LATE COMEBACK NOT ENOUGH, PIRATES LOSE 20-13 AT MARSHALL
A slow start and failure to finish drives doomed the Cumberland Pirates effort to repeat their win from last season, when they dominated the Marshall Lions in a 20-6 home field victory. That said, the Pirates also did not give up and lie down after the first quarter. The Lions scored on three of their first four possessions to make it a 20-0 lead, but after their final TD with 1:22 left in the opening period they never saw the end zone again.
Cumberland’s first four possessions on the other hand were a list of mistakes. On the first the offense went for negative yardage. The next stalled out after eight plays. After that the Lions used an interception to set up their final score. Getting the ball back on the one yard line after a Dalton Bauguss pick with a little more than a minute remaining in the quarter Cumberland put together a long drive that covered 68 yards on 21 plays before a fumble gave it back to Marshall.
The Pirates finally began to turn the tables in the fourth quarter when Jaton McMechan picked off a ball at the Marshall 30, giving his team excellent field position. It only took four plays, most of which came on a 27 yard pass to Silas Gabel, for them to punch it in, with Gabel running it in from a yard out. Marshall got the ball back in excellent field position after a failed onside kick attempt by Cumberland. They moved the ball deep into Pirate territory before a big tackle by Cole Carlen caught the Marshall running back for an 11 yard loss on fourth and long. The Pirates were able to put together a second drive, this one going for 13 plays and 68 yards, before Cole Miller tucked the ball and scooted into for the score with 2:10 left to play. A valiant attempt to regain possession fell short and the Lions held on until time expired.
The running game was primarily a three headed attack with Miller getting 51 yards on 15 carries, Gabel with 50 on 12 and Clay Wilson with 10 for 45. Cole Carlen added another 33 on 13 carries. Miller led in passing with 6 of 17 and 64 yards. Gabel led the Pirates in receiving with 37 yards on 3 catches.
WEEK #4
PIRATES FALL TO METHODICAL CASEY TEAM
It wasn’t anything like last year, when Casey-Westfield had a team worthy of second place at the 2A State Final, but the Warriors still looked sharp. Using a series of short passes and conservative runs, they marched past the Pirates last Friday, 38-6. Cumberland hosted the event and put up a good fight, but too many mistakes cost them field position and yardage on defense. The biggest play of the game was a defensive one, a 57 yard interception return by Casey’s Seth Brewer, his second of the night. The first, however, was on a deflection that literally fell into his hands. It was, to some extent, that kind of a night.
The first quarter started off well for Cumberland. They forced Casey to run nearly six minutes off of the clock in the opening drive, but couldn’t quite get a stop. Austin Ragsdale ran it in from a yard out to open the scoring and Clinton Scott kicked. The Pirates went four and out, but the punt was short and Casey took over at the Cumberland 34. For the night the Warriors started five of seven drives inside the Pirate 45. On this drive they pushed to the three yard line before Silas Gabel and Cole Carlen sacked QB Brett Livvix back to the five on a third and goal. But on the following play, Livvix found Brewer for the score.
Casey would only score one more time in the half, on a 35 yard field goal by Scott, with eight seconds remaining. The excellent field position for that one came from the tipped pass that Brewer caught. Cumberland held them at the 18 for three downs, forcing the kick.
After the half Cumberland got a good return from Dalton Bauguss and started moving the ball on offense. They made it to their own 46 before Brewer picked off the Cole Miller throw and returned it all the way for a score. Cumberland struggled offensively on the next possession and between pressure defense and an excellent punt return, Casey’s offense looked to take over at the Pirate’s 10. A penalty proved costly, though and moved them back to the 31. From there it took six plays to get Billy Seeley into the end zone.
Cumberland’s lone score came at the end of the game. Taking the ball at the 20 after a touchback kick, they marched on the back of Silas Gabel all the way down the field. Picking up 10 of his 27 carries and 79 of his game high 149 yards rushing on this drive, Gabel took the ball in for the TD as time expired.
