North Tama rookie quarterback Kayvin Morris (4) stares down the field after taking the snap against the English Valleys Bears on Thursday, Aug. 28 at Dennis Field in Traer. The Redhawks were playing their inaugural game as a 8-player team that evening. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TRAER – There may have been fewer players on the line of scrimmage Thursday evening as North Tama took to Dennis Field in their first official game as an 8-player program, but that didn’t deter the fans who still came out to watch their beloved Redhawks take on non-district foe English Valleys.

North Tama began the Week 1 game on defense. Some four-and-a-half minutes later – after the Bears turned it over on downs – Redhawk rookie quarterback junior Kayvin Morris took his first ever snap as a varsity signal caller.

“I played a snap or two in a JV game, but it was only to run the ball,” Kayvin told the newspaper following the game. Being chosen as the program’s first 8-player quarterback – not to mention the team’s first new quarterback in over three years following Kolt Knaack’s graduation – was a bit surprising, he admitted. “I really didn’t expect it so I was a little shocked.”

While North Tama ultimately lost to the Bears later that evening by 30 points, for at least the first half, the Redhawks hung in there.

At the conclusion of a fairly sleepy, scoreless first quarter, senior wide receiver Clayton Williams fielded a catch from Kayvin in the final seconds to place the Redhawks roughly 10 yards from the Bears’ endzone.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

On the first play of the new quarter, North Tama managed what should have been their inaugural 8-player touchdown when Kayvin threw to senior wide receiver Bryce Dostal but a late flag due to a sideline warning snatched away the glory and the touchdown was reversed.

Now at the 13-yard line, Kayvin ran it in himself on the next play but was again foiled with another flag, this time for holding.

After coming so close, the Redhawks ended up turning it over on downs. Some five minutes later, the Bears managed the game’s first (official) touchdown on a 23-yard run by quarterback Drew Fisher. After the two-point conversion, English Valleys led 8-0.

Following a huge run for a first down by sophomore running back Maddox Rausch to put the Redhawks on the nine-yard line, Kayvin was sacked on the next play, pushing North Tama to the 17-yard line. The Bears then immediately got an offsides call, moving the ball again, this time to the 12-yard line.

Not to be deterred, Kayvin quickly got it off to junior tight end Brayton Cibula, throwing practically down the center. Cibula veered left and ran it into the endzone, at last marking North Tama’s first official 8-player touchdown. With the two-point conversion unsuccessful, the score was 8-6, Bears still leading and less than three minutes to go. The Bears went on to score another touchdown to end the first half up 16-6.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

The second half opened on a dinger. After starting at their own 32-yard line, a pass from Kayvin to his older brother Kayler Morris put North Tama on the 39. The very next play, Kayvin handed off to Williams who rushed a blistering 41 yards down the right sideline – just avoiding a nipping English Valleys defender’s tackle – to score North Tama’s second touchdown. The play happened so fast, Coach Knaack remarked to the officials that even he wasn’t ready. The two-point conversion was batted down, but the Redhawks were within reach with the Bears up 16-12.

Despite such a remarkable opening, the remainder of the third quarter went downhill fast for the Redhawks as they struggled with penalties, endurance, and leg cramps. English Valleys ran in a touchdown roughly four minutes in after Kayvin temporarily injured his foot on the previous play while attempting to pick off a Bears pass into the endzone. With the two-point conversion good, English Valleys led 24-12.

With under four minutes remaining in the third quarter, English Valleys carried in another touchdown to put the score at 30-12.

In the final quarter, the Bears racked up 26 more points to North Tama’s 14 which came courtesy of sophomore Griffin Hall fielding a touchdown pass and Kayler Morris running in a 22-yard touchdown. The final score was 56-26.

When asked to reflect on the loss, Kayvin agreed the differences were stark between the first and second halves.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“We were in it the first half. The flags were killing us but we did way better the first half,” he said. “The second half, I think we were tired, we were not tackling well and we struggled running the ball. … We all need to drink more water and stay hydrated so all of our starters are not out with a cramp.”

Coach Andrew Knaack echoed Kayvin’s thoughts in a follow-up interview.

“It was definitely two different halves of that game. First half we came out with energy and excitement. [Second half] showed that we didn’t get a chance to have a scrimmage, conditioning, and overall physicality weren’t there,” Knaack said. “A couple of plays go a different way, it could have been a different feel also coming out of the second half. We didn’t make them, and it kinda put us behind the 8-ball.”

Kayvin also said the team as a whole needs to work on tackling.

“I think we were a little slow, we did not tackle well. We need to make open field tackles. We also need to work on blitz blocking because that hurt us. … [English Valleys] had some good running plays and their blocking really helped them out with that.”

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

He then turned the spotlight on himself.

“One thing that I could do differently is get rid of the ball faster so I don’t get sacked. It was a learning game. We are new to 8-man and a lot of us are in new positions or are new to playing varsity. … Everyone just has to get used to playing our positions and playing 8-man. We will get there. We also need to get fired up, we were pretty quiet.”

Against English Valleys, Kayvin went 15-for-26, passing for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Williams led the rushing game with 44 yards and one touchdown. He also led the defense with 9 1/2 tackles (seven solo).

“Kayvin played well in his first outing as QB,” Knaack said. “He settled down after the first drive and came into his own. He will keep growing in the position and feel more comfortable with it every time he is out there. He can run and is athletic, needs to run a little more and get yards every chance he can.”

While many might argue North Tama’s inaugural 8-player foray could have gone better, the team’s performance in the first half made clear they harbor a potential for success – something both Knaack and Kayvin said they can see, too.

Redhawks head coach Andrew Knaack, right, speaks to his signal caller Kayvin Morris during halftime. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“I think the transition from (Class) A to 8-man has been a learning curve for all of us,” Knaack said. “English Valleys is a good team. We, as a coaching staff, are looking at things we can do to improve. Also, possibly moving guys around to fit their skill set. Again, without having a scrimmage, this was our first chance to see the boys in live action. It will get better, and all of us will get a better handle on the schemes and situations. It is still football: run, tackle, throw, and catch.”

“[Eight]-man is a lot different. It’s more of offense scoring and if you can block good, the running game is pretty good,” Kayvin said before adding, “We are learning, we will get there.”

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

North Tama's PA announcer Mike Morrison, left, and his assistant Shaun Kennedy (aka the Traer Ambulance Director) pictured during the first half. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER