Portage (14-14) Nate Milligan 8-yard run. Rhein pass from Milligan for 2-pt conversion. 7:51 left.

CP (17-14) Donny Keiser 30-yard FG. 1:06 left.
3rd Qtr:  PORTAGE (21-17) Billy Doll 13-yard pass from Rhein. Vance Johnston kick. 8:09 left.
4th Qtr:  CP (24-21) Donny Keiser, 1-yard run (4th TD). Mallers kick. 4:53 left.

CP (31-21) Jon Sertich, 42-yard run (3rd TD). Mallers kick 0:46 left.

TOTAL YARDS: 

CROWN POINT (253), LC (299)

RUSHING:  

CP - 199 yards, 3 TDs, 1 fumble lost

Portage – 100 yards, 1 TD, 1 fumble, 0 lost

PASSING: 

Blake Mascarello (CP) 3-5, 63 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

LC – Jason Goins (LC) 2-3, 14 yards

Erik Rhein (P) 13-21, 199 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

PENALTIES:

CP: 3, 40-yds; Portage 1, 9-yds

TURNOVERS: 

CROWN POINT (1), PORTAGE (2)

PORTAGE (9-16-2005) - The Crown Point Bulldogs rode into Portage with an undefeated record and three-game shutout streak, and as expected, the Portage Indians defended their Warpath with a three touchdown performance.  

Class 5A No. 6 (Associated Press) Crown Point survived the test of falling behind for the first time this year, and managed to come back from a 21-17 third quarter deficit with two 4th quarter touchdowns to extend their unbeaten streak to five games with a 31-21 win over Portage.  CP (5-0, 3-0) stays tied with LaPorte (5-0, 3-0), a 35-7 victor over Lake Central Friday, for first place in the DAC, a league Crown Point has never won.  CP had been 0-9 against Portage in the past seven years.

Crown Point was first to score in this game, with Ryan Forney, the wide receiver usually in motion at the snap of the ball, took the hand-off from Blake Mascarello and cut inside the center of the line and outraced 11 Portage defenders 70-yards to the end zone on the Bulldogs' second play from scrimmage.

In the ensuring series, on third and four from the Portage 25-yard line, QB Erik Rhein's pass intended for wide receiver Shane Dixon was intercepted by left 'Dog' linebacker Jordan Rhye in the left flat, and dashed 30-yards to the end zone for a quick 14-0 lead just 2:17 into the ballgame.

Portage came back with a sustained drive later in the first quarter and Rhein connected with Dixon for a 12-yard TD pass just six seconds into the second quarter. The extra point was blocked.  But Rhein later connected on a 50-yard pass to Dixon, which set up a Nate Milligan 8-yard TD run with 7:51 left in the first half. The Indians executed a misdirection passing play, with Milligan taking a handoff from Rhein, then threw a pass across the grain back to Rhein at the goal line for the two point conversion to tie the game at 14-14.

Crown Point's defense was able to contain Portage the remainder of the second quarter and put together a short drive that appeared to be capped by a 6-yard Donny Keiser TD run. But that was called back due to a holding penalty. So the Bulldogs had to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Donny Keiser and went to the locker room at halftime with a 17-14 lead.

Portage opened the third quarter with Milligan returning the kickoff to their 43 yard yard and built on that with a 9-play drive that included a Milligan 26-yard run.  The Indians took their only lead of the game when on 4th and goal from the CP 13 yard line, Rhein connected with Billy Doll on a beautifully timed fade pass into the left corner of the end zone.

Portage took over after a short CP series and looked to be in position to pad their lead midway through the third quarter when the Bulldogs defense held Portage to a two-yard gain on a 4th-and-3 play from the CP 20-yard line. Taking over on downs, CP's Blake mascarello connected with H-back Tommy Parks on a 37-yard pass play, his longest reception of the year. That drive later stalled at the Portage 49 yard line, but set up a battle of field position that allowed CP to begin its next drive at their own 49-yard line.

In a drive that included a 15-yard pass to Tommy Isailovich and a Jon Sertich 23-yard run to the 1-yard line, Donny Keiser put the Bulldogs back on top with a one-yard plunge into the endzone with 4:53 left in the fourth quarter.

But Portage came back with a drive of their own, starting from their own 32 yard line, and advancing to the CP 32.  Then on 4th and 5, DE Chris Rutherford sacked Rhein to effectively end the Indians' final scoring threat with 3:02 left in the game.

In the closing minutes with CP trying to run down the clock by securing a couple of first downs, the Bulldogs pushed into Portage territory one last time, with Sertich breaking loose to score on a 42-yard TD run, putting the icing on the cake of the Bulldogs well-earned victory over the long-time Duneland Athletic Conference powerhouse Indians.

Portage epitomizes everything CP wants to be. Portage has been the top program in NW Indiana in the last 15 years, and under coach Craig Buzea (101-34, 12 years) has won DAC titles in 1994, 95, 98, 99 and 2003.  

This is the first year the Bulldogs would appear to have a chance of winning the DAC title, but games with Valparaiso and LaPorte the next two weeks at home will be pivotol for determining the outcome of the DAC race.

BULLDOG NOTES:  Donny Keiser hit his ninth field goal of the season, from 30 yards away in the second quarter. For the season, Keiser is 9 of 14 for a 64.3% field goal average.  He's scored 27 points by field goals and 36 points by rushing touchdowns for a total of 63 points after 5-games. 

It has been 18 years since Crown Point won the first five games in any season. In 1987, the Bulldogs went 10-0 before losing 23-21 to Highland. The Bulldogs' last five-game winning streak came in 1991 with present day coach Chip Pettit at quarterback. The Bulldogs were 9-3 and Lake Suburban Conference champions in '91.

The Bulldogs next will host Valparaiso (3-2, 2-1 DAC), who also fell behind Chesterton 14-0 in the first quarter before rallying Friday night to beat the Trojans 35-21 at Chesterton (0-5, 0-3 DAC).  The Vikings put together 416 yards of total offense (326 yards rushing) against the Trojans, who could muster only 23 yards rushing against the Valpo defense. 

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Revised: September 17, 2005 .