The longest play of the game, after the interception return, was 18 yards. What has haunted the Pirates in big games of the past did not really show it’s face here, the big play never materialized, just a lot of little plays at the right place and time. Cumberland showed that it is a respectable team, but in a game where mistakes make a huge difference, they committed the most. Casey is certainly not the team of last year, but they are a talented and very sharp group and likely to repeat as LIC champs. Cumberland has faced, in Casey and Marshall, what are probably the two best teams in the conference. Next up are the Palestine-Hutsonville Pioneers, a team that more closely resembles the Miami Dolphins wildcat offense than anything else. They have put a lot of points on the board in wins over Oblong (43-12), Edwards County (39-14) and Lawrenceville (37-28), but lost to Red Hill 25-8. The Pirates host this one on Friday night.
Cumberland’s JV lost to Casey 34-12 in the Monday night game.
WEEK #5
PIRATES BOUNCE BACK, LAND HARD ON PIONEERS, 53-0
Coming off a tough loss to the number one ranked (2A) Casey Warriors, the Cumberland Pirates faced the 14th ranked (1A) Palestine Pioneers. The Pioneers came in posting over 30 points per game with a playground offense that isn’t afraid to throw the ball around, a lot. What stacked up to be the game of the week in the LIC, wasn’t. The Pirates responded to any question about their ability to play the game by posting an unbelievable 27 points in the first quarter. That avalanche only tapered off slightly in the second, where they posted 19 more. The eventual 53-0 finale was a resounding win over a 3-1 team that has a good shot at making the playoffs this year.
Cumberland scored on six of their first seven possessions and threw in an interception returned for a score to boot. Silas Gabel was the workhorse, carrying the ball 14 times for 209 yards and five of the TD’s. The one drive that they did not score on was also the longest at eight plays. None of the others were more than six. While the offense, particularly the offensive line, deserves a lot of credit, the defense did more than their fair share, too. Offensive coordinator Kevin Maynard had to be happy to be getting the ball at Cumberland’s own 48 on average in the first half. The defense only gave up four plays of over 10 yards all night, a 21 yard pass late in the fourth quarter the longest by far. They also did not give up a first down in the opening half. The offense, on the other hand, put up eight plays over 20 yards, five of those for 30-plus.
Gabel opened up the scoring with a 46 yard run on the sixth play of the first drive, with 9:41 left in the 1st. Less than a minute later, on Palestine’s third play from scrimmage, Dalton Bauguss picked off a pass at the 50 and ran it all the way back. Then the Pioneers went three and out, punting the ball away from their own 36. Gabel showed his stuff again, returning the 29 yard punt back to line of scrimmage. With only 36 yards to go it took all of three plays and 56 seconds to see Gabel score again. The next time around, after Jim Kruse stopped the Palestine runner on a 4th and short at the Pioneer 42, it took four plays for Gabel, again, to score. Finally, on the fourth offensive possession of the game, which stretched into the second quarter, Cumberland was forced to punt it away. Palestine again gave up the ball on downs near midfield, when Clay Wilson, Jamin Repp, Jaton McMechan and Kendal Butler gang tackled the runner four yards short of the first down. The first play from scrimmage, Gabel took advantage of a big hole and burst through the defense for a 53 yard touchdown run. Gabel would score one more time later in the quarter, on a 22 yard run, as would Wilson from one yard out. Cumberland’s final score came late in the fourth when the JV offense opened the way for Jeremy Bowman to scamper 68 yards for another TD.
Among the other highlights for the Pirates were 333 yards rushing and 83 yards passing. In addition to Gabel, Bowman had 69 yards on two carries, Braden Shaffer was 10 for 22, Cole Miller was 2 for 14;Wilson carried four times for 13 yards and Cole Carlen twice for nine. Miller threw nine times, completing three for 50 yards. Wilson had one completion to Dalton Bauguss for 33 yards on a punt fake. Catching Miller’s passes were Wilson with two for 15 yards and Carlen with one for 35.
On defense, Wilson and Repp each had seven tackles, Wilson one for a loss. Bauguss, Gabel and Seth Repp had six apiece. Bauguss, Carlen and Butler each had interceptions. Seth Repp and Jim Kruse shared a sack.
