When the last lights were shut down on Roy Williams field on November 6, 2020 you just knew the underclassmen of that 8-4 Miner team were already circling sectional time 2021 on their calendars. Course they would not know the date, but they most certainly knew that Mater Dei would likely be the opponent at some point in Sectional 40. Linton had met and lost to Mater Dei in each of the last 3 years in Sectional 40, one of those a championship tilt. The Miners were bumped up to Class 2A by the infamous ‘Success Factor’ policy from the IHSAA. Then we stayed 2A as a flurry of small charter schools came aboard with football programs pushed the cut-off line further away from Linton. Linton, at 391 students, is 107 smaller than Mater Dei at 497 enrolled. The cutoff from 1A to 2A in Football in 2020 was 380, (that being Seeger), and the highest at 544 (South Vermillion). So the Miners are just 11 students above being in 1A, and 56th of the 64 class 2A teams in size. Mater Dei is the 19th largest enrollment in 2A, and have spent time in class 3A as well in years past.
Linton hasn’t backed down from the challenge. The schedule was already being toughened up to prepare for the 2A postseason that in 2017 would include 2 power houses in Mater Dei and Southridge. Adding the Raiders to open the season along with Cardinal Ritter and Providence in 2017, the continuation of meetings with Sullivan, North Knox and Monrovia, then the addition of 4A Boonville, with a very good South Putnam program added this year have kept the Miners challenged. Of course it’s hard to compare any of that to the schedule of the Southern Indiana Athletic Association of which Mater Dei has been a member of forever. The conference has always had several teams ranked in various classes and appearances in state final games in recent years as well. This year it was made even tougher with the addition of the Jasper Wildcats. So no matter how we try to toughen up our schedule at Linton, it is never going to match up with whom Mater Dei faces each year. For the Wildcat to finish 7-2 in a conference with two 5A schools (Castle, North), five 4A schools (Central, Memorial, Jasper and Harrison) and two 3A schools (Bosse and Vincennes Lincoln) is impressive. Thing is, they do this on a regular basis. 2020 same the Wildcats lose 4 conference games, yet still they ran through sectional 40 and won a regional before a loss to Western Boone in semi-state. The last team to stop them in Sectional 40 were the Southridge Raiders in 2018, which they also did in 2017. In fact, incredulous to me as I research, but going all the way back to 2007 when Coach Goebel’s ‘Cats moved back to 2A, they have won 36 games in Sectional 40 and only lost 5. All Five losses to Southridge. This is a staggering stat.
The 2021 edition of Wildcats came out 3-0 with wins over (2-7) Central 24-14, (7-2) Castle in Over Time 21-14 and 31-6 over (2-8) Lincoln. They fell in their next two games albeit to (8-2) Memorial 29-15 then to (9-1) Jasper 31-13. That would be the last “L” in their season to date. They ran off a 21-14 win over (5-4) North, 42-10 over (3-7) Bosse and 35-7 over (2-8) Harrison. They came back to win over (4-6) Reitz 21-17 after being down early. Last week they dismantled (3-7) Forest Park 42-6 in their first meeting with a 2A school all year. Linton has had their best season since the big run in 2016 at 10-0, but have not been able to get out of Sectional 40 in these last 4 years having gone 5-4 since moving up in post-season. Linton running of the table began with a 27-13 win over (5-5) Southridge, then 34-21 over 3A (7-3) Sullivan. They put a 34-8 loss on 7-3 2A Monrovia before a run of wins that included 56-6 over 5-5 North Vermillion, 38-24 over 2a 8-2 North Knox, and 48-12 over 8-2 South Putnam. They come in after a dominating 46-13 win over Tell City last week on the road.
