Schmidt Engineers Two Late Drives for Victory

Even though Blissfield led for just over a minute of Friday’s matchup with Ida, it was enough — and came at the right time — to give the Royals a hard-fought 22-19 gridiron victory over the Blue Streaks.

In the first three-and-a-half quarters, Blissfield would reach scoring position repeatedly, but fail to punch it in all but one time, going into the half down 13-6.

The Blue Streaks weren’t putting up a lot of touchdowns, either. Blissfield’s defense kept their opponents within reach so that when the Royal offense, led by senior quarterback Eric Schmidt,went to the air and was successful on several quarterback-keepers late in the fourth quarter, the points tallied up quickly for the win.

A lot was on the line in the game. Battling for second place in the league, both teams were 1-1 in the LCAA and 3-1 on the season as they took the field. Their only defeats had come the previous week: Blissfield had lost to undefeated Hudson; Ida to Onsted, who was also in the deadlock for second place at 3-1.

The Royals had a shaky start. After Blissfield bobbled then recovered the initial kickoff, Dalton Goetz fumbled on the first run of the series and Ida recovered on the Blissfield 25. Blissfield’s defense kicked in with key efforts by senior co-captain Eric Diesing, Noah Schultz, Lee Keinath, Josh Knorr and Mitch Winkelman putting the brakes on the Ida cause with a measurement ruling after fourth down that the Blue Streaks had fallen short at the Ida 15.

The Royal offense marched down the field starting with a six-yard run by Knorr and then another 20-yard scamper when he busted through the Ida line, dragging Ida standout Bruce Woelmer to the Blissfield 42 for a first down.

In the next series, Goetz and junior Blake Haupricht moved the pigskin to Ida’s 45 for another first. After an attempt up the middle was stifled, a slant pass from Schmidt to Schultz on second  was successful for another first down at the 26. 

Another up-the-middle Goetz carry yielded a yard, then on second down he picked his way through the Ida line seeming almost unnoticed as the Royal defense busied theBlue Streak defense for another first at the Ida 15.

Following the successful march from their own 15, it looked like Blissfield would score first. Goetz nailed another five yards on the first try, but Blissfield couldn’t get past the five-yard-line in two more attempts, bringing up fourth-and-goal at the five.

After a Blissfield timeout, Schmidt aimed for target Jonathon McEwan but a flag was tossed on Blissfield ruling there was an ineligible receiver downfield and moving the Royals back to fourth-and-10 on the 15. The scoring opportunity was thwarted when pressure by the Ida defense foiled Schmidt’s pass.

Ida took over on downs at its 15 but early in the second quarter found themselves punting after two series from the 26 to the Blissfield 44. Schmidt took off on a keeper and was forced out of bounds for a first down at Ida’s 37. But the rest of the series yielded only six yards — a Goetz three, then three by a somersaulting Knorr to the Ida 31, but the Royals failed to convert and Ida took over on downs.

Blissfield’s defense showed its toughness again allowing only one yard in the series with Winkelman at one point actually picking up Ida ball carrier Craig Metty for the stop.

The punt brought the Royals to their 47, but a combination of two run attempts and two pass tries just took them backwards to their own 46, compelling Blissfield to punt again.

Ida hit pay dirt on the second play of the series when Woelmer danced through the Blissfield line, crossed over and eluded a couple of speeding Royals as he outran them into the end zone at the 6:46 mark in the second quarter. The Blue Streak kick made it through the uprights, though Blissfield was penalized for roughing the kicker as Ida claimed a 7-0 lead.

Blissfield’s Garrick May ran the squib kick to the Blissfield 25.

On first down, Schmidt ran outside on the right and Ida was whistled for a personal foul during the play. With the Royals now first and 10 on the Ida 45, the pass was incomplete, then a run up the middle was stuffed and at third-and-12, Schmidt fired to a wide-open Knorr for first down on the Ida 33. Another pass up the middle took the Royals to another first down at the Ida 18. 

Goetz found a hole in the middle to gain three yards, then Schmidt held on and picked up another six.  On third-and one Goetz burst through the hands of the Ida D to score at 3:23 in the second period, but the score remained 7-6 Ida after a Schmidt pass was broken up.

Ida made it to the Blissfield 38 six plays after starting on their 27, but had to punt with Blissfield running it to their own 16 with 58.5 left in the half. Schmidt lofted  a big pass which was intercepted by Ida’s Woelmer before he was downed on the Blissfield 10.