Next up for the Pirates is a very dangerous Flora team that has a quarterback who can throw or run very well in #11 Trent Tackitt, a good running back in #32 Cole Honeyman and an outstanding defensive player in #52 Mychal Bush-King. The Wolves are 3-2, having beaten Lawrenceville 39-0, Oblong 48-0 and Red Hill 26-20 in OT. Their losses were to Casey 35-6 and Marshall 23-0. The game is at Flora next Friday night. With two 3-2 teams, it should be one of the best games of the season.
WEEK #6
WOLVES DEFEAT PIRATES 28-21
In a game where the Pirates offense and defense struggled, special teams play helped to keep Cumberland in the game. From a 54 yard punt return by Silas Gabel that resulted in a touchdown to the kickoff team keeping the Wolves deep in their own territory to not allowing a punt return of over six yards, special teams were a bright spot.
Not to be overlooked was the way the Pirates took advantage of Flora mistakes to make big plays. A high snap on the Wolves’ first play was covered by Cole Carlen, giving Cumberland the ball on Flora’s five yard line. Two plays later and Gabel ran in for the opening score of the game at the 8:57 mark in the first quarter. It would take seven more drives before the Pirates offense would see the end zone again. Flora, on the other hand, used an eight play, 53 yard drive to even the score with 7:21 left in the second quarter. The Pirates got the ball back at their own 49, thanks to a good return by Dalton Bauguss and a penalty on the Wolves. They used it to their benefit, driving down to the Flora 15 before an interception on a Cole Miller pass turned it over. Flora took it back to midfield but the Pirates held them there until the half was over.
Once again, Cumberland started off the half with a bang. After the Wolves went three and out, Gabel ran the punt back nearly to the end zone. As he was tackled, the ball came loose and was recovered by Kendal Butler to secure the score. Brendon Ritchie kicked his second PAT and Cumberland was back on top 14-7 with 9:56 left in the third. Flora came charging back, posting the tying score with 2:02 remaining in the period. The Pirates got the ball back on their own 46 thanks to another good kick return, but were unable to convert on a fourth and short. The Flora QB kept the ensuing snap and went 55 yards to give his team a 21-14 lead.
Cumberland went three and out again, after the kickoff, and the Wolves looked unstoppable. They marched down to the goal line and punched it in from a yard out after a nine play, 59 yard drive. The score, with 5:27 left in the game, put them ahead 28-14. Bauguss, on his third return of the night, took the ball back to the Pirates 42. From there Miller completed four of six passes to move Cumberland down the field. His last was a 36 yard strike to Bauguss that went through a defenders hands and bounced around in his a bit before he secured it for the walk in score. Ritchie’s kick made it 28-21. The Pirates attempted an onside kick, in hopes of getting another shot at the end zone, but the kick went out of bounds and Flora took over at the Cumberland 46. From there they were able to move the ball just well enough to run out the clock and secure the win.
The loss puts Cumberland at 3-3 going into Friday’s Homecoming contest with Edward’s County.
WEEK #7
PIRATES MAKE HOMECOMING FIRE OF THEIR OWN
While the games, dance and crowning of the king and queen get a lot of attention during Homecoming week, in the end, it’s all about the game. Everyone wants to notch a victory to cap off the week. Last Friday the Pirates delivered that win in a big way. With senior Silas Gabel leading the way, they racked up an impressive 426 yards of offense on the way to a 42-0 trouncing of Edwards County. Gabel accounted for 305 yards himself on a mere 11 carries. As muddy, wet and slippery as it was, he appeared to be the only firmly grounded player on the field. Everyone else looked like they were on roller skates and when he ran through the defense, it was all they could do to slow him down. Helping him along was a hard hitting front line that delivered block after block to open holes for Gabel and fullback Clay Wilson. Wilson gained 59 yards on five carries for the night.
The game looked like a repeat of two weeks earlier against Palestine. On the first play from scrimmage, Gabel came off a pair of blocks by Jim Kruse and Dalton Kemper and headed down field. Getting a little interference running from Cole Carlen, he went 65 yards for the score. Brendon Ritchie kicked the PAT and it was 7-0 with 11:38 left in the first quarter. Gabel would score three more times in the first half on runs of 53, 11 and 17 yards. Wilson scored on a 14 yard run and Carlen on a six yarder, both in the first quarter. That put the Pirates up 42-0 going into the half. They scored on six of their first seven possessions and were never forced to punt. For the second half, Cumberland came out with it’s JV offense and gave the varsity some time off.
