(Atlantic) Atlantic earned a spot in the third round of the Class 2A state football playoffs with a 21-0 win over Des Moines, Christian This marks the seventh straight win for the Trojans and fifth consecutive shut-out.
The Trojans intercepted five passes and recovered one fumble. Joe Weaver, Bodie Johnson, Easton O’Brien, Colin Mullenix, and Zane Vance accounted for the five picks. Brendan Atkinson led the team in tackles with seven, Bodie Johnson six, and Gunner Kirchhoff had five.
“They play great team defense, whether it’s run or pass, we’re playing well,” said Atlantic Head Coach Mike McDermott. “What we sometimes don’t see from the stands is a lot of times when we get interceptions that’s our defensive line putting pressure on the quarterback. When we have good coverage, we get sacks, and that’s how good defense is played.”
Joe Weaver knocked down a Des Moines, Christian pass on fourth down with .07 seconds left in the first quarter. The Trojans took advantage of a gusty north wind. Junior quarterback Garrett McLaren stepped up in the pocket and launched a 51-yard touchdown pass to Colin Mullenix to give Atlantic the lead as time ran out. The senior receiver fought through double coverage, caught the ball at the Lions five-yard line, and finished the play with the score. Lane Nelson’s extra point gave the home team a 7-0 lead. McLaren finished the night 4-6 passing for 66 yards.
Atlantic added to the score with 5:20 left in the second quarter on Bodie Johnson’s five-yard run. Nelson kicked the extra point to give the Trojans a 14-0 cushion.
The Lions came right back and stepped up the tempo with a no-huddle offense. The visitors drove deep into Trojan territory, but a Colin Mullenix interception in the end zone stopped the Lion’s chance to score late in the first half.
DMC quarterback Jaxon Withers went 16-38, passing for 117 yards. Alex Nieman led the receiving corps with six catches for 70 yards. The visitors ran 23 running plays for 68 yards.
The Trojans sealed the deal with 3:20 left in the fourth quarter on Bodie Johnson’s four-yard run. The senior fullback finished the night with 19 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
The Trojans ended the night with 278 yards of total offense, with 212 on the ground and 66 in the air.
“We knew we had a chance; I didn’t know it would get broken down this way,” said McDermott, when asked if he thought his team would go this far when preseason practice started last August. “We just better each week, and that was our goal.”
The Trojans go to 7-1 on the season and find out who their next opponent will be at noon on Saturday.
