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Deer Park ends solid season of football
  
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By MIKE LARA
After completing a stellar 8-1, 6-1 season; the Deer Park Deer drew the 8-0, 6-0 North Shore Mustangs in a Bi-District showdown of great proportions.
The Mustangs entered the game highly rated and fortunate enough to have their first playoff game in their own backyard.
Nevertheless, the determined Deer paid no mind to being thrown into the pressure cooker with the odds stacked against them; for the Deer had showed toughness all season long and despite suffering injuries in crucial spots (offensive line); the Deer were charged up as ever to do battle with the former district adversary.
North Shore drew first blood on the Deer from their opening drive of the ball game which was capped off with a touchdown pass with 10:51 to go in the first.
With the Deer down early in the opening stanza, senior captain Travis Fetgatter took the ensuing kick down the sideline on a strong run into Mustang territory as he hopped over a tackle, lowered his head and charged right into four Mustangs with a thud while pushing the pile past midfield. At the end of the play, Travis Fetgatter looked like he might have had the wind knocked out of him, but further examination by the training staff showed that the captain had injured his shoulder and could not return. Just like that, the Deer had lost one of its defensive anchors and captains in the first two minutes of the ball game.
The Deer were forced to punt on their first possession, but an excellent punt by Darrel Sears pinned the Mustangs inside the 10 yard line.
North Shore would proceed to take a pummeling from the Deer defense who forced the Mustangs to several third down situations on great defensive stands. The persistent Mustangs, however, moved the ball into Deer territory were they attempted to up the ante for a commanding lead on the Deer.
The Deer Defense; who has made outstanding holds all season long; came up with a great hold on the Mustangs forcing them to settle for a field goal at the end of the first quarter of play (10-0).
The Deer were forced to punt early in the second quarter and the Mustangs took possession of the football near their own 17 yard line. The Deer would draw the line right there, at the North Shore 17 yard line as junior Zach Logan, senior Ronnie Victor and sophomore Taylor Freimuller proceeded to get down to work forcing the Mustangs to a 3rd and 10 situation on good pressure in the backfield.
On 3rd and 10 the Mustang quarterback rolled out in search of his tight end in the flats, but senior linebacker Josh Hollub read the play all the way and came up with a tremendous interception that put the Deer deep in Mustang territory with plenty of clock left in the first half. The Big Three of Hans Cook, Natreon Moose and Travis Carter worked hard to get the ball into the end zone, but could only manage a Zac Gonzalez 23-yard field goal with 6:09 to go in the second quarter of play.
With the Deer on the board but still down 3-10, they worked hard to keep the Mustangs out of the end zone before half and did a superb job of forcing three and outs, but a fake punt by the Mustangs got them a first down in Deer territory with two minutes left in the first half.
The Mustangs managed a solid drive before the half that resulted in a 7 yard run and a 17-3 lead on the Deer who continued to battle hard.
The Deer had the honors in the second half of play and a wayward kick that sailed out of bounds gave the Deer possession at the 35 yard line on their first drive of the second half. The drive would be exactly what the Deer Park offense was all about this year as it was probably the finest looking drive all season. Cook dropped back on the first play and hit Moose on a bullet near the sideline. Moose collected the ball and hammered his way near midfield. Carter would get loose on a series of good runs as the Deer took total command of the clock and the tempo of the game. The Mustangs defense dug deep and forced the Deer to a 3rd and 6 with 10:20 to go in the third quarter. Cook dropped back and found himself immediately in trouble but he’d manage to elude several big shots in the pocket and fire off a dart between the two arms of a leaping North Shore linebacker and into the hands of O’Neil Puga who made the catch for a first down to keep the Deer drive alive. Carter hammered the Deer past the Mustang 35 on several more tough runs. Again, Cook found senior receiver Moose; this time in the red zone; as he lowered his head and carried two Mustangs on his back to the six yard line. Carter took the quick toss from Cook and burrowed through the Mustang defense behind a lineman and into the end zone for the touchdown and a 17-10 game (after a Zac Gonzalez PAT).
On the ensuing kick the Deer would lose yet another defensive anchor in senior Josh Hollub. As Hollub lay on the turf one could hear the echoes of his teammates asking him to go one more down, but as the trainers carted him off everyone knew that it was his last play of the night.
The Deer proceeded to play tough football for the duration, but a pair of field goals at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth put the Deer deep in the hole on a very talented North Shore team who came out with the 30-10 victory over the Deer.
Despite the tough playoff loss, the Deer showed serious toughness and played like men all year long.
Ultimately, it took a state championship contender to knock off our Deer and all the players especially the seniors should look back on this season as one to remember and as a success. Our hats go off to the Deer of 2008 and their tremendous coaching staff for another exciting fine season of football. Congratulations to all the seniors on great efforts in their final season of football as a Deer.
