Posted: 9/11/02

Mustangs run away from Rangers

Berk Brown
Sports Editor

Before Forest Lake could run a play on Mounds Viewís side of the field Friday, the Mustangs had run away with the game.

Forest Lake, 0-2, trailed 26-0 before it could cross midfield as Mounds View rolled to a 32-14 victory at Mustang Stadium in the Suburban East Conference opener.

Forest Lake managed just 39 yards of total offense in the first three quarters of the game. Mounds View, meanwhile, scored on its first three possessions and punted just twice in the first three quarters.

ìIt would have been nice to get something going somewhere along the way,î Forest Lake coach Jim Herman said. ìWe didnít make any progress with them defensively or when we were on offense.î

Mounds View needed to rebound after a season-opening loss to Blaine and Mustangs coach Jim Galvin said his team did just that.

ìWe feel like we can be a good team. We expected to play better than we did against Blaine,î Galvin said. ìIím very happy with what I saw (Friday). (Forest Lake) had trouble running and passing against us.î

The game started auspiciously for the Rangers as Forest Lake went three-and-out on its first two possessions and Mounds View gained 89 yards in its first two possessions, each of which ended with a touchdown.

Forest Lakeís third possession ended with a fumble and Mounds View capitalized with a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to go ahead 20-0.

Mounds View later went ahead 26-0 with 26 seconds left in the first half.

A Lance Overson pass to Tom Frericks on the first play of the ensuing possession gave the Rangers their first first down of the game.

Mounds View scored another touchdown on its second possession of the second half to go ahead 32-0. It wasnít until early in the fourth quarter that the Forest Lake offense got moving, although it came against Mustang reserves.

Consecutive Overson completions to Jake Brown netted 56 yards and Overson later hit Frericks with a 4-yard touchdown pass with 8:16 left in the game as Scooter Brandt added the extra point.

On Forest Lakeís next possession, Overson hit both Frericks and Brown twice, the last of which came in the form of a 9-yard touchdown pass from Overson to Brown to pull the Rangers within 32-14 with 5:21 left in the game.

Overson finished the game with 151 yards passing and 20 yards rushing. His best rush of the game, however, was nullified by a blown call.

After Mounds View went ahead 32-0, Forest Lakeís first play of the ensuing possession was an option. Overson pulled the ball away from fullback Steve Carlisle and broke into the open field around the corner.

At that moment, an official blew the play dead, thinking Carlisle had been tackled with the ball. Overson went ahead and ran all the way into the end zone, but the play was called back as an 11-yard gain. Four plays later, the Rangers punted.

Forest Lake finished the game with 37 yards rushing while Mounds View rushed for 349 and added 44 through the air.

After losing its first two games by a combined 63-20, Herman said the Rangers need to get back to the basics.

ìWeíre getting total effort and weíre pretty close to playing with total class, but weíre not very close to total concentration,î Herman said.

Ranger notes

ï Forest Lakeís home opener is at 7 p.m. Friday against Stillwater. Forest Lake is 5-5 in its last 10 home openers, including 2-1 in its last three.

ï The last time Forest Lake played Stillwater in the Rangersí home opener, Forest Lake won 42-14.

ï Since the start of the 1997 season, Forest Lake is 9-20 in games in which it allows 15 or more points.

ï Since 1992, Forest Lake is 2-7 against Stillwater. The combined score of those nine games is Stillwater 205, Forest Lake 146.

ï Forest Lakeís only two wins in the last nine meetings with Stillwater both came in 2000, when the Rangers beat the Ponies 40-0 and 42-14.

ïÝStillwaterís Josh Rose is the second-leading rusher in the SEC this season with 257 yards in two games.

ïÝStillwater quarterback Andrew Schiesing has completed 11 of 31 passes for 161 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions this season.

ïÝStillwater punter Paul Fortmanís 38.9 yards-per-punt average is the best in the SEC.
ï Forest Lakeís Overson is third in the SEC in passing with 260 yards but has thrown a conference-high three interceptions.

ïÝOverson also is the teamís top rusher with 76 yards in two games, which ranks 15th in the SEC.

ïÝBrown is tied with Hastingsí John Majeski for the conference lead in receptions with eight. Brown is second to Majeski in receiving yardage with 161. Majeski has 177.

ïÝStillwater is second in the SEC in total offense with an average of 330.5 yards per game and the Ponies are fourth in total defense, allowing an average of 290.5.

ïÝForest Lake is seventh in the SEC in total offense at 201.5 yards per game. The Rangers also are sixth in total defense, allowing 311.5 yards per game.

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