Edwards County netted a total of 97 yards rushing, almost all of it on the legs of Bo Wissel. He had 28 carries for 100 hard earned yards. The Lion’s passing game was limited to 2 of 10 for 18 yards.
Leading the Pirates on defense were Jim Kruse (14 tackles) and Clay Wilson (13 tackles). Freshman Jamin Repp added ten more to his total for the season, big brother Seth had nine of his own.
This Friday the Pirates make a trip to face non conference opponent Fisher. The Fisher Bunnies bring a 5-2 record into the game and an impressive offensive player in the form of #5 Guy Kirby. While Kirby has lined up in a number of spots in the backfield, he has been Fisher’s primary run threat, amassing over a thousand yards on the ground already. They also boast a very solid and fast defense that has served them well in the Heart of Illinois Conference. Their losses were to perennial powerhouse Lexington (48-10) and Tri-Valley (20-13). The only common connection is that Flora defeated Farmer City 39-0 last week, a team that Fisher beat week three, 49-7.
The long drive to the small town west of Rantoul will give the Pirates a chance to secure a fifth win and a spot in the playoffs. If they can maintain the intensity that they displayed last Friday, they will have a chance to show the potential that they brought into the season.
WEEK #8
FISHER BUNNIES PROVE NO MATCH FOR PIRATES, 28-14 WIN
Coming into this game the Cumberland Pirates knew they faced a daunting task. Fisher was a solid 5-2 team that had put up big numbers with their very talented athletes. Guy Kirby, the Bunnies’ big play back, had racked up 1264 yards rushing in just seven games. The team as a whole was pushing 2000 yards on the ground. The wing T offense can be a troublesome one to defend, with lots of movement in the backfield making it difficult to tell who has the ball. The Pirates were also on the road, which has not been very kind to them this year. All these things conspired to give Cumberland some serious concerns. On the flip side, they have been playing some inspired football of late and this was a chance to prove that they were capable of beating a quality team.
The opening kick raised a few of those worries to the forefront. Fisher’s return man brought the ball back to the 41 yard line. But that didn’t last long. On the first play of the game Fisher’s big fullback tried to run up the middle and was stuffed for a two yard loss by Clay Wilson and Seth Repp. The next play was Kirby to the outside and Cole Carlen took him down seven yards behind the line of scrimmage. Kirby picked up one on his next carry and, facing 4th and 18, the Bunnies punted.
Cumberland responded with a clock eating drive featuring Silas Gabel and a recently returned Adam Markwell. Eight plays and four minutes later, Gabel ran 39 yards into the end zone. Brendon Ritchie kicked the PAT and the Pirates were up 7-0. Fisher again went three and out on their next possession. When Cumberland got the ball back near midfield, they went right back to hammering it along. Gabel and Markwell combined to keep Fisher’s defense guessing and it was only when the Pirates were finally contained to a third and long (the only third down of the nine play drive), that Cole Miller put the ball in the air. He found Kendal Butler open at about the five and from there Butler dove in for the score. The 22 yard completion and ensuing PAT kick gave them a 14-0 lead with 36 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Fisher was once again forced to a three and out, but the punt pinned the Pirates at their own 18. Eleven plays and four minutes later, Gabel ran in for the five yard TD. Highlighted by a 24 yard scramble by Miller, the drive was the end cap for a trio of scores that had them up 21-0 halfway through the second quarter. Fisher’s first three drives ended in punts after a net gain of -7 yards combined. While this might have lulled some coaches into a false sense of security, Cumberland’s staff was well aware of the big play potential of the Bunnies. It showed on the next possession when they opened with a double reverse pass from Kirby to Trevor Unzicker. It was good for 46 yards and moved them from their own 25 to the Pirate 29. A couple of plays later Kirby found Trey Rogers from 25 yards out for a touchdown. Suddenly it was 21-7 and it had taken less than a minute for Fisher to score.
Not willing to give up any momentum, the Bunnies kicked the ball onside and recovered it at Cumberland’s 48. Using their big fullback to good advantage, they moved it down the field and into the end zone to close the gap to 21-14. That drive lasted a whole minute and 42 seconds. Suddenly, it was a ball game again. Cumberland was able to use the remaining time after a good Dalton Bauguss return to march to the Fisher 27, but time expired before they were able to score again.
