DC-G quarterback Ty Walker found receiver Isaac Boley for touchdown passes of eight yards and, minutes later, of five yards in the fourth quarter as the Mustangs emerged from a 13-0 deficit to claim a 14-13 win in the opening week of Class 3A District 2 action.
The game was a hard-hitting affair throughout. The rivals entered the game with offenses ranked at the bottom of 3A, and both defenses made the most of their opponent’s struggles to consistently move the ball.
DC-G (1-4, 1-0) held Perry to only 53 yards through the air while yielding 129 rushing yards on 40 carries. The Perry defense was even stingier, surrendering 72 passing yards but holding the Mustang ground game to only 78 yards on 37 rushes.
The Bluejays (0-5, 0-1) had their moments with the ball, including an early 35-yard pass down the sideline from Kaleb Olejniczak to Kato Dougan.
Senior running back Justin Stammer had first quarter bursts of 14 yards and then 10 yards, with Olejniczak dashing up the middle for a 15-yard gain. Olejniczak stepped off left guard and dashed straight up the turf on solid blocking from Alex Morales, Kade Killmer and Mike Echeverria to score from 11 yards out. Cori Alamina added the PAT and Perry held a 7-0 lead.
Perry moved the ball behind Stammer and Olejniczak runs in the second quarter, advancing as far as the Mustang 18 where crossed signals in the backfield resulted in a fumbled exchange, with DC-G recovering the ball to end the drive and leave the halftime score at 7-0 in favor of the hosts.
The Bluejays marched to the Mustang nine-yard line in the third quarter. Olejniczak carried to the five, where a late-hit penalty moved the ball half the way to the goal. On second down Stammer followed defensive tackle Luke Holtorf — in as a big fullback — into the end zone, with blocks from Killmer and Echeverria helping clear a path. The PAT was missed, leaving Perry holding a 13-0 lead, which they maintained until early in the fourth quarter.
DC-G was finally able to find some running room for Zach Brand, who finished with 83 yards on 33 carries. He was held for either no gain or else two yards or less seven times, and on another seven carries was pulled down for a loss of yards, but was finally able to rattle off a few mid-sized gains in the final frame.
An exchange of punts and a disputable defensive pass interference call had worked in favor of the Mustangs, who finally cashed in when Walker floated a pass over the head of a Perry defender to Boley for an eight-yard TD. Austin James — who had been accurate but short on a 35-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter — booted the PAT to close the gap to 13-7.
Perry moved the ball across midfield and opted to try for a first down on a fourth-and-five, with a pass slipping right through the hands of an open receiver, turning the ball over on downs.
The Bluejays were later forced to punt from their own end zone, with the Mustangs able to start from the Perry 25. Walker eventually hit a diving Boley on a low pass for a five-yard tying score, with James adding the go-ahead PAT with just over five minutes left to play.
Olejniczak was sacked on first down, and made only a few yards on a quarterback draw on second down. Consecutive sacks followed as the Mustang defense blitzed through the Bluejay line, giving Olejniczak no chance to escape or even throw the ball away.
The guests were then able to run out the clock, preserving their first win of the season.
Walker was 8-of-16 for 72 yards, with Boley (5-60, 2 TDs), Cody Hall (1-9), Garrett Morris (1-2) and Bryce Jermier (1-1) catching passes.
Morris had two carries for four yards, with Walker running twice and finishing with minus-nine yards.
Zach Needham had 7.5 tackles and three sacks, with Brody Burgher making a sack, recovering a fumble and tallying 5.5 stops while Rowen Collins notched 7.5 tackles.
Defensive numbers for Perry were not made available.
Olejniczak was 3-of-8 passing, with Dougan (1-35), Conner Kenyon (1-14) and Stammer (1-4) on the receiving end.
Stammer carried 19 times for 92 yards and a score and Olejniczak 20 times for 48 total yards and one score while Kenyon lost 11 yards on one rush.
DC-G was penalized eight times for 90 yards and Perry 10 times (four of which were illegal substitution/too many men) for 80 yards.
Echeverria was lost to an undisclosed injury in the second half, altering both the offensive and defensive lines for Perry. DC-G lost a player to a badly broken arm, one to a broken lower leg and two to concussions. None of the injuries were the result of dirty play and were instead simply a testament to the hard-hitting, physical nature of the game, with both teams playing with much energy and purpose.
Perry will travel to Webster City September 28. The Lynx fell to host Carroll, 28-14, Friday. Webster City (2-3, 0-1) opened their season with a 14-6 win at Gilbert before falling, 28-14, to visiting Spencer. A 45-36 home win over Waterloo East was followed by a 34-21 road loss to Algona to complete their non-district slate.
