Last-second field goal beats Morris in 4A title game

SHARE Last-second field goal beats Morris in 4A title game
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Morris’ Nolan Feeney feels the pain of losing the 4A title game 24-21 to Rochester on a last-second field goal, November 24, 2017. Allen Cunningham / for the Sun-Times.

Clay Alewelt isn’t called on to kick many field goals. The Rochester kicker had only attempted two all season before making a 24-yarder as time expired to give the Rockets a 24-21 win against Morris in the Class 4A state title game.

“I just tried to treat it like an extra-point, like every other kick,” Alewelt, a sophomore, said. “I didn’t know it was good right away, not until people started screaming. Before that I had no idea.”

“The kid made the state-winning field goal, you have to give him credit,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “You have to give all of Rochester a lot of credit, congrats to them. We knew we had a tough task ahead of us but this team has a lot of heart. We really believed we could win this game all the way to the end.”

Rochester (14-0) averages 48 points a game and entered as the heavy favorite. Rochester’s previous scoring low this season was 31 points in the semifinals against Highland. The Rockets have won the 4A crown in seven of the last eight seasons. But the Redskins (11-3) hung tough and only trailed 14-9 at half.

“Overall the defense did everything we asked them to do,” Thorson said.

Morris tied the game with 4:02 to play on a four-yard pass from Mitch Mayberry to Tyler Spiezio. But the Redskins’ defense wasn’t able to stop the Rockets on the final drive.

“It’s never alright if you don’t win,” Morris senior Kameron Dransfeldt said. “But we did play hard and I’m really proud of everyone on the team. There were a ton of people fighting injuries and they stayed on the field, I have so much respect for that.

Mayberry finished 10 for 17 for 132 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Spiezio caught eight passes for 104 yards and one touchdown.

“They threw to Spiezio more today,” Rochester defensive back Riley Lewis said. “He had nice hands, he caught the ball and tucked it well. He was pretty good.”

Dransfeldt was the workhorse, the engine of the offense, finishing with 38 carries for 189 yards and two touchdowns.

“Some trips to the red-zone that we didn’t convert on hurt us,” Thorson said.

Rochester quarterback Nic Baker finished 15 for 28 for 223 yards and two touchdowns and had 15 carries for 94 yards.

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