Mater Dei and Linton haven’t faced each other much throughout the years if at all until 1993 in postseason loss 32-0. They may have played ages back, but I have no idea! I do know we came into the 2018 meeting at Linton with a 5-5 mark identical to MD’s 5-5. Both teams were their worst season’s in some time but it did not calm the intensity of the game. It was tied up 7-7 and the end on the 1st even with Linton fumbling at the MD 29 to lose a scoring chance. They picked off MD QB Cole Happe twice in the 2nd quarter, but turned the ball over on downs at the Wildcat 29 midway in the 2nd. Then it was the passing game that started to connect and led to a 35 yard TD pass. Linton then had 2 costly fumbles deep in Miner territory at the Miner 18 (that led to a MD TD) then at the Miner 29 that Linton held on a 4th and 10 pass. But it was still a 19-7 Wildcat lead at the half. Linton would only see the ball once in the 3rd quarter and they netted (-8) yards. Meanwhile the Wildcats churned out 2 scores for a commanding 33-7 lead that shut the door on Miner chances. Linton scored a couple of late TD’s for the 40-21 margin.
2019 saw both squads having great years as Linton had won 9 in a row at 9-1 headed to a bitter cold Reitz Bowl in Evansville for a rematch with the then 8-2 Wildcats. It was a game Linton fans and players simply try to forget, as the first snap produce disaster for Linton. Trey Goodman’s pass was tipped at the line by linebacker Kyle Davidson and an alert Nolan Knight made the pick six from 21 yards out, 7-0 Wildcats just 8 seconds into the game. The next series ended on a snap over the punter’s head that gave MD the ball at Linton 41. Fortunately the Defense forced a MD punt. The only real drive Linton managed against the 1st unit featured a 30 yard Lance Dyer run, but Linton turned ball over the next play at the MD 39 on a fumble. From then on, the Miner offense was held in check by MD with little to no movement. Happe was able to use his legs to scramble, and scored from 11 out with just a minute left in quarter 1, and Linton down again 14-0. On the last play of the opening quarter Kappenbrock returned a punt 61 yards for another MD score, then Linton fumbled at their own 31 early in the 2nd, and MD capitalized on a 5 yard run from McGrew and the rout was on. Before the half would come Davidson blocked a punt that went out for a safety, then Linton finally got a lucky bounce as the snap to MD’s punter was bad and Linton got the ball at the MD 24 with under a minute to do. Goodman hit Hauser for the 24 yard score, but still halftime was a welcome sight for Miner Fans down 30-7. The 2nd half was better played by Linton, particularly the defense, but MD put up 2 more scores and it was 44-7 going into the final quarter, and ended up 44-14.
2020 saw Mater Dei open up uncharacteristically 1-4, but they had won their last six heading into Linton for a sectional 40 matchup. The Miners had finished strong with a 7-3 campaign and on the heels of a 34-0 upset of Tell City the week before. Linton opened with 2 first downs, but punted from the MD 46 on 4th and 3. Both teams would then punt to each again setting MD at the Miner 44. A 3rd and 1 saw a leaping catch from Ryan Taylor for a 31 yard play to the Miner 4. On 3rd and Goal from the 10 Wunderlich found Preston Turner at the 5 and he got the ball across for the TD at 2:04. Linton blundered on the kick off putting them at their own 4, and they got out to the 17, but punted for the 3rd time already. It took two plays for MD to jump up 14-0 as Wunderlich found a wide open Eli McDurmon from 38 yards out just into the 2nd quarter.
Linton was able to move the chains a couple times via the air but once more it was a Miller punt to the Wildcat 16. MD would drive 60 yards including a huge 3rd and 5 pass for Turner of 36 yards, but Mater Dei would settle for a 41 yard Atherton Field Goal and a 17-0 lead. But the dagger was to come as MD took possession at their own 42 with 2:39 until the half. Wunderlich hit Folz for a 34 yard gain on 1st down, Humphrey ran for 11, and with just 30 seconds left Turner caught a quick in patter from 3 out to make the halftime score 24-0 Wildcats. The 3rd quarter was pretty much even as yardage was about even at 113-108, but while Linton had scored 14 points, they had come after Mater Dei opened the half with a 15 yard swing pass, then a 26 yard pass to Folz to the Miner 7. Humphrey would score from 1 out to make it 31-0. At the 9:39 mark Wunderlich once more found an open receiver, Taylor, who caught the ball at the miner 34 and raced in for a 62 yard TD pass play and it was 37-0. Gennicks ran for a score from 37, and threw two 4th quarter TD passes but in the end Linton lost 37-20.