Deer Park Leaders
Hans Cook — 6 for 16 for 121 yards
Travis Carter — 22 rushes for 70 yards 1 TD
Natreon Moose — 4 receptions for 100 yards
The Mustangs entered the game highly rated and fortunate enough to have their first playoff game in their own backyard.
Nevertheless, the determined Deer paid no mind to being thrown into the pressure cooker with the odds stacked against them; for the Deer had showed toughness all season long and despite suffering injuries in crucial spots (offensive line); the Deer were charged up as ever to do battle with the former district adversary.
North Shore drew first blood on the Deer from their opening drive of the ball game which was capped off with a touchdown pass with 10:51 to go in the first.
With the Deer down early in the opening stanza, senior captain Travis Fetgatter took the ensuing kick down the sideline on a strong run into Mustang territory as he hopped over a tackle, lowered his head and charged right into four Mustangs with a thud while pushing the pile past midfield. At the end of the play, Travis Fetgatter looked like he might have had the wind knocked out of him, but further examination by the training staff showed that the captain had injured his shoulder and could not return. Just like that, the Deer had lost one of its defensive anchors and captains in the first two minutes of the ball game.
The Deer were forced to punt on their first possession, but an excellent punt by Darrel Sears pinned the Mustangs inside the 10 yard line.
North Shore would proceed to take a pummeling from the Deer defense who forced the Mustangs to several third down situations on great defensive stands. The persistent Mustangs, however, moved the ball into Deer territory were they attempted to up the ante for a commanding lead on the Deer.
The Deer Defense; who has made outstanding holds all season long; came up with a great hold on the Mustangs forcing them to settle for a field goal at the end of the first quarter of play (10-0).
The Deer were forced to punt early in the second quarter and the Mustangs took possession of the football near their own 17 yard line. The Deer would draw the line right there, at the North Shore 17 yard line as junior Zach Logan, senior Ronnie Victor and sophomore Taylor Freimuller proceeded to get down to work forcing the Mustangs to a 3rd and 10 situation on good pressure in the backfield.
On 3rd and 10 the Mustang quarterback rolled out in search of his tight end in the flats, but senior linebacker Josh Hollub read the play all the way and came up with a tremendous interception that put the Deer deep in Mustang territory with plenty of clock left in the first half. The Big Three of Hans Cook, Natreon Moose and Travis Carter worked hard to get the ball into the end zone, but could only manage a Zac Gonzalez 23-yard field goal with 6:09 to go in the second quarter of play.
With the Deer on the board but still down 3-10, they worked hard to keep the Mustangs out of the end zone before half and did a superb job of forcing three and outs, but a fake punt by the Mustangs got them a first down in Deer territory with two minutes left in the first half.
The Mustangs managed a solid drive before the half that resulted in a 7 yard run and a 17-3 lead on the Deer who continued to battle hard.
The Deer had the honors in the second half of play and a wayward kick that sailed out of bounds gave the Deer possession at the 35 yard line on their first drive of the second half. The drive would be exactly what the Deer Park offense was all about this year as it was probably the finest looking drive all season. Cook dropped back on the first play and hit Moose on a bullet near the sideline. Moose collected the ball and hammered his way near midfield. Carter would get loose on a series of good runs as the Deer took total command of the clock and the tempo of the game. The Mustangs defense dug deep and forced the Deer to a 3rd and 6 with 10:20 to go in the third quarter. Cook dropped back and found himself immediately in trouble but he’d manage to elude several big shots in the pocket and fire off a dart between the two arms of a leaping North Shore linebacker and into the hands of O’Neil Puga who made the catch for a first down to keep the Deer drive alive. Carter hammered the Deer past the Mustang 35 on several more tough runs. Again, Cook found senior receiver Moose; this time in the red zone; as he lowered his head and carried two Mustangs on his back to the six yard line. Carter took the quick toss from Cook and burrowed through the Mustang defense behind a lineman and into the end zone for the touchdown and a 17-10 game (after a Zac Gonzalez PAT).
On the ensuing kick the Deer would lose yet another defensive anchor in senior Josh Hollub. As Hollub lay on the turf one could hear the echoes of his teammates asking him to go one more down, but as the trainers carted him off everyone knew that it was his last play of the night.
The Deer proceeded to play tough football for the duration, but a pair of field goals at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth put the Deer deep in the hole on a very talented North Shore team who came out with the 30-10 victory over the Deer.
Despite the tough playoff loss, the Deer showed serious toughness and played like men all year long.
Ultimately, it took a state championship contender to knock off our Deer and all the players especially the seniors should look back on this season as one to remember and as a success. Our hats go off to the Deer of 2008 and their tremendous coaching staff for another exciting fine season of football. Congratulations to all the seniors on great efforts in their final season of football as a Deer.
Deer Park Leaders
Hans Cook — 6 for 16 for 121 yards
Travis Carter — 22 rushes for 70 yards 1 TD
Natreon Moose — 4 receptions for 100 yards
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