Quick-strike capability boosts Indians

Krysa's special teams play, defense help Fort Osage rally past Park Hill South

By Jason Tarwater
The Examiner
Posted Aug 30, 2008 @ 02:47 AM

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Independence, MO — With his team trailing in the final three minutes against Park Hill South, Dalton Krysa came through.

The Fort Osage running back – who rushed for 162 yards – made his impact on special teams, busting a 96-yard kickoff return for the game-winning score, as the Indians opened the season with a wild 28-20 win.

“I don’t know why they kicked it to him,” Fort Osage coach Ryan Schartz said. “I’m glad they did, though.”
Park Hill South seemed to take control of the game with 3:12 left, as Daniel Siehndel hit Frank Panilla for a 36-yard score. E.J. Gaines blocked the extra point, but Fort trailed late 20-14.
Enter Krysa.
A penalty against the Indians allowed Park Hill South to kick off from the 50. The ball went right to Krysa who hit a seam and ran up the middle of the field for the score.

“I didn’t know where they were going to kick it,” Krysa said, referring to himself and Gaines who also returns kicks. “They’d been going with both of us.”
Krysa said he had two thoughts in his head when he saw the field open up in front of him.

“Run as fast as you can, and don’t get tackled,” he said, laughing. “It just opened up. It felt good.”

While Dalton’s score won the game, Ian Mathis’ redemption clinched it.
Mathis, the Indian defensive back who was beaten on the 36-yard touchdown pass, more than made up for his mistake.

On the first play from scrimmage after Krysa’s touchdown, Mathis jumped a route, picked off Daniel Siehndel’s pass and raced 34 yards for the score to put the game away.

“They had been running the slant all night, but never threw to my side,” Mathis said. They showed a slant (on the touchdown pass) and I bit and couldn’t get back. I wanted to redeem myself.

“That (interception) saved my night. I’d have gone home and pouted all night.”
The final three minutes helped salvage what Schartz called an ugly overall season opener.

In the first quarter, the Indians lost three fumbles. One set up the Panthers’ first touchdown drive – which was capped by a 2-yard run by Siehndel. The third turned into a 36-yard scoop and score by Carlas Mosby to put the Panthers up 14-0 after one quarter.

Then Edward Pearl led the Indians back.
The junior quarterback, making his first start of the season, tossed a 28-yard score to a wide open Bret Sutton, before throwing a 32-yard score to Parker Jones. Jones appeared stopped near the 15-yard line, but broke through a number of tackles before fighting his way into the end zone.

“Park Hill South put a lot of guys in the box,” said Pearl, who threw for 204 yards in the first half and finished the night 18-of-24 for 243 yards with the two touchdowns and two interceptions. “They were crowding the line and our receivers got open.

“This felt pretty good, especially beating Park Hill South because they beat us last year.”

With three lost fumbles and the two interceptions – in addition to some crippling penalties that allowed Park Hill South to keep scoring drives alive – Schartz said he was happy with the win, but not with the game. For the game, Fort had nine penalties for 76 yards – including three 15-yard penalties.

“This is a tough football team,” Schartz said. “To overcome those penalties and turnovers showed toughness. But I’m not happy. We have a lot of things to work on and get under control. We’re going to go to work (Saturday).”

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