Potterville at Fowler – – Football – – The Bleacher Denizen – – October 1, 2021 – – by Chuck Krafft

Tonight, your Bleacher Denizen’s long and winding road brings him to Fowler. (Your Bleacher Denizen is using a Beatles title and possibly plagiarizing, but hopefully not. After doing a Beach Boys song (Good Vibrations) as a piano solo in the studio today and (hopefully) getting the video up on You Tube, it just seems right to quote a sixties band. I realize I’m setting myself up for “OK Boomer” comments, but sometimes living life requires risks!

The Fowler Eagles are 2-1 in the CMAC and 2-3 overall this season. The Vikings from Potterville are 1-3 in the league and 1-4 overall.

It’s been a couple years since I have blogged a Fowler home football game; it’s great to be back at the stadium. The Fowler Band is being supported by some alumni musicians tonight. They opened with the Fowler Fight Song and did a nice job on the National Anthem as well!

It’s now time to look at the results of this game through the aging eyes of a Bleacher Denizen who bruised too easily to attempt playing football when he was young.

Potterville’s Abe Hanna opened the game with a kickoff that went to the Fowler 33 yard line where the Eagles’ Hudson Schlak dove on the ball. Fowler started its opening series on its own 33 yard line.

Dominic Thelen went through the middle for an eleven yard gain to earn a first down for the Eagles. Spencer Fedewa made the tackle for the Vikings.

Andrew PIggott went to the right for a two yard first down gain before he ran into Benecio Vasquez, who made the Potterville tackle. Chase Pung’s second down pass was caught by Hudson Schlak, who was tripped, but managed to stay up until he gained seven yards. Andrew PIggott’s third down run went to the left and gained two yards before Benecio Vasquez tackled him. Fowler had a first down on the Potterville 45 yard line.

MIkey White got into the Fowler backfield to stop the Eagles’ first down run for a one yard loss. Fowler’s second down pass fell incomplete. Chase Pung’s third down pass was caught be Peyton Follick, who ran about twenty-five yards after he caught the ball for a thirty yard total gain that advanced the ball to the Potterville 16 yard line.

Andrew Piggott went up the middle for a five yard first down gain. Hudson Schlak took the ball to the left and gained another five yards before Mikey White took him down.

On the next play, Andrew Piggott plowed his way up the middle for a six yard touchdown run. Hudson Schlak made the long snap, Treagan O-Rourke held the ball and Peyton Follick booted it through the uprights for a successful extra point that gave Fowler a 7-0 lead with 7:09 remaining in the first quarter.

Peyton Follick kicked the ball to around the eighteen yard line. Chris Hicks fielded the kickoff and returned it about twelve yards to the Potterville 30, where the Vikings began their series.

Cooper Koenigsknecht stopped the Viking first down run for a one yard gain. Spencer Fedewa took the ball to the left for a four yard second down gain before he ran into Chase Pung and Cooper Koenigsknecht. Chase Pung’s timely hit on a Viking receiver caused a third down dropped pass for Potterville. Benecio Vasquez’ fourth down punt was downed by his teammate, Carter Jackson at the Fowler 39 yard line. Fowler started its next series from there.

Chase Pung passed to Peyton Follick for a twenty-four yard gain.

On the next play, Chase Pung passed to Tristan Smith for an eleven yard gain to give the Eagles a first down on the Viking 26 yard line.

Nate Paszkowski and Carter Jackson teamed up to stop Fowler’s first down run for no gain. Carter Lance earned seven yards on a second down run up the middle. Andrew PIggott went up the middle to gain two yards on third down before Nate Paszkowski tackled him.

On the next play, Fowler Quarterback Chase Pung kept the ball, cut the right and darted to the end zone for a sixteen yard touchdown. Hudson Schlak snapped the ball, Treagan O-Rourke held the ball and Peyton Follick kicked the ball through the goal posts for a successful extra point. With 2:44 to play in the first quarter, Fowler had a 14-0 lead.

Peyton Follick’s kickoff was fielded by Xander Smith, who returned the ball ten yards before Drew Armbrustmacher and Andrew Piggott teamed up to stop him. Potterville began their series on their own 22 yard line.