What have we learned from those 3 losses? We know it was from any lack of effort, but we can see how turnovers have played a role in getting Linton in a bad place. We’ve also seen where when Linton gets into scoring position, they haven’t been able to convert those into points early on. Probably the biggest thing I’ve seen is that big pass plays always account for the bulk of the damage in these losses. The last thing is that Linton has had trouble getting the offense to be consistent. Part of that has certainly been the fumbles lost. But Linton has put up right around 245 total offense in each of those losses (248 last year, 240 and 242 prior), and almost identical rush amount of 146, 148 and 144-albeit most of that coming late against substitutes if to be honest. The Passing numbers are about the same each year as well (102, 92 and 98) with Linton going to air nearly 20 times in each game. Defensively Linton did pretty well on MD in 2018 (294 total offense) and in 2019 (255) but last year it jumped up to 357. Passing has been the Achilles Heel in 2018 (226 yards 3 TDs) and last year (286 yards and 4 TDs). As I remember the Mater Dei folks up in the press box at the Reitz Bowl stating their disappointment in the Wildcats offense in 2019 even in a 44-14 win. In 2019 MD only managed 64 pass yards, but had 4 TDs rushing with 191 yards.
It all just comes down to making plays. And stopping plays. Looking to make those plays for Linton starts with QB Hunter Gennicks. The 6’0 195 Junior leads Linton with 1,039 yards rushing and 13 TDs. He is backed by WB Senior Gabe Eslinger (6’0 205) with a steady 703 yards and 11 TDs. Junior Hunter Johns has been a mainstay at the other WB although he missed some action to a shoulder injury midseason. The 5’8 170 Johns has 11 TDs and 425 yards rushing. At Running Back for most of the year has been Senior Drew Smith (6’2 215) who has been a load to bring down, but an injury in week 7 has kept him out of action although suited up the last 2 weeks. In his place has been another senior Bracey Breneman at 6’2 200. Smith has 241 yards and 5 scores, Breneman with 123 yards and 3 scores. Gennicks has hit on 69 of 116 passing for 1,338 yards, 19 TDs and just one Interception. His main target has been senior WR Eli Poe (6’2 175) with 23 catches, 6 for TD and 459 yards. He has been coupled with Junior Logan Webb (6’4 170) with 12 catches 260 yards and 4 TDs. Eslinger adds 18 catches for 326 yards and 5 TDs. Another Senior, Ayden Riggleman (6’-0 170) has 6 for 96 yards, Johns with 3 for 81.
Linton has averaged 426.1 per game offensively, 279.9 on the ground, 146.2 in the air. They’ve allowing 154.8 per game, 102.8 rushing, and 52.0 passing.
For Mater Dei is starts with QB junior Mason Wunderlich (6’1 165). He isn’t the running threat that Linton’s Gennicks is, but he is 118 of 226 for 1,702 yards, 16 TDs with 6 picks. He has only 20 carries, and just 27 yards but does have 5 TDs. The Wildcats have a flurry of receivers for Wunderlich to throw to. Eli McDurmon (Sr 6’2 180) leads in receptions (42), yards (683) and TDs (7). Bryce Humphries (Sr 5’11 175) has 25 for 280 and 4 TDs, Ethan Stolz (Jr 6’1 170) adds 19 for 256 and another 4 TDs. Drew Martin (Jr 5’10 165) has 2 TDs in his 12 catches for 292 yards. The run threat is Jr Joey Pierre (5’8 175) who has 718 yards rushing and 7 TDs. He has 161 carries on the team’s 271 attempts. Pierre also has 11 catches and 57 yards. Humphries adds 126 yards on the ground on 36 touches with 4 scores. Mater Dei averages 377.4 per game offensively, 172.4 on the ground, and 205 in the air. I don’t have complete numbers to give defensively as to per game totals.
