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Govs can still light it up
Updated: August 13, 2011 10:43AM
VALPARAISO — Roy Richards has had some outstanding teams at Morton the last couple seasons, one that advanced to the semistate a year ago and one that won a sectional in 2009.
Yet, this team might be his best.
In a scrimmage matchup that pitted the Class 4A Governors and Class 5A Valparaiso, two of the area’s three teams to play in their respective semistates last season, Morton toed it up against the bigger Vikings and looked awfully impressive.
The Governors’ first drive of the night went eight plays and was capped by a 3-yard touchdown run by junior running back Eleazar Henderson. A 43-yard pass play from senior quarterback Chris McCormack to Alfred Dickey helped set up the TD.
“This team has the ability to be unbelievably explosive,” Morton coach Roy Richards said. “We just have to be able to execute.”
The Governors rotated McCormack and junior Jimmy Glidewell at quarterback the entire night, much like they did last season with the now graduated Andrew Glidewell, though Richards said he expects the improved McCormack to get the majority of the snaps during the regular season.
Morton also rotated in skilled player after skilled player.
“Our second group is pretty good,” Richards said. “You might not have been able to tell the difference.”
On the other side, Valparaiso had some impressive moments, like junior running back Andrew Kittridge’s 26-yard catch-and-run from quarterback Paul Andrie. But at other times, the Vikings looked a bit out of sorts, both offensively and defensively.
“We saw some things we liked and saw some things we didn’t like,” said Valparaiso coach Mark Hoffman, one day after announcing his retirement at the conclusion of the season. “Our pursuit (on defense) wasn’t what we wanted it to be. Offensively, we did some things OK, but we didn’t sustain our blocks well. That’s the offensive line, and we need to be better there.”
Though Kittridge and senior Bryon Duncan will provide the Vikings’ one-two punch in the backfield, junior running back Stephen Simms scored two touchdowns for the Vikings, a 13-yarder and a 3-yarder.
Morton players and coaching staff members were awaiting news on the status of sophomore quarterback Jeff Wozniak, who suffered a neck injury in practice on Tuesday. Wozniak lie motionless on the field after suffering the injury on what Richards called an otherwise normal play and tackle.
“We’re hoping for nothing but positive news,” Richards said. “Half our minds were here and half were with Jeff. We know we’ll get good news. This hurts all of us. He comes from a great family.”
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