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September 16, 2006

Generals dismantle Bulldogs

By BRIAN WOODSON

MONTCALM — No matter whether it was catching, running, blocking or recovering, Mike Christian and the Montcalm Generals knocked the Burch out of the Bulldogs.

Christian scored four touchdowns three different ways, leading the Generals to a 49-6 rout of Burch on homecoming Saturday at Prudich Stadium.

“We played great,” Montcalm senior Justin Ball said. “It’s homecoming and we played great.”

While Montcalm dominated the game, the Generals (3-1) scored 49 points on just 193 yards. They were helped by a blocked punt, a Montcalm sack in the end zone and three fumble recoveries. All resulted or least led to touchdowns.

“Things got away from us quickly,” Burch head coach Dave Hunt said. “I really don’t think they’re 43 points better than us, but in high school football momentum plays a big factor and things change.

“Our kids have struggled this year, just our psyche in general. It’s been a little bit shaky, we came out today and a few things went against us and we just never responded.”

Montcalm scored twice in the first quarter, one on a Christian 9-yard run, and added another score in the period after Eric McClanahan recovered a Burch fumble. Three plays later, Christian scored from the 10.

“It was a real good day,” Christian said. “On my touchdown runs, Nathan Billups got the first block that sprung it and Andrew Hudgins was the second.”

It didn’t get better for the 0-3 Bulldogs. J.R. Sheppard’s punt was blocked on the next series by Christian, who scooped it up and dashed 20 yards for another touchdown.

“We put (the punt block) in early in the week,” Christian said. “I wanted to get another one, last year I had a couple.

“I missed the first one by a hair, the second one and I got it. I saw it rolling and usually we’re told just to dive on the ball, but I had faith that there wasn’t really anybody behind me so I picked it up and ran it in there.”

Then it got even worse.

Burch quarterback Josh Croaff was blind-sided in the end zone by Anthony Graham, knocking the ball loose. Hudgins recovered in the end zone for another score.

“I don’t know whether it was homecoming weekend or just a good week of practice, but they were a lot more focused to start this game than they were in the last couple,” Montcalm head coach Craig Havens said. “They’re getting a little more confident and a little more secure with what we’ve got out there and the kids are feeling better about themselves.”

Christian then added another score, catching a pass from Matt Sisk and running the rest of 57 yards for a 34-0 lead the break. Sisk was an efficient 6-of-7 for 97 yards in the game.

“Matt is doing a god job, he is feeling more comfortable under center and more confident every week,” Havens said. “He just continues to grow and as long as we continue to improve, we’re going to have a good year.”

Two more second half touchdowns made the score 49-0 before the Bulldogs finally got on the board. Matt Osborne scored for the Generals on a 6-yard run, while Montcalm’s final score came when Mike Wimmer picked up a fumble and dashed 35 yards for another touchdown.

Burch had negative-8 yards at the break, thanks to a strong defensive effort from the Generals, led by Graham, Christian and Justin Ball.

“It was great, we practiced all week for the big dude to be lined up in the back and then they moved him to the line and other than that we shut them down,” said Ball, of 260-pound Steve Lester, who didn’t carry the ball until late in the final quarter. “I mean they didn’t have anything on us, they had a couple of runs, but then we took them for losses.”

Montcalm has won its last two games since learning that it might have to forfeit its season-opening 20-0 win over Big Creek because of the possible use of an ineligible player.

“We haven’t had to forfeit it yet, there was some confusion in the administration over somebody, but it’s not a done deal yet,” Havens said. “We’re appealing everything and there will be a hearing on it.”

Ball said the Generals have been determined to prove a point since that possibility arose.

“We just want to show them that we deserved that win, it don’t need to be taken away from us,” Ball said. “The dude, he’s good, but he didn’t have any thing in that game.

“He didn’t have a yard at all in total offense so I don’t think they need to take it away from us because we deserved it.”

Montcalm will travel next Friday to face Tug Valley. The Panthers are 1-2 this season.



at Prudich Stadium

Burch.........................................0 0 0 6 — 6

Montcalm................................14 20 8 7 — 49

First Quarter

MC—Christian 9 run (Sisk kick)

MC—Christian 10 run (Sisk kick)

Second Quarter

MC—Christian 20 blocked punt return (kick failed)

MC—M.Hudgins fumble recovery in end zone (Sisk run)

MC—Christian 57 pass from Sisk (kick failed)

Third Quarter

MC—Osborne 6 run (Wimmer fumble recovery in end zone)

Fourth Quarter

MC—Wimmer 35 fumble recovery (Osborne kick)

BR—Price 20 run (fun failed)

———

Team Statistics

BR MC

First Downs 6 9

Rushes-Yards 30-78 32-97

Passing Yards (11) 96

Comp-Att-Int 2-6-0 7-8-0

Fumbles-Lost 4-3 2-1

Penalties-Yards 7-41 5-55

Punts-Avg. 3-21.5 4-31.5

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