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Reprinted Courtesy of Greencastle Banner-Graphic
Cougars come alive in second half
ROACHDALE — North Putnam Cougars football team, ranked either 1st or
3rd in Class 2A, depending on the poll, opened the 2008 season Saturday
night, hosting the North Posey Vikings.
 Cougar quarterback Scott Hunt (7) sends a pass toward Shawn Diebold Saturday night in North Putnam’s 35-9 win. Hunt was 5-of-10 for 74 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his first game under center for the Cougars. [Click to enlarge] |
The Cougars, after a shaky start in the first quarter, committing two
turnovers that led to nine North Posey points, played to their
pre-season expectations during the rest of game, thrashing the Vikings,
35-9
After the first quarter, the Cougars controlled all aspects of
the game, generating 437 yards in total offense, while limiting the
Vikings to 230.
Due to the turnovers in the first quarter, the Cougars only
generated 13 yards in offense in the period, but North Putnam gained
momentum on both sides of the ball in the second period.
North Posey was driving down the field, but a quarterback sack by Dustin Trinkle and Seth Vondersaar stopped the drive.
The Cougars got on the scoreboard 1:42 later, as Griffen
Dahlstrom scored on a 29-yard run, capping a balanced drive in which
quarterback Scott Hunt hit passes to Jerrett Ban before Dahlstrom’s
touchdown run.
In the third quarter, North Putnam broke the game open by
scoring three touchdowns and defensively stopping North Posey
throughout the stanza.
Ban scored on a 24-yard run at 10:25, and then after Jim Davis forced
and Vondersaar recovered a Viking fumble on the next series, Dahlstrom
scored again on a 12-yard run with 9:35 showing on the clock.
 Senior Jerrett Ban takes the ball on an end around in the second quarter. [Click to enlarge] |
After the Cougar defense forced North Posey
to punt on the next series, North Putnam drove down the field on runs
by Shawn Diebold, Dahlstrom and Rob Ford. With 2:43 left in the period,
Hunt hit Caleb Vondersaar with a 2-yard pass to score the final
touchdown of the period, giving the Cougars a 28-9 lead going into the
final period.
Midway through the fourth quarter, with his team in total
control of the game, North Putnam head coach Greg Barrett substituted
his starters.
Sophomore Travis Kratt and freshman Hank Spencer ran the ball
down the field in the next Cougar offensive series, and freshman
quarterback Kolten Everts broke away to rush for a 65-yard touchdown
run with 2:43 left in the game to provide the final points for North
Putnam, and the final score of 35-9.
It was a great team win for North Putnam to kick off the
season, as the offense, defense and special teams all contributed key
plays in the game to defeat the Vikings.
“We saw some weaknesses with North Posey’s height in the back
field, that caused problems for us early in the game,” Coach Barrett
said following the game.
“In the second quarter we did make some momentum drives that
got us into the end zone and that turned the game around for us,” added
Barrett.
Dahlstrom gained 230 yards on 19 carries to lead the Cougars in
rushing. Everts followed with 62 yards on two carries, Spencer had 20
on two carries, Diebold had 19 yards on three runs, and Ban ran for 18
yards on three carries, Ford had nine yards on four runs, Hunt ran for
four yards on four carries, and Kratt had one yard on one carry.
As a team, North Putnam gained 363 rushing yards compared to North Posey’s 114 yards on the ground.
The Cougars were 5-for-10 through the air for 74 yards.
Quarterback Scott Hunt hit Ban with three passes for 64 yards, Diebold
and Vondersaar with passes of 8 and 2 yards respectively.
North Putnam passed for 74 yards compared to North Posey’s 116 yards.
Defensively, the Cougars were led by Aaron Vondersaar with 11 tackles, followed by Dahlstrom with seven.
The Cougars (1-0, 0-0 WCC) travel to New Market Friday night to play Southmont. The game begins at 7 p.m.
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