Rocks payback
Woodstock for '97
title game
By Marc Nesseler, Sports editor
November 2, 2002 10:09 PM
Rock Island linebacker Justin Morelock intercepted a pass with 2:23 left in Saturday's
Class 6A first-round playoff game at Almquist Field to secure the Rocks' 13-12 victory
over Woodstock.
Five years ago, in the 5A state championship game, Woodstock defeated Rock Island on an
interception in the waning minutes. On that Rocky team was a linebacker named Jason
Morelock, Justin's brother.
``I was hoping he'd be here for this one,'' Justin said after the Rocks were able to
run out the clock after his pick. ``We figured it would have been a reunion of sorts.''
Rocky junior long-snapper Kyle Each, too, was out to exact revenge for his brother.
Justin Each was a receiver on that '97 state runner-up team.
``He was really excited,'' said Kyle, who was a part of the key snapping combination
with holder Chase Stephens and kicker Jason Reda that provided the deciding point-after
with 4:08 to go. It came after Ricky O'Conner's 1-yard plunge for a touchdown.
``He told me beforehand to keep your head up no matter what,'' Kyle Each said. ``He
said, `Don't let anything get you down.'|''
Justin Each's words turned out to be quite prophetic. After Woodstock turned a critical
fumble on a early second-quarter kickoff into six points, the Blue Streaks led for nearly
all of the final three quarters.
``Thank goodness our defense stepped it up in the second half and matched their
giveaways (3) with our giveaways (3),'' said RI coach Vic Boblett, whose 9-1 Rocks advance
to the second round, hosting Rockford Boylan next Saturday.
Besides Morelock's interception, Richard Whitley had a fumble recovery on the kickoff
that followed O'Conner's late TD.
``I thought that was going to clinch it,'' said Whitley. ``I saw Sterling Miles hit the
guy (returner Grant Fredericksen) pretty good, and I just fell on the ball. I give 110
percent of this win to the defense.''
The Rocks' next drive resulted in a Reda 42-yard field goal that was just wide left.
Woodstock had one last chance to repeat the magic it had performed against RI a
half-decade ago. Morelock saw to it that wouldn't happen.
``When it comes to Woodstock, whether it's a beautifully executed game (as was the '97
battle) or one that is ugly as it comes, it's going to come down to the last few
seconds,'' noted Boblett.
After RI took a 6-0 lead on a one-yard TD by Dillon Smith, Woodstock leaned on the RI
turnovers and the passing of sophomore quarterback Brandon Benda to gain its 12-6 lead.
Benda completed eight straight passes, with TD tosses of 14 to Matt Phillips and seven to
Fredericksen.
Boblett then was left wondering what was in store when Reda's first-half-ending 23-yard
field goal was ruled no good. ``You start to wonder if the stars are out of alignment,''
the coach said, ``when it looks good by five yards.''
Just before that, the Rocks had an illegal procedure call despite a no-count snap on a
fourth-and-goal at the 1. QB Tom DeBroeck leaped into the end zone, but the potentially
game-tying score was negated by the penalty.
``It's like, oh goodness, it might be one of those days. Maybe it just wasn't meant to
be,'' Boblett said.
Unlike its previous matchup against Woodstock, though, this was meant to be for the
Rocks. Their defense held the Blue Streak rushers to just 22 yards on 17 carries, and
Benda was just 6-of-15 with two interceptions after his streak of eight completions.
``You know, there were a lot of strange similarities to that '97 title game,'' the RI
coach said, more than just the brother revenge of Morelocks and Eachs.
``Then we had two linebackers, a Morelock and a Nick (Thompson), and we now have a
Morelock and a Nick (Fleming). We had J.J. Tubbs then and Jason Reda now, and both are
great kickers.
``And maybe the strangest thing is that our center on the '97 team was Jeff Brown and
our center on this team is Jeff Brown.''
But before you again say, ``Oh brother,'' those Browns are not.
Copyright 2001, Moline Dispatch
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