MOSLEY BLANKS ARNOLD

It’s conceivable that Mosley’s 13-0 grudge match decision over Arnold on Friday night was decided during the offseason. Or whenever it was that the Dolphins’ coaching staff decided to implement distinctive platoons on offense and defense. That strategy enabled Mosley to withstand what has become an incredible rash of injuries to its offensive unit and improve to 4-2, 1-1 in District 1-5A. Arnold is 2-3 and 1-1. Against the Marlins, Mosley used four different players to take snaps from center, and it was the fourth that finally turned the tide for the Dolphins on Bozeman’s field. Tailback John Miller entered to take a snap out of the Wildcat with Mosley loading the backfield with fullback-types that also included linebacker Geoffrey Lancaster in a rare cameo on offense. Miller followed Lancaster up the middle of Arnold’s stout defense with Mosley backed up on its 1. Ninety-nine yards later the Dolphins finally broke a scoreless tie with 4 minutes, 24 seconds left in the third quarter. “We dressed out over 60 kids and looked across and (Arnold) had 32 suited up. We thought that was a huge advantage,” Mosley coach Jeremy Brown said. “Our defensive line we were rotating two or three guys in every few plays.” Mosley sacked Arnold quarterback Cade Ledman seven times, essentially making the Marlins one-dimensional. But it wasn’t like Mosley achieved balance on offense, completing just one pass for 40 yards in seven attempts. That was when freshman quarterback Liam Byrd pinpointed freshman receiver Nyjah Gray in the second quarter. Both had ice packs on injured shoulders when they came out for the second half and were done for the night. Byrd was sacked on successive plays late in the second quarter by Mike Johnson, and then the combination of Johnson and Tristan Patterson. Michael Maddox, Mosley’s No. 1 quarterback through three opening wins, came on for the first series of the third quarter and the Dolphins quickly advanced when Miller sprinted 41 yards around the right side. It was Maddox’s lone appearance, however. He limped off the field after being stepped on by a teammate and aggravating his high ankle sprain while his fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Then it was Josh Lingenfelter’s turn, as the wide receiver turned tight end finally made a splash in the backfield. Miller’s TD dash put him over 1,000 yards rushing for the season, and when the Dolphins’ defense stymied Ledman and the Marlins in the second half Arnold’s defense finally wore down. Tailback Darien Ganzy did the damage on a 10-play, 82-yard drive that secured the outcome with 5:31 remaining. Lingenfelter had a 16-yard run to ignite the possession, Ganzy produced 42 yards on four carries and Miller went over on another Wildcat run out of a heavy formation Mosley calls “pound” for good reason. It was left to the Dolphins’ defense at that point, and despite Ledman completing 16 of 29 passes for 154 yards they only reached the red zone once, and that in the first quarter. Arnold’s defense had three noteworthy stands to keep the game scoreless at halftime. Mosley reached the Marlins’ 7, 19 and 20 only to be turned back. The Dolphins also are limited on special teams due to the injury to regular place-kicker Connor Cunningham. Ledman and the Marlins continually faced second- and third-and-long situations but remained competitive. They just couldn’t protect Ledman from Mosley’s onslaught of fresh defenders. Miller rushed 15 times for 176 yards despite netting only 12 yards in the opening half. Ganzy had 96 yards on 15 attempts. Jarien Hardrick led Arnold with 47 yards rushing on 11 attempts. Ledman was able to pinpoint six difference receivers, Daveno Ellington with six receptions for 38 yards. Mosley plays at Niceville next week. Arnold meets Rutherford back at Bozeman.

MOSLEY BLANKS ARNOLD

Photo Credit: Patti Blake

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