Andrean again tops New Prairie

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

MERRILLVILLE -- Andrean and New Prairie have met four times previously, all in postseason play, and each time the result has been an Andrean victory. Friday provided more of the same as the 59ers outmuscled the Cougars with a 37-14 Class 3A Sectional 17 semifinal victory.

"This team has pressed to get ready for this," said Andrean coach Phil Mason. "The Northwest Crossroads Conference is one of the best in northern Indiana, maybe the whole state, and it got us ready for this."

New Prairie did make some progress this time, taking a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. It was the first time the Cougars have ever led the 59ers in a ballgame. And it came courtesy of a pair of Andrean special team gaffes.

New Prairie opened the game with an onside kick that they recovered with no 59er in sight. The Cougars subsequently fumbled the ball back to Andrean, but the 59ers' drive ended in just a 6-yard pooch punt. New Prairie took over on the Andrean 33-yard line and punched it in the end zone on a Kannon Keigley 4 yard run.

"Those mistakes would have killed us earlier in the year," Mason said.

"We're maturing and now we know how to respond.  We've told them its week 10 and they're all veterans now."

Andrean (5-6) would also muff a punt and miss an extra point in the second quarter, but they got on the board with a Kyle Kovach 3-yard run. The 59ers were the beneficiary of four Cougar penalties for 30 yards on their scoring drive.

Andrean took the lead at 13-7 in the second quarter after recovering a New Prairie fumble then going 39 yards in six plays. Kovach finished that drive also, this time with a two yard run for the score.

Kovach amassed 183 yards and four touchdowns on the night as the 59ers beat New Prairie at their own power running game. The 5-10, 175-pound senior also caught a couple of passes and handled the punting chores for the 59ers.

"When I dropped that punt, I thought, 'Kyle, what are you doing?'" said Kovach.  "I had to make it up to my team and be a leader."

While Kovach was tearing things up, the Andrean defense stiffened up considerably after New Prairie's first score. The 62 yards that the 59ers defense gave up in the first half was just three yards more than the Cougars were penalized in the half.

New Prairie (7-4) threatened to make a game of it when they took the ball down to Andrean's 5 yard-line on the opening drive of the second half.  But Andrean's Mike Skinner jumped an out route and returned an interception 58 yards.

The 59ers scored again on a 34 yard pass from Richard Schmidt to Chris Kulik and the Cougars would never get closer.

Schmidt had 130 yards passing for Andrean while Keigley's 187 rushing yards led New Prairie.  The 59ers move on to face Knox next week in the sectional final.