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Knights knock AHS from unbeaten ranks

By John RittenhouseThe Adrian football team dropped out of the unbeaten ranks after taking a 27-14 setback from Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Tyler Tuesday.Dragon Coach Randy Strand was concerned about how the AHS defense would fare against strong-running R-T-R offense.His concern proved to be warranted as the Knights ran the ball for 319 yards and three touchdowns to set the stage for a 13-point win."We couldn’t stop their running game," said Strand. "They have a good offensive line that blocks well up front, and (running back) Minette ran for 230 yards on a wet field. R-T-R is for real. It will take a pretty good team to beat them."It looked like Adrian might be that team when the Dragons scored a touchdown early in the third quarter to open a 14-7 lead.R-T-R, however, controlled play the rest of the way while outscoring the Dragons 20-0.The Knights began their rally with their second possession of the second half.R-T-R advanced the ball 55 yards in eight plays before Minette scored at the end of an eight-yard run at the 6:24 mark of the third quarter. Dragon Casey Knips kept Adrian in front 14-13 when he blocked the ensuing extra point.The Knights forced Adrian to punt as the third quarter progressed and Minette made the Dragons pay for the change of possession when he returned the punt 80 yards to the AHS five-yard line.Knight Adam Lingen scored on a five-yard run at the 5:00 mark of the third period, and Minette carried in the two-point conversion to give the hosts a 21-14 advantage.Adrian made a bid to tie the game with a drive to the R-T-R 19 early in the fourth quarter, but the Dragons lost the ball on downs.The Dragons were forced to go for a first down during a fourth-down situation late in the fourth quarter, and the unsuccessful bid gave the Knights the ball on the AHS 14.Minette put the game away with a six-yard touchdown run moments later to end the scoring with 50 seconds left to play.The Knights drew first blood in the game by turning their first offensive possession of the contest into a six-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Minette scoring on a one-yard run at the 8:16 mark of the first quarter. A successful extra point made the difference 7-0.Adrian’s Brandon Wolf fielded the ensuing kick and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown 13 seconds later. Levi Bullerman hooked up with Tony Sauer for a successful conversion pass to give the Dragons an 8-7 edge.The score remained the same until early in the third quarter, when Sauer intercepted a pass and returned to the R-T-R 28. Bullerman scored on a two-yard run three plays later, but a failed extra-point attempt left Adrian sporting a 14-7 lead that was erased by period’s end.The 2-1 Dragons will try to rebound from the loss when they host 2-1 Fulda Friday for the 2003 version of Parents’ Night at AHS. Fulda posted an 8-0 home win over Ortonville Friday.Team statisticsAdrian: 127 rushing yards, 50 passing yards, 177 total yards, 10 first downs, two penalties for 30 yards, two turnovers.R-T-R: 319 rushing yards, 26 passing yards, 345 total yards, 15 first downs, four penalties for 35 yards, one turnover.Individual statisticsRushing: Billy Anderson 13-48, L.Bullerman 11-38, Wolf 8-21, Trent Bullerman 3-10, Sauer 1-10.Passing: L.Bullerman 5-17 for 50 yards.Receiving: Wolf 3-32, Sauer 1-3, Brett Block 1-15.Defense: Wolf 11 tackles, Sauer 14 tackles and one interception, L.Bullerman nine tackles, Tyler Schettler 13 tackles.

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