Orabs Celebrate Homecoming With 51-7 Win

Date posted - September 15, 2012

The Sheldon Orab Football Team celebrated homecoming Friday night with a 51-7 win over Cherokee.

The Orabs scored on their first possession on a 68 yard drive that ended when quarterback Chris Balster found running back Matt Dykstra for a 26 yard touchdown pass. The extra point was no good and Sheldon led 6-0 with 8:43 to play in the first quarter.

An 80 yard drive came to a close when fullback Tanner Whitsell scored from 17 yards out. Trevor Mayer added the extra point and the lead was 13-0 with 3:34 to play in the quarter.

Next came a 69 yard strike from Balster to Nate Oostra as time expired in the first quarter. Mayer added the point after and Sheldon led 20-0.

Sheldon scored three times in the second quarter as well. Hunter McDonald returned a punt 51 yards to the Cherokee 19 yard line. From there McDonald later scored from a yard out. Mayer’s extra point made it 27-0 with 8:32 to go in the half.

Following the kick off Tom Brown picked off a pass at the Cherokee 32 yard line. The turn over quickly became a touchdown as Brown was on the receiving end of a 32 yard pass from Balster. The extra point was no good and Sheldon led 33-0 with 8:11 left in the half.

With :12 seconds left in the half a 70 yard Orab drive came to a close with Dykstra scoring from 3 yards out. The extra point was no good and the Sheldon lead was 39-0 at half time.

The Orabs added a pair of touchdowns in the second half wrapped around a Cherokee score. The first came on a 58 yard punt return for a score by Hunter McDonald. The extra point attempt was no good and the lead was 45-0 with 8:55 to go in the third quarter.

Cherokee followed with a 65 yard drive that came to an end when running back Luke Zieman scored on a 26 yard run. Grayson Roosa added the extra point and the score was 45-7 Sheldon with 5:09 to play in the third quarter.

Sheldon’s final score came with the clock winding down in the fourth quarter. With Cherokee on their 6 yard line defensive end Jesse Meendering hit the quarterback causing a fumble. Meendering recovered the football in the end zone for the Orabs final touchdown making the final score 51-7.

With the win Sheldon moves to 2-0 in the district and 3-1 on the season. Cherokee falls to 0-2 in the district and 0-4 on the year. Up next for Sheldon will be a home game against Central Lyon George Little Rock who shut out MOC Floyd Valley Friday night 34-0 at Rock Rapids.