Jordan Morrison takes off on a QB keeper against Hamilton West. Photo by Michael A. Sabo.
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
Nov. 24: Gary Hohman never realized he would be a trendsetter.
Of course, it took half a century for the trend to start up again, but the Steinert football team is not complaining.
The Spartans ended years of home-cooking indigestion Thursday by taking a 14-13 victory over visiting Hamilton in the 58th Annual East-West Thanksgiving War.
It was the first Thanksgiving home victory for either team since 2007 and the first home win for Steinert since 2000. And it came without starting quarterback Kyle Gankiewicz, who was forced from the game with a sprained neck late in the first quarter.
That left it up to Jordan “J-Mo” Morrison to ignite a comeback, which he did in winning the Richard Fornaro Trophy as Steinert’s Game MVP while setting the Spartans single-season record for most touchdowns in a season.
It was much like the 8th Annual game 50 years ago
Flash back to 1966. Steinert was trying to cap an undefeated season when starting quarterback Hohman was knocked from the game in the first quarter with a broken collarbone. But back-up Rick Ritter came in to engineer the victory.
With Hohman spending Thanksgiving in San Francisco, he was informed by Fish4scores via Facebook of how history repeated itself.
“You can’t make stuff like that up!!!” replied Hohman, still considered one of Steinert’s greatest all-time athletes. “Go Spartans!!!!!”
It was an improbable win for Steinert, made possible by one of the strangest plays you’ll ever see. Trailing 13-8 with under eight minutes left, Steinert faced a third-and-three at Hamilton’s 47. Morrison dropped to pass and appeared to be sacked for a huge loss by Reidgee Dimanche (who was Hamilton’s Bill McAvoy MVP award-winner).
“I was screaming at him to keep running,” said coach Dan Caruso, who saw that his knee was not down. Thus, Morrison took off for a 12-yard gain and a first down at the 35.
That was followed by a 14-yard completion to Miles Smith, and six plays later Morrison scored the winning touchdown on a 6-yard run with 3:41 remaining.
“I’m not gonna lie, I thought I was sacked too,” Morrison said. “When I popped up I saw coach Caruso in my eyesight and he just yelled ‘Go go go!’ and I just ran with the ball and I just got a first down. It gave us a lot of momentum.”
Hamilton coach Tom Hoglen felt his team erred on the side of caution.
“You tell your kids if they go in and hit them there it’s a 15 yard penalty,” Hoglen said. “You couldn’t hear whistles, we figured it was a dead ball. The kid kept going, he did what he had to do.”
It was a frustrating day for Hoglen and his team. Hamilton took a 7-0 lead when Hezekiah Patterson found Mark Bethea with a 36-yard touchdown pass. It was Bethea’s first TD after being injured most of the season. The score was set up by a fumbled Steinert punt.
Hamilton had a chance to increase its lead but dropped two balls in the endzone that could have doubled the advantage. Hoglen felt there might have been a hangover from playing Wall last Friday in the state semifinals.
Steinert Defender Azure Johnson breaks up a would be touchdown pass to Christopher Charles. Photo by Michael A. Sabo.
“We just didn’t capitalize in the first half when we had the chance,” he said. “We dropped some balls. You try as hard as you can to get these guys focused. I’ve lost six of these games, three of them have come off the state semifinals game. We just didn’t have any legs, just didn’t get the job done.”
Shortly after Hamilton scored, the game was delayed for nearly 30 minutes when Gankiewicz was sacked and lay nearly motionless on the field. He eventually got up on his own and was taken to Robert Wood Johnson, and returned to the sidelines to watch the end of the game. Gankiewicz missed three games earlier this year with a concussion so that was also a concern.
“At that point it messes up the passing game a little bit because he’s the starting quarterback,” receiver/defensive back Jordan Goodarz said. “But we’ve won with Morrison at QB and we did it again. He’s good back there.”
The game actually turned thanks to Goodarz’s leg. Late in the first half, Steinert’s indispensable man blasted a 47-yard punt that left Hamilton stuck at the 6-inch line. On the first play from scrimmage the Hornets fumbled and Steinert recovered for a safety to make it 7-2.
Steinert looked rejuvenated after intermission and got a huge break when they nailed Bethea for a 37-yard loss that resulted in a fumble, giving the Spartans possession at the 9. Two plays lateral Morrison scored on a 5-yard run to make it 8-7.
“Once Gank went down, I knew I was going in and I knew what I had to do,” Morrison said. “I just focused, I didn’t psyche myself out. I went in there and did what I had to do.”
Hamilton (6-5) finally stopped killing itself with penalties (91 yards worth) late in the third quarter, going on a five-play, 91-yard scoring drive. Christian Charles caught a 41-yard pass to get West out of a hole, and Dionny Azcona grabbed a 36-yard strike from Patterson to make it 13-8.
The score stayed that way until Morrison’s remarkable run laid the groundwork for the winning score. On its final possession Hamilton took over at its 39 and got to the Spartans 36. But on first down, defensive coordinator Bill James dialed up a blitz and Jake Swindasz sacked Patterson for a 13-yard loss.
“People came clean on that, which is always a good thing,” Caruso said.
Faced with a long-yardage situation Hamilton threw three incomplete passes as the Spartans held on.
“We played inspired defense,” Caruso said. “Hamilton West is loaded with guys. We knew (former Steinert assistant) Mike Costello is a helluva offensive coordinator. They were a state semifinal team and my defense just played above and beyond.”
Hamilton’s Barry Ndeh goes for a ride. Photo by Michael A. Sabo
Hamilton out-gained Steinert 247-158 as both defenses played well, but the Spartans made big plays when they had to.
“Bill James called a great game and the kids got after it and played inspired football. They got pressure on the quarterback when they had to and gave up a couple plays but a team like that is gonna make some big plays. But I’m proud of the way they tackled and got pressure”
And in the end, it was Morrison leading the way. His two touchdowns gave him 12 in the Spartans last three games – all wins. He scored 21 this season, breaking the old mark of 19. And for the second straight year he starred on Thanksgiving, much like his brother Mike four years ago.
“I think me and Mike were built for these games,” Morrison said with a grin.
“When the lights are the brightest they shine,” Caruso said. “Mike had a big interception to win the game a few years ago. Jordan was great last year, great this year and I expect him to play great next year.”
And in playing great, Morrison proved history can indeed repeat itself every 50 years.
Check back on Friday for a Thanksgiving Leftovers notebook and more photos.
