Scotties Overcome Spartans and Penalties

The Glasgow Scottie football team traveled to Baker this past Friday night for a showdown on the Spartans' turf. The difference between the two teams was stark, both in terms of players and style. Glasgow brought a considerable size advantage to the field and a determined mindset. Baker, meanwhile fielded a young crop of players and threw several new formations at the Scotties.

"They (Baker) came out and threw the kitchen sink at us," said Glasgow assistant coach Sam Tedrow. "It was good for us though. The players had to adjust on the fly." He noted that Glasgow went into the game against Baker mostly blind, since the game marked the beginning of Baker's season and the Spartan coaching staff had declined to share any film with the visitors.

Tedrow said the Spartans came out with a quad formation which "we hadn't practiced for since no one runs it, like ever." Baker's aggressive start to the game seemed to have some effect on Glasgow as the Scotties racked up the penalties early in the game, far outdistancing their opponents in penalty yards. Tedrow noted while the Scotties were thrown a bit from their game plan, "It was a tightly called game."

However, the Scotties made up for their mistakes with dogged determination. At one point in the game, Glasgow ran the exact same play three times in a row. Idler found the endzone each of the three times, however the first two touchdowns were called back due to penalties on the Scotties. Glasgow's stubborness would help propel them to a 46-12 vicotry over Baker, giving them a 3-0 record on the year.

Jesse Lee put Glasgow on the scoreboard first with a run into the endzone, to give Glasgow a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. On their third possession, Scottie quarterback Loden Idler launced a 67-yard pass to Ashton Potter for a touchdown. WIth the extra two points from Idler, Glasgow held a 14-0 lead with 1:53 left in the first quarter.

Baker answered back when Garrett Lesh snagged a Glasgow pass for a 15-yard interception return, bringing the Spartans within eight points of the Scotties. Glasgow by this time had mostly found their footing on the artificial turf, and knocked down another punt by Baker. Cooper Larson recovered the ball in the end zone for the TD midway through the second quarter. Idler added the extra two points by going straight up the middle.

Another interception by Larson before the half set up the Scotties for an Idler run into the end zone. Three times. The first two attempts were both called back for holding, but the Scotties weren't deterred and stuck to the plan. Lee successfully converted on the after-touchdown attempt to add two points to take the 30-6 lead.

Baker returned to the field after the half determined to give Glasgow a run for their money. The Spartans' Konner Flint returned the opening kickoff 72 yards to take the score to 30-12. The rest of the game, though, would belong to the Scotties.

With 5:41 left in the third quarter, Idler would again find Potter with a 17-yard throw for another touchdown. A quarterback keeper saw Idler add two more points to Glasgow's side of the scoreboard, widening the margin to 38 to 12.

Glasgow expanded on that lead early in the fourth quarter when freshman Tatum Hansen came in off the bench to shock the hosts with a 52-yard run to the endzone. He would also take credit for the two-point conversion. Glasgow's 46-12 lead held until the the final buzzer sounded.

Glasgow racked up 341 total yards while holding Baker to 169 yards. The Scotties had 227 rushing yards and 117 passing yards on the game, sticking to their plan to power the ball down the field. Idler led in rushing yards, carrying nine times for 79 yards. Lee had 69 yards on 16 carries and Hansen had one carry for 52 yards. Idler completed four of nine passes for Glasgow's 117 yards. Potter had 84 receiving yards on his two touchdown catches. Colton Fast had two interceptions, while Alex Ost and Larson added one a piece.

Despite Glasgow's 14 penalties to Baker's 6, Tedrow was pleased with his team's showing. The game was a learning experience for the team, he said. He was quick to string together a list of players who all contributed to the Scotties win, a mix of offensive and defensive players flying from his lips. And like head coach Patrick Barnett, he remains impressed with the level of skill the younger players are displaying.

"Ashton Potter," he said. "Man, for a sophomore to come in and make those plays, that's great." The assistant coach is exuberant in his enthusiasm for this team, their progress and their potential. "We've got some really great players," he said, "and their style is different which gives us some good options with running and passing."

The Glasgow defense continues to dominate on the field. The Scotties have overall allowed only 18 points from their opponents this season, aweing opponents with their size and control. Baker's two trips into the end zone occurred on an interception and a punt return. Dylan Nieskens and Larson both blocked punts, and Trey Johnson added a sack to his stats, giving him a sack in each of Glasgow's games so far this season.