Hounds keep Keokuk in check in season-opener

HOUNDS WIN

Not a work of art, but a win

It was not as good as we want it to be. But we made the right plays when we needed them. And that’s a good thing.”

Aidan Boyer, FMHS quarterback

THE BIG MO'

Rock 'em, Sock 'em

t was a rock ‘em-sock ‘em game with the momentum. I’m sure they felt like they were sloppy. And I know we felt like we were sloppy. The momentum game, that was big for us”

Derek Doherty, FMHS Head football coach

Boyer's Bomb Buries Chiefs

Fort Madison senior Aidan Boyer's 66-yard TD to Henry Wiseman turned out to be the game-winner for the Hounds.

KEOKUK — Opening games are never works of art, which is why you just want to win and keep moving ahead.
It’s what Fort Madison football coach Derek Doherty said his team is going to do after Friday’s 22-13 win over Keokuk at Calvert Stadium.
The Bloodhounds kept the County Seat trophy by striking for big plays to answer the Chiefs.
“It was a rock ‘em-sock ‘em game with the momentum,” Doherty said. “I’m sure they felt like they were sloppy. And I know we felt like we were sloppy. The momentum game, that was big for us.”
The Bloodhounds always seemed to have an answer for the Chiefs.
They took a 13-7 lead into halftime, putting together a 10-play, 66-yard touchdown drive after Keokuk had tied the game with an 11-play touchdown drive on the previous possession.
Aidan Boyer’s 68-yard touchdown pass to Henry Wiseman in the third quarter came just two plays after Keokuk had tied the game at 13.
“Our offense clicked,” said Boyer, who threw for 188 yards and ran for 113 while accounting for all three of the Bloodhounds’ touchdowns. “It was not as good as we want it to be. But we made the right plays when we needed them. And that’s a good thing.”
Boyer’s 20-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal in the first quarter capped an 11-play drive that put Fort Madison up 7-0.
Keokuk tied the game in the second quarter on Malachai Douglas’ 1-yard touchdown run, but the Bloodhounds came back with 23-yard touchdown pass from Boyer to Leif Boeding for a 13-7 lead.
The Chiefs tied the game in the third quarter on Douglas’ 2-yard touchdown run. But two plays into the next possession Boyer connected with Wiseman on a deep pass down the middle, with Wiseman breaking away for the touchdown.
Fort Madison sealed the win in the closing minutes on Boeding’s 24-yard field goal.
The Bloodhounds have won five of the last six games in the Lee County rivalry.
“They had some explosive plays, we had some explosive plays,” Doherty said. “We’re just glad to get out of town with this one.”
Teague Smith had 72 rushing yards on 13 carries for the Bloodhounds. Boyer was 12-of-19 passing. Wiseman had four catches for 129 yards, while Kane Williams had five receptions for 27 yards