The Flora Wolves came into their week three Little Illini Conference (LIC) game against the Casey-Westfield Warriors with high expectations.
Unfortunately for the Wolves, those expectations were crushed by the Warriors Friday night when they were defeated 35-6 by the reigning LIC champs.
Flora came into Friday’s game with a 2-0 record and their defense had pitched two straight shutouts.
It was a nip and tuck game early with Casey receiving the opening kick-off and methodically driving down the field.
The Wolves looked to hold Casey out of the endzone, but the Warriors picked up a fourth and short to keep the drive going to have a first and ten from the Wolves 33 yard line.
Casey broke the Flora defense’s scoreless streak by short passes and poor tackling by the Wolves allowed the Warriors to push the football into the endzone for the first touchdown scored against Flora this season.
Casey’s extra point was wide right and the Wolves found themselves trailing for the first time in the 2009 campaign with 6:18 left in the first quarter.
Flora struggled on their first drive of the game and came away empty, punting the football back to the Warriors.
Both defenses were playing tough through the first quarter and the Wolves trailed 6-0.
The Wolves held the Warriors early in the second quarter and took over with just over eight minutes to play in the first half.
Flora’s ensuing drive lasted over seven minutes, and looked to continue when they picked up a first down on a run by Trent Tackitt.
Tackitt’s run was negated by a late flag for holding.
The Wolves offense was unable recover and after a fourth and nine sweep by Tackitt was stopped, giving Casey possession of the football with 1:19 left on the clock and Flora conintuing to trail by six.
Casey-Westfield was stopped on the first few plays of their drive, but a 55-yard touchdown pass to extend the Wolves deficit to 12.
The Warriors converted the two-conversion and led 14-0.
The Wolves ran out the clock to end the first half, and had to come out with a new game plan to start the second half.
Defensively, the Wolves played great despite the opening drive and the late touchdown pass.
Offensively, the Wolves had trouble moving the football and had pressure in the backfield on each play.
Penatlites also cost the Wolves valuable first downs and were drive stallers in the first half.
Flora reeived the second half kickoff and failed to score.
Meanwhile, the Warriors got into an offensive groove the Wolves could not stop.
Casey put together two scoring drives in the third quarter and led 28-0.
Casey added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter to take a 35-0 lead.
Flora finally cracked the scoreboard late in the fourth quarter when Cole Honeyman crossed the goal line.
Honeyman’s touchdown kept the Wolves from getting shut out.
The Wolves rushed for a total of 183 yards against Casey and were held in check most of the night.
They will host the Red Hill Salukis at Dancey Field Friday night.