Linton will count heavily on its linebacker group of Eslinger (102 tkls 12.5 TFL) and Breneman (54, 7.5) on the inside and most likely senior Jackson Lynn (6’0 185) and Johns on the outside. Whether Smith can go at OLB is likely game time decision. Lynn 25 tackles, Johns 20, Smith wit6’3 225h 30 and 8.5 TFL in 7.5 games. Up front Linton has had Senior Jackson Fields (6’0 205) at NT, with Jr Wrigley Franklin (6’3 225) and soph Ty Boyd (6’1 190) at ends. Franklin has 12 TFL and 1.5 sacks. Jr Aiden Giles (6’3 215) has started at DE and played ILB of late adds 41 tackles. The Miner O Line will have to deal with Senior James Ralph (6’0 270) at DT with 61 tackles and a whopping 18.5 TFL. Tyler Martin (Sr 6; 2 190) lead in tackles with 69 at LB, along with 62/8.5 from Sr Pierce Wolters (6’1 225) inside. Junior Mitch Adler (6’0 180) is the other LB with 49 stops and 6.5 for loss. Up front with Ralph is junior Ethan Money (6; 5 240) at DT, and DE’s Junior Clay Martin (Jr 6; 1 200) and Senior Nick Boots (6’1 215). Boots has 59 tackles, 4 Sacks and 11 TFL. Both Defensive Backfields will be busy with the weather, passing attacks, and run support. Mater Dei will have Martin and Pierre (4 picks), senior J T Mayer (Sr, 6; 0 180) and Humphries (30 Tackles). Linton will undoubtedly be facing the best passing attack they have seen in 2021, but have a seasoned veteran unit that starts with Jaydan Miller (Sr 5;8 150) at free Safety who sat out last week, and missed several games early in the season. Gennicks was inserted into the Defense for the new season at strong safety and has 51 tackles and 2 of the teams 12 interceptions. Poe and senior Kaulin Padgett (5’8 190) at CB each with 2 picks. Webb and Riggleman could both see action as well.
Linton will go with Center Junior Nathan Watson (6’0 255) Guards Franklin (Jr 6’3 225) and Giles (Jr 6’3 215) and tackles Cameron Goodman (Sr 6; 3 200) who caught a TD pass against MD as a Tight End last year; and Donovan DeBruhl (Sr 6’0 275). The Wildcats come with center Cole Wilson (Sr 6; 4 250), guards Will Carter (Sr 6; 2 265) and Nicholas Boots (Sr 6; 1 215). Tackles will be Austin Vanover (Jr 6’0 215) and Ethan Goodin (Soph 6’3 215).
Another area that favors Mater Dei has to be special teams, in particular the kicking game. This always is a plus for the Wildcats, and with Tyler Sitzman hitting on 28 of 28 PATs and Camden Marx averaging nearly 50 yards per kickoff there is little doubt MD will get that point after TD. Linton’s situation has been up and down and an issue of late. Jose Sevilla-Garcia has averaged 38.5 per kick off, but the coverage has been spotty. Eddie Caceres Oliver has hit on 10 of 18 PATs, while Sevilla Garcia is 9 of 13. They started handling kicking duties in week 6. Jaydan Miller had been 5 of 7 in the first two games before missing time to injury. Miller has handled punting duties averaging 26.4 on just 11 punts. Webb added 5 for 35.6. Eli McDurmon has punted 13 times for MD averaging 38.7 per boot.
So it all comes down to this Friday at Roy Williams. October weather and a chance for redemption for Linton. Make no mistake that Mater Dei will be ready as they always are. We can’t say the long road trip will have any affect, as we have dropped 2 home games to the Wildcats already. You can’t really say a rainy night will benefit Linton because it hasn’t in prior games with Mater Dei. It comes down to making the plays and not making the mistakes that have hindered our Miners in the past meetings. As I say each week, but more important than ever this week, we need to bring the noise and ambience that gives our kids the energy and fire to go 4 quarters with all they have. Mater Dei will most definitely travel well. They will represent and no doubt be thinking of these last three meetings with Linton. It is time to pack the Roy and support the Miners in this game of games in Linton.
Featured photo is a file photo taken by Austin Gordon Photography