Unity Christian heads to postseason on good note
By Jerry Giesejgiese@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Saturday, October 25, 2008
HULL, Iowa - Sooner or later, Aaron Floen was going to break a long run.
Floen's 78-yard touchdown run down the left sideline 28 seconds into the fourth quarter was the game-clincher as Orange City Unity Christian built momentum for the upcoming Class 2A state substate with a 26-6 win in District 1 action Friday night at Hesla Field.
Floen, prior to his longest gain of the night, had been held in check by Western Christian's defense, limited to just 29 yards on 10 carries. He finished with 16 rushes for 133 yards.
It was the sixth time the 6-1, 195-pound senior running back had gone for triple-digit yardage this season. He'll enter Wednesday's substate game with 1,288 yards for the 8-1 Knights (6-1 District 1).
"Western kept putting nine in a box," said Floen. "I'd try to get out of a hole, then their linebackers made the tackle on me. It was frustrating.
"It sure was nice to get that big run. I have to credit the line for blocking.
"When Kameron Gradert got his 47-yard run (in the third quarter) it was huge. It gave us momentum and it gave us confidence knowing we could make the big play."
Kradert's 47-yard burst through Western's defense late in the third quarter gave the Knights a 13-6 lead. Unity, en route to its sixth consecutive win, also got a 23-yard touchdown run up the middle from James Hellinga with three seconds left in the first quarter, three plays after Ryan Hoekstra recorded his team-leading eighth interception of the season.
Had Western been able to make a tackle on any of Unity's three long scoring plays, the outcome could have been different. The Knights had 74 yards on their other 26 rush attempts, including a 40-yard burst by Ryan Visser that led to Floen's 10-yard scoring run that capped the scoring.
"We came out raring to go, knowing our defense had to play a big game," said Western Christian Coach Travis Kooima. "They had four big plays that they got a lot of yards on. We knew going in, we couldn't allow the big play. That's how they got their win."
Western Christian (4-5, 3-4), you might say, otherwise dominated the game, considering it had 79 offensive plays to Unity Christian's 39.
Sophomore quarterback Tyler Wolterstorff completed passes to seven different receivers while going 20 of 40 for 185 yards. He threw a seven-yard scoring pass to Curtis Van Grouw that pulled the hosts within 7-6 with 73 seconds left before halftime.
However, Wolterstorff threw two interceptions, the first to Hellinga.
Still, Unity also made a pair of special-teams mistakes on Western punt attempts. A roughing-the-kicker penalty continued a scoring drive by Kooima's squad in the second quarter.
Wolterstorff threaded passes to Bryce Groeneweg, Adam Buyert and Ben Van't Hul following the miscue. Van't Hul's seven-yard run preceded the touchdown that pulled the Wolfpack within 7-6.
Early in the third quarter, Western's Josh Pollema kept a drive moving when he recovered a fumble as Gradert muffed a punt return in the third. But, the Wolfpack only got as far as the Knights' 15-yard line when Visser held Brandon Van Engen three yards short of a first down as Western attempted to go for it on fourth and 17.
"I think Western played outstanding," said Unity Coach Perry Krosschell. "We knew that Travis would get them going. It was a rival game and we're just thankful we came out on the winning end.
"That's what playing in this district is all about," added Krosschell, who has a 16-11 record since Unity started varsity football in the 2006 season.
"If you don't give it your best effort, you're going to get beat. Western gave it everything."
"Western played like they wanted to stop me," said Floen. "They keyed on me with their nine in the box, but then we got it to our other running backs (Gradert, Hellinga, Visser) and they got good gains. They're good running backs too."
Players and coaches from both teams huddled together in the light rain after the game and Kooima, the second coach in Western's five-year football history, led the prayer.
Then, Kooima walked with his team to the west end of the field. He was still hopeful of a substate berth and promised players he'd let them know if their season was still alive.
"This was fun," said Kooima. "Tonight, we played just three quarters. We didn't play four. We knew we had to play four good quarters.
"But it's hard to get mad at them after they played so hard."
Unity 26, Western 6
Unity Christian 7 0 6 13 -- 26
Western Christian 0 6 0 0 -- 6
First Quarter
UC - James Hellinga 23 run (Tyler Wassenaar kick) 0:03
Second Quarter
WC - Curtis Van Grouw 7 pass from Tyler Wolterstorff (kick blocked) 1:13
Third Quarter
UC - Kameron Gradert 47 run (kick failed) 5:06
Fourth Quarter
UC - Aaron Floen 78 run (run failed) 11:32
UC - Floen 10 run (Wassenaar kick) 7:22
TEAM STATISTICS
UC WC
First downs 9 13
Rushes-yards 29-222 37-70
Passing yards 31 185
Passes 2-7-1 20-40-2
Total plays-yards 39-253 79-255
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Punts-ave. 5-32.4 3-17.3
Penalties-yards 6-45 6-35
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Unity Christian - Aaron Floen 16-133, Ryan Visser 3-52, Kameron Gradert 5-52, James Hellinga 2-33, Ryan Hoekstra 3-2. Western Christian - Theo Bartman 15-45, Ben Van't Hul 15-15, Adam Buyert 7-10.
PASSING: Unity Christian -- Hoekstra 2-7-1 - 31. Western Christian - Tyler Wolterstorff 20-40-2 -- 185.
RECEIVING: Unity Christian - Visser 1-18, Austin Katje 1-13. Western Christian - Jack VerBurg 6-64, Buyert 4-31, Brandon Van Engen 2-28, Bryce Groeneweg 2-25, Kevin Swenson 2-22, Curtis Van Grouw 2-20, Van't Hul 2-(-5).