Spencer Fedewa rushed up the middle for a four yard first down gain; Ryan Snyder made the tackle for Fowler. Nolan Stump and Jacob Halfmann teamed up to stop the Viking second down run for a one yard loss. On third down, Cooper Koenigsknecht and Dominic Thelen pressured the Potterville quarterback into throwing an incomplete pass. Benecio Vasquez’ fourth down punt was downed by Ezariah Taylor on Fowler’s 40 yard line, where the Eagles started their next drive.

Chase Pung completed a first down pass to Hudson Schlak, but a holding penalty brought the ball almost all the way back to the line of scrimmage. On the first down replay, Tristan Smith cut to the right for a twenty-three yard gain before Spencer Fedewa tackled him. Fowler had a first down on the Potterville 36 yard line.

On the final play of the first quarter, Nate Paszkowski stopped a first down screen pass from Chase Pung to Hudson Schlak for a one yard gain.

The first quarter ended. Fowler had a 14-0 lead; they also had the ball. It was second down with nine yards to go at the Potterville 35 yard line.

On the first play of the second quarter, Tristan Smith went to the right for a thirty-five yard touchdown run. The extra point kick was no good.

With 11:49 remaining in the second quarter, Fowler had a 20-0 lead.

Peyton Follick kicked the ball off to the 17 yard line where Benecio Vasquez fielded it and returned it ten yards before Drew Armbrushmacher tackled him. Potterville started its series at its own 27 yard line.

Bryce Kauffman took the ball up the middle for a one yard gain before Ryan Snyder tackled him. Spencer Fedewa passed to Chris Hicks on second down; Tristan Smith and Treagan O’Rourke teamed up to stop the play for a two yard loss. Tristan Smith’s timely hit caused a dropped third down pass.

Benecio Vasquez’ fourth down punt was fielded by Chase Pung around the Fowler 44 yard line. He gained about fourteen yards before he was forced out of bounds. Fowler started its next series on the Potterville 42 yard line.

A first down illegal procedure penalty cost Fowler five yards. On the first down replay, Nolan Stump went through the middle for a sixty-three yard touchdown run. Hudson Schlak centered the ball, Treagan O’Rourke held the ball and Peyton Follick kicked the extra point to give Fowler a 27-0 lead with 9:38 left in the first half.

Peyton Follick kicked the ball off to Ezariah Taylor, who gained about six yards before Vaughn Krepps stopped him. Potterville began its series on its own 26 yard line.

Treagan O’Rourke covered on the Viking incomplete first down pass. Cooper KOenigsknecht and Phile Tiedt teamed up to stop the Potterville second down run for a two yard loss. Potterville’s third down pass fell incomplete. Benecio Vasquez’ fourth down punt went out of bounds at the Fowler 39 yard line where the Eagles started their next series.

Peyton Follick gained six yards on a first down run up the middle. On second down, Andrew Piggott stormed through the middle for a twenty-eight yard gain before Spencer Fedewa stopped him. Fowler had a first down on the Potterville 27 yard line.

MIkey White stopped Fowler’s first down run for no gain. Hudson Schlak went to the right for a four yard second down gain before he rain into Eli Rinard. Chase Pung spun his way through the line and the defensive backfield for a nineteen yard third down gain that gave the Eagles a first down on the Potterville 4 yard line.

Andrew Piggott went through the middle for a four yard touchdown on the next play. Peyton Follick’s successful extra point gave the Eagles a 34-0 lead with 5:17 to play in the first half.

Peyton Follick’s kickoff bounced off a Viking player; Tristan Smith recovered the ball for Fowler on the Potterville 48 yard line.

Chase Pung went to the right on a first down quarterback keeper and gained eighteen yards before Bryce Kauffman and Nate Paszkowski forced him out of bounds.

Eli Rinard, Carter Jackson and Sebastian Wood stopped the Fowler first down run for a one yard loss. Chase Pung spun up the middle for a four yard gain before Mikey White stopped him with a hit that the Bleacher Denizen felt in the pressbox. (I will need to check myself for bruises when I get home!) Nolan Stump went up the middle on third down; despite being hit a couple times, he managed to stay up until he gained twenty-six yards to get the Eagles to the Potterville 1 yard line.