Though Winkelman had a big hit on the second play of the series, on third-and-four, Ida scored its second touchdown with 26.1 seconds on the clock. Zech Bostick soundly blocked the kick try, though, and two plays later the buzzer sounded for the half, with Ida up 13-6.

Ida received first in the second half, but failed to capitalize on the opportunity and punted out of bounds, with Blissfield starting at the Ida 46. Goetz hauled a cluster of Blue Streaks six yards, but no further ground was gained in Royal run attempts.

Schmidt punted a beaut to the Ida six, but Blissfield’s D didn’t allow their foes a yard in the series, forcing Ida to punt from the six.

At first-and-10 at the Ida 22, it looked like Blissfield had a good chance to score again and perhaps take the lead. Schmidt fired a shot at Lucas Stange for six on first; Goetz added a yard, then Knorr soldiered forth and the chain gang measured: first down.

From the Ida 13,Schmidt aimed for Jordan Willson, who couldn’t hold on; then launched a long one to the left corner, but there was no open receiver. Schmidt was hit hard and left the game for a play, then returned at fourth-and-five on the eight-yard-line. After a timeout, Goetz charged for the goal, but was short and Ida took over on their own five.

Again, the Royal line hung tough with key defensive work by Schultz, Jacob Coleman, Diesing and Winkelman forcing Ida to punt after two series and only 13 yards of forward progress.

Blissfield started off at their own 42 with 46.9 left in the third quarter, but were forced to punt having gained only one yard in the series.

But the punt was a moral turning point for the Royals: Schmidt booted a beautiful arc, the Ida receiver bobbled it as Schmidt sped toward him and recovered his own punt. On first, he passed and though the Blissfield fans were screaming “Pass interference,” no whistle blew. Knorr gained four, then Schmidt five on a keeper leaving them needing just a short one on the 18. A wall of Royals tried to push Schmidt over, but a measurement went against them and Ida took over on their 17.

Knorr and Winkelman stopped the first Ida runner and a flag was thrown as Blissfield fans nodded their heads murmuring positively that a holding call would be issued. Instead, personal foul against the Royals was called and Coach Ron Estes retorted as the Royal fans roared their disapproval.

The call, though, seemed to further ignite the Royals’ passion. The teams battled through three series when a personal foul was called on Ida, which now faced fourth-and-24 at the Blissfield 44 and punted.

Starting at the Blissfield 13, a long Schmidt pass failed, but on second, Goetz bulled through, broke loose and sped off goalline-bound, before Ida’s Brandon Sampson made a touchdown-saving tackle at the Ida 38.

Three tries gave Blissfield zip and after a Blissfield timeout, Schmidt zinged a bullet to Knorr for  a game-changing first-and-10 at the 24 with 3:39 left in the game. Schmidt then tossed to Knorr again, but Ida was called for personal foul/roughing the passer and Blissfield started first-and-10 at the Ida 17. Schmidt eyed the situation and bolted for pay dirt closing the gap to 13-12 Ida at 3:22 left in the game. He again held and ran for two and the first Royal lead of the night with the score now 14-13 Blissfield.

However, the lead was fleeting. A pass completion from Ida quarterback Cameron Cramer at Blissfield’s 21 to Matt Vandercook, then a run by Sampson found Ida celebrating another touchdown and a 19-14 lead. A personal foul was called on Blissfield, but the extra point was thwarted.

The personal foul added 15 yards to the turf Blissfield needed to cover for the win. Starting at the Royal 27 after the kick was out of bounds, Schmidt wound up and began firing passes as the Royals rolled: to Knorr for five; a long one to Wilson to Blissfield’s 41 for first down; another to May and first down at the Ida 38; then a  nine-yarder to Goetz on the right bringing up third-and-one at the 29 with a minute on the clock.

Schmidt came within a foot on a keeper, but on fourth down, he again muscled his way forward to first down at the 15, the clock ticking. With 39.3 seconds, Schmidt spiked the ball to stop the clock on second after no progress on first. On third, he connected with Jordan Bateson for the lead at 20-19 with 29.5 seconds left in the game, then ran it in himself for good measure and  a 22-19 lead.

Enough time remained for another Ida series. Blissfield delivered a squib kick, but Ida got it at their 45. Punctuating a solid performance, the Blissfield defense rose to the occasion, thwarting every pass and denying Ida any yardage,with senior Taylor Kuhn applying the pressure on Cramer who threw off balance before Kuhn tackled him, sealing the win on fourth as Blissfield took over and claimed the victory.