Cardinals Pull Away From Red Hawks, 27-7, to Stay Perfect
Millington scores 20 unanswered points after halftime, clinches at least a share of the BTC White championship and gives head coach Jason Germain his 50th career victory
CASS CITY — A matchup of unbeaten Big Thumb Conference White Division contenders was tied in the second half Friday night before Millington took control.
The Cardinals scored 20 unanswered points after Cass City tied the game, using two touchdown passes from Layden DeLong and a pick-six from the senior quarterback to defeat the Red Hawks 27-7.
The victory improved Millington to 5-0 and clinched the Cardinals at least a share of the Big Thumb Conference White Division championship. It also marked the 15th time in program history that Millington has opened a season with five consecutive victories.
The win carried another milestone as head coach Jason Germain earned his 50th career victory, reaching the mark in his 56th game as Millington's head coach.
Defensive Battle Early
Neither offense found the end zone in the opening quarter as the teams entered the second tied 0-0.
Millington finally broke through when DeLong scored on a 3-yard run, and Evan Kreger converted the extra point to give the Cardinals a 7-0 advantage.
That remained the score at halftime.
Cass City answered in the third quarter. Quarterback Preston Dorland connected with Xavier Spence for an 8-yard touchdown, and the extra point evened the game at 7-7.
Millington's response was immediate.
DeLong connected with Brenden Wascher for a 40-yard touchdown, restoring the Cardinals' seven-point advantage at 14-7.
From there, Millington never relinquished control.
Cardinals Take Over in Fourth
The Cardinals stretched their advantage in the fourth when DeLong found Drake Terwilliger for a 30-yard touchdown, giving Millington a 21-7 lead.
DeLong then delivered the game's decisive defensive play.
With Cass City attempting to rally, DeLong intercepted Dorland and returned the ball for a touchdown, pushing the margin to the eventual 27-7 final.
The pick-six capped an impressive two-way performance for DeLong, who was directly responsible for all four Millington touchdowns — one rushing, two passing and one defensive.
Millington Offense Finds Its Balance
The stat sheet shows Millington finishing with 285 yards of total offense, averaging 7.5 yards per play.
The Cardinals did most of their damage on the ground, rushing for 185 yards on 32 carries, an average of 5.8 yards per attempt.
Terwilliger led the rushing attack with 110 yards on 13 carries, averaging 8.5 yards per attempt and breaking a 52-yard run.
DeLong added 55 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Through the air, DeLong was extremely efficient, completing 5 of 6 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
Wascher caught two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, including his 40-yard scoring reception. Terwilliger added a 30-yard touchdown reception, while Liam Kreger had a 10-yard catch and Cameron Barnum added an 8-yard reception.
Defense Slows Cass City
Cass City possessed the football for more than 28 minutes and ran 54 offensive plays compared with Millington's 38, but the Cardinals limited the Red Hawks to 193 total yards and just one touchdown.
Cass City rushed 41 times for 107 yards, an average of only 2.6 yards per carry.
Bryce Barrigar led the Red Hawks with 64 yards on 18 attempts. Dorland completed 9 of 13 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, but Millington intercepted him twice.
DeLong led Millington's defense with eight tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception returned for a touchdown. Brason Trato and Gauge Woelzlein each recorded six tackles, with Woelzlein adding a team-high three tackles for loss.
Eli Staffne and Terwilliger finished with five tackles apiece, while Evan Kreger recorded Millington's other interception.
The Cardinals finished with 52 tackles and eight tackles for loss as a team.
Key Takeaways
DeLong impacted every phase. The Millington quarterback completed 83 percent of his passes, threw two touchdowns, rushed for another and returned an interception for a score. His four touchdowns came in three different ways.
Terwilliger provided the explosive ground game. His 110 rushing yards included a 52-yard run, and he added a 30-yard touchdown reception. He accounted for 140 yards from scrimmage.
Millington's defense made Cass City work for everything. The Red Hawks ran 54 plays and held the ball for 28:13, but finished with only 193 yards. Millington allowed just 3.6 yards per offensive play and intercepted two passes.
The Cardinals capitalized after halftime. After Cass City tied the game at 7-7, Millington scored the final 20 points to turn a one-score battle into a 20-point victory.
Another milestone night for the program. Millington improved to 5-0, secured at least a share of the BTC White championship and delivered Germain's 50th career victory.
Up Next
Millington returns home Friday, Oct. 2, when the Cardinals host Reese in a Big Thumb Conference crossover matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