Floen's 78-yard touchdown run down the left sideline 28 seconds into the fourth quarter was the game-clincher as Orange City Unity Christian built momentum for the upcoming Class 2A state substate with a 26-6 win in District 1 action Friday night at Hesla Field.
Floen, prior to his longest gain of the night, had been held in check by Western Christian's defense, limited to just 29 yards on 10 carries. He finished with 16 rushes for 133 yards.
It was the sixth time the 6-1, 195-pound senior running back had gone for triple-digit yardage this season. He'll enter Wednesday's substate game with 1,288 yards for the 8-1 Knights (6-1 District 1).
"Western kept putting nine in a box," said Floen. "I'd try to get out of a hole, then their linebackers made the tackle on me. It was frustrating.
"It sure was nice to get that big run. I have to credit the line for blocking.
"When Kameron Gradert got his 47-yard run (in the third quarter) it was huge. It gave us momentum and it gave us confidence knowing we could make the big play."
Kradert's 47-yard burst through Western's defense late in the third quarter gave the Knights a 13-6 lead. Unity, en route to its sixth consecutive win, also got a 23-yard touchdown run up the middle from James Hellinga with three seconds left in the first quarter, three plays after Ryan Hoekstra recorded his team-leading eighth interception of the season.
Had Western been able to make a tackle on any of Unity's three long scoring plays, the outcome could have been different. The Knights had 74 yards on their other 26 rush attempts, including a 40-yard burst by Ryan Visser that led to Floen's 10-yard scoring run that capped the scoring.
"We came out raring to go, knowing our defense had to play a big game," said Western Christian Coach Travis Kooima. "They had four big plays that they got a lot of yards on. We knew going in, we couldn't allow the big play. That's how they got their win."
Western Christian (4-5, 3-4), you might say, otherwise dominated the game, considering it had 79 offensive plays to Unity Christian's 39.
Sophomore quarterback Tyler Wolterstorff completed passes to seven different receivers while going 20 of 40 for 185 yards. He threw a seven-yard scoring pass to Curtis Van Grouw that pulled the hosts within 7-6 with 73 seconds left before halftime.
However, Wolterstorff threw two interceptions, the first to Hellinga.
Still, Unity also made a pair of special-teams mistakes on Western punt attempts. A roughing-the-kicker penalty continued a scoring drive by Kooima's squad in the second quarter.
Wolterstorff threaded passes to Bryce Groeneweg, Adam Buyert and Ben Van't Hul following the miscue. Van't Hul's seven-yard run preceded the touchdown that pulled the Wolfpack within 7-6.
Early in the third quarter, Western's Josh Pollema kept a drive moving when he recovered a fumble as Gradert muffed a punt return in the third. But, the Wolfpack only got as far as the Knights' 15-yard line when Visser held Brandon Van Engen three yards short of a first down as Western attempted to go for it on fourth and 17.
"I think Western played outstanding," said Unity Coach Perry Krosschell. "We knew that Travis would get them going. It was a rival game and we're just thankful we came out on the winning end.
"That's what playing in this district is all about," added Krosschell, who has a 16-11 record since Unity started varsity football in the 2006 season.
"If you don't give it your best effort, you're going to get beat. Western gave it everything."
"Western played like they wanted to stop me," said Floen. "They keyed on me with their nine in the box, but then we got it to our other running backs (Gradert, Hellinga, Visser) and they got good gains. They're good running backs too."
Players and coaches from both teams huddled together in the light rain after the game and Kooima, the second coach in Western's five-year football history, led the prayer.
Then, Kooima walked with his team to the west end of the field. He was still hopeful of a substate berth and promised players he'd let them know if their season was still alive.
"This was fun," said Kooima. "Tonight, we played just three quarters. We didn't play four. We knew we had to play four good quarters.
"But it's hard to get mad at them after they played so hard."
Unity 26, Western 6
Unity Christian 7 0 6 13 -- 26
Western Christian 0 6 0 0 -- 6
First Quarter
UC - James Hellinga 23 run (Tyler Wassenaar kick) 0:03
Second Quarter
WC - Curtis Van Grouw 7 pass from Tyler Wolterstorff (kick blocked) 1:13
Third Quarter
UC - Kameron Gradert 47 run (kick failed) 5:06
Fourth Quarter
UC - Aaron Floen 78 run (run failed) 11:32
UC - Floen 10 run (Wassenaar kick) 7:22
TEAM STATISTICS
UC WC
First downs 9 13
Rushes-yards 29-222 37-70
Passing yards 31 185
Passes 2-7-1 20-40-2
Total plays-yards 39-253 79-255
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Punts-ave. 5-32.4 3-17.3
Penalties-yards 6-45 6-35
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Unity Christian - Aaron Floen 16-133, Ryan Visser 3-52, Kameron Gradert 5-52, James Hellinga 2-33, Ryan Hoekstra 3-2. Western Christian - Theo Bartman 15-45, Ben Van't Hul 15-15, Adam Buyert 7-10.
PASSING: Unity Christian -- Hoekstra 2-7-1 - 31. Western Christian - Tyler Wolterstorff 20-40-2 -- 185.
RECEIVING: Unity Christian - Visser 1-18, Austin Katje 1-13. Western Christian - Jack VerBurg 6-64, Buyert 4-31, Brandon Van Engen 2-28, Bryce Groeneweg 2-25, Kevin Swenson 2-22, Curtis Van Grouw 2-20, Van't Hul 2-(-5).
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