Nolan Stump reacted quickly to recover a bad first down snap for Fowler. On the next play, Nolan Stump plowed his way into the end zone for a one yard touchdown. Peyton Follick kicked the extra point to give Fowler a 41-0 lead with 2:25 to play in the second quarter.

Payton Follick kicked the ball to the 3 yard line where Chris Hicks caught the ball and gained about six yards before he ran into a flock of Eagles. Potterville had a first down on their own 9 yard line.

Quincy Anderson gained two yards on a first down run and one yard on second down. On the final play of the first half, Potterville fumbled.

Fowler had a 41-0 lead at halftime.

It was homecoming for the Eagles, so the band played just one song. Drum Major Lauren Schafer led the Eagle band supplemented by band alumni in playing a medley of “Counting Stars” and “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles.

The rest of halftime was devoted to the Homecoming Ceremonies. The Homecoming them was Famous Cities. The Sophomores won first place for the Float Contest. After that, it was time to introduce the Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Class representatives followed by the introduction of the candidates for Homecoming King and Queen.

Mia Riley, the all-state basketball player for the state champion Lady Eagles basketball team, was named homecoming queen and Andrew Piggott was named king.

Fowler’s Payten Follick kicked off to open the second half. Ezariah Taylor fielded the kick at about the 22 yard line and gained about 10 yards; Potterville opened its first second half series on its own 33 yard line.

Spencer Fedewa completed a first down pass to Benecio Vasquez, who made a great diving catch for a four yard gain. The Viking second down pass fell incomplete. Fowler’s Tristan Smith emphatically knocked the third down pass out of the air. Denecio Vasquez’ fourth down punt was downed by his teammate, Bryce Kauffman at the Fowler 31 yard line.

The Viking line rose up and stopped Fowler’s first down run for a one yard loss. Nolan Stump took the ball to the right for an eight yard second down gain. Andrew PIggott’s third down run up the middle gained three yards and earned a first down for the Eagles.

Nolan Stump’s first down run to the left gained nine yards. Andrew Piggott went to the left for a seven yard second down gain.

Nolan Stump went up the middle to gain seven yards on first down; Chris Hicks and Xander Smith got the tackle for Potterville. Nolan Stump went to the right for seven yards on second down to give the Eagles a first down at the Potterville 28 yard line.

Nolan Stump gained four first down runs before a boatload of Vikings stopped him. Dominic Thelen made a nice block to help Nolan Stump to a three yard second down gain. Xander Smith stopped Fowler’s third down run for no gain. Mikey White and Eli Rinard teamed up to stop Fowler’s fourth down run for a one yard gain; this was not enough for a first down and the Vikings took over the ball on downs on their own 19 yard line.

On the final play of the third quarter, Evan Curtis and Hudson Schlak stopped Potterville’s first down run for no gain.

After three quarters, Fowler’s lead was at 41-0. Potterville had the ball on their own 19 yard line; it was second down with ten yards to go.

Dominic Thelen stopped Potterville’s second down run for a two yard loss. A false start penalty pushed Potterville back five yards. Carson Sillman stopped the Potterville third down run for no gain. Potterville attempted to punt on fourth down, but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Vikings a first down on their own 27 yard line.

Fowler’s defensive line stopped the Potterville first down run for no gain. Chandler Lugibihl earned six yards on second down before Jon Ruiz tackled him. Jon Ruiz intercepted the Viking third down pass and returned the ball to Potterville’s 35 yard line before Ezariah Taylor stopped him.

Jon Ruiz went to the right for a fifteen yard gain.

Carter Lance gained seven yards on a first down sweep to the left. On the next play, Aidan Stirrett recovered an Eagle fumble to give the Vikings a first down on their own 18 yard line.

Carter Jackson’s fine block helped Changer Lugibihl to gain three yards on a first down run. Nate Paszkowski gained one yard on a second down run. Carter Lance covered for the Eagles on the Viking incomplete third down pass. Benecio Vasquez fourth down punt was downed by Ezariah on the Viking 47 yard line.

There was only about a minute left in the game. Fowler took a knee twice to run out the clock.

Fowler won this game by a 41-0 score.

For those of you who may be curious, here is a link to my You Tube video of Good Vibrations which was recorded (with no editing of the piano) this afternoon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3482fQh0Rdo