After the half the Pirates dominated the field for over seven minutes with their opening effort. Going sixty-two yards to the three, they opened the way for a Cole Miller QB keeper and the go ahead score. Fisher would be forced to punt on it’s next try and then was intercepted on the remaining two drives, once by Butler and Once by Gabel. While the Pirates did punt once in the third quarter, the only time they were three and out, they also made sure the ball stayed in Bunnies’ territory most of the second half. A field goal attempt halfway through the fourth quarter was moved five yards back on a delay of game penalty. Going from 32 yards to 37 proved too much in the cold conditions and the ball was just short. That was the last serious threat to score by either team, as the Pirates kept the ball on the ground and the clock running after the interceptions. When it got to less than a minute, Miller took a knee, twice, to end the game.
While the score did not indicate the dominance of Cumberland in this game, the stats did. With a total time of possession over 32 minutes and 384 yards of offense to Fisher’s 163, there wasn’t any doubt. Gabel led all rushers with 33 carries for 237 yards. Markwell picked up 64 yards on 19 runs and Miller added 36 on six carries. Gabel also caught two for 23 and Butler had one for 22. Miller was 3 of 7 passing for 45 yards and one score.
The Fisher offense was stymied; Kirby had 12 carries for 17 yards. The big fullback, Zach West, was their leading rusher, having picked up 44 yards on eight attempts. Passing-wise, Kirby was 3 of 9 for 72 yards, one TD and one interception. Rogers was 2 of 4 throwing the ball for 24 yards. Unzicker was the number one receiver with two for 46.
The win puts Cumberland at 5-3 going into Friday night’s match up with Oblong at home. While the Panthers have struggled this year, they do have a few potent weapons in their arsenal. Among these are freshman QB Anthony Johnson, a young man with a talent for throwing. Drew Morecraft is a very good tight end and Elija Plummer and Denzel Hughes both saw quite a bit of time on the field last year. They are very capable of making something happen.
Whatever happens Friday, be sure to check and see what happens Saturday night when the payoff parings are announced. The Pirates could be either 1A or 2A, depending on how some of the larger schools do Friday night. Friday is also Senior Night for Fall sports at Cumberland and the seniors will be recognized during halftime.
WEEK #9
PIRATES ROLL OVER OBLONG ON WAYTO PLAYOFFS, 42-8.
Cumberland wasted no time in putting the hurt on the Oblong Panthers last Friday night. Coming in at 0-8, the Panthers were no match for a Pirate team that had pummeled it’s previous two opponents and was sitting at 5-3, looking for a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. Oblong, meanwhile, had been enduring a losing streak going back to last year.
The Panthers got the opening kickoff to the 30 yard line and looked ready to show their stuff, when a bad snap sent the QB looking for the ball. Jaton McMechan beat him to it, recovering the fumble at the Oblong 20. With the patience of a team that is confident and in control, Cumberland marched the ball into the end zone two minutes and six plays later. Silas Gabel carried it in from a yard out for the first of three TD’s he would have. A key point to this drive was a ten yard run by Adam Markwell on fourth and five, giving him a rolling start to his second game back. His presence in the backfield gives Cumberland a bevy of additional options and forces opposing defenses to account for more than just Silas Gabel as a major threat.
The Pirates kicked back to the Panthers and, once again, got the ball right back. This time McMechan hit the running back at the line of scrimmage and forced the fumble, which freshman linebacker Jamin Repp jumped on. Two plays later fullback Clay Wilson rumbled in from 28 yards out to score. A total of 24 seconds between touchdowns and Cumberland enjoyed a 14-0 advantage. Oblong’s next offensive effort also resulted in a turnover, this time an interception by Gable that he returned 32 yards to the Panther 30. This time it was another two minute six play drive until Gabel waltzed in from the four to make it 21-0, Cumberland.
Oblong was stuffed on the kick and then lost eight yards when Cole Carlen tackled their QB behind the line. Two tries got them to a fourth and one at their own 34, but Wilson, McMechan and a host of Pirates shut down the attempted QB sneak and Cumberland took over. This time it was Markwell who carried the ball over the goal line and with 15 seconds left in the first quarter, the home Pirates led 28-0. Markwell and Gabel would each score again before the half to ensure a running clock for the rest of the game. The varsity offense sat out the entire second half in anticipation of a more important game this coming Friday.
Oblong’s lone score came after a Cumberland fumble at the Pirate 33 was scooped up by Panther defender and carried to the seven yard line, where he was run down by Jeremy Bowman from behind. In the ensuing confusion, the Oblong back ran in from seven yards out to score. The clock read 1:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. While a shutout would have been a nice way to wrap up the regular season, it was the win that counted.
Overall Cumberland outgained Oblong almost three-to-one. The Pirates had a total of 256 yards of offense to the Panthers 92. While the Pirates lone pass was good for only ten yards, it was much better than Oblong’s -3 yard completion. Adam Markwell led all rushers with 107 yards on eight carries and two TD’s. Gabel had 60 yards on nine totes and three TD’s. Wilson only carried twice but for 33 yards and a score of his own. Cole Miller threw six times, only connecting on one to Wilson for ten yards. Leading tackler was Brandon Adamson, who picked up four of his nine on kickoffs.
Next in line for Cumberland is Tuscola’s Warriors. While not the overwhelming powerhouse that won the state title just two years ago, they are still a very tough and physical team from on of the premier conferences in Illinois. They have a very balanced attack, only slightly more running than passing. Philip Meyer, a sophomore quarterback who filled in for injured upperclassman, has proven to be a dual threat, leading the team in rushes and passing yards. He has thrown for over a thousand yards and run for almost five hundred. His favorite target, Gunnar Edwards, has caught over forty passes for 630 yards. In the backfield, Josh Scribner is the leading rusher. With all these weapons though, it has still been a stellar defense that has most often carried the day for Tuscola in the tight games. Cumberland will be in for a test on Friday in what looks to be a great match up between very similar teams. With the wet weather called for, it will likely be a slugfest of terrific proportions.
WEEK #10
PIRATES LOSE HARD FOUGHT BATTLE AT TUSCOLA
Cumberland’s first foray into the 1A playoffs ended last Friday at the hands of the Tuscola Warriors. What looked on paper to be a tough match up between two very good 6-3 teams, was every bit as exciting as expected. The 16-0 Tuscola victory did not reflect the battle that raged on their muddy field for almost two hours. The Pirates ground game struggled to find footing on the slippery ground or in the face of the aggressive Warrior defense. Tuscola had little more luck with their running game, only some long strikes through the air allowed them to break loose for the home field win.
While Cumberland started off with the ball, an interception gave it right back to the hosts deep in Pirate territory. But they set their heels and refused to give ground. Tuscola was forced to kick a field goal for the 3-0 lead. Those three points were the difference in the game for almost three full quarters. In a back and forth match that saw both teams try and fail to find the end zone, Cumberland held the Warriors scoreless for three different trips to the red zone. At the same time, the Pirates could not get the ball closer than the Tuscola 30 in their attempts. What looked to be a standoff was finally broken open by a 34 yard pass from Philip Meyer to Cody Shelmandine with 52 seconds left in the third quarter for a touchdown. Shelmandine had slipped out of the backfield and found some open space in the deep middle, Meyer, a very impressive sophomore QB, hit him in stride. That gave Tuscola a 10-0 lead.
Cumberland responded with a nine play drive that had them at 4th and two on the fifty yard line. A five yard penalty moved them back to 4th and seven and they were unable to convert. From there Tuscola took advantage of the momentum and fought their way eleven plays later to another score, increasing their lead to 16-0. The Pirates came back with another drive, this time to the Warrior’s 31, where, with 1:45 left to play, a Tuscola linebacker intercepted a pass to put the cap on the game.
For Cumberland Silas Gabel carried the ball 20 times for 80 yards and had three receptions for 34 yards. Adam Markwell had seven carries for 22 yards. Cole Miller was five of 13 for 46 yards passing. Cole Carlen caught one pass for nine yards and Jaton McMechan one for three. Defensively, McMechan led with 11 tackles, Jamin Repp had 10, Seth Repp, Clay Wilson and Braden Shaffer had nine apiece. Seth Repp also recorded a sack.