Big second half propels Anamosa

ANAMOSA - Anamosa has been a drastically improved football team this season.

For much of the first half, the Blue Raiders resembled some of the past teams, instead of the squad that snapped a 26-game losing streak and looked to contend for district title.

Anamosa regained their form after halftime, erasing a double-digit halftime deficit, and defeated Mount Vernon, 23-16, in a clash of unbeaten Class 2A District 4 foes last night at Downing Field. The Blue Raiders won their sixth straight game, assuring a second-place district finish and a home playoff game.

The Blue Raiders (6-1; 5-0) trailed 16-6 at the break and took control, outscoring the Mustangs 17-0 in the second half.

'We've faced adversity in our first few games this year,” Anamosa quarterback Kolin Schulte said. 'We knew what it was like and we knew we had to reload.”

Anamosa used sustained drives, gutsy play calls and good defense to dominate the time of possession after halftime. The Blue Raiders managed three scoring drives, holding Mount Vernon (4-3, 3-1) to just three offensive plays until less than 8:51 to go in the fourth quarter.

'We saw what they were doing and adjusted,” said Schulte, who put the Blue Raiders up, 6-0, with an 8-yard TD run on their first drive of the game. 'We took advantage of it. We really wanted to win. We got home-field advantage in the playoffs. We were playing hard.”

Anamosa drove 75 yards on 12 plays on the first series of the third quarter. Trevor Wehling capped it with a 4-yard TD, making it 16-13.

The Blue Raider defense forced a 3-and-out to get the ball back. Gavin Timp tied the game with a 34-yard field. Timp was called on for an even bigger play.

As they lined up to kickoff, Anamosa Coach Ryan Streets signaled for a special pop-up onside kick. Timp delivered and the Blue Raiders recovered on Mount Vernon's 49. Streets saw the Mount Vernon aligned and gambled. It paid dividends.

'Our special teams tonight played outstanding,” Streets said. 'They were a key to the game, I thought.

'We have an outstanding kicker in Gavin Timp. He can put it anywhere you want it.

Ten plays later Daniel Husmann to a pitch to the left and found the end zone, giving Anamosa the lead for good.

Mount Vernon had one last chance, taking over from its own 3-yard line with a little more than three minutes to play. The Mustangs made it to the Anamosa 20 before Schulte picked off a pass in the end zone with less than a minute left.

Schulte threw for 102 yards, including 79 to wideout Tyler Zumbach, who made two key second-half catches to keep drives alive and spark the Blue Raiders.

I thought Tyler Zumbach was a game changer,” Streets said. 'He is turning into a very good player.

The win shows just how far the program.

'We were tired of losing,” Schulte said. 'In the off-season we worked hard. We've been playing together for a while. We know each other well and we know our roles. We play very well together.”

Mount Vernon took command in the first half, posting 16 straight points. Mickey Hines gave the Mustangs a boost and their first lead at 7-6, breaking a 67-yard TD run in the first.

The Mustangs reached the end zone on their next possession, driving 69 yards on 13 plays. Jack Cochrane dropped back, tucked the ball and scrambled around right end for a 1-yard touchdown. The score was set up by a 27-yard screen pass from Cochrane to Hines, who added a 14-yard run down to the Anamosa 2.

Hines finished with 153 total yards, including 117 on the ground. Cochrane threw for 160 yards.

Mount Vernon sophomore Sam Moore drilled a 43-yard field goal with less than a minute to go in the second quarter. It was his first field-goal attempt of the season and the Mustangs final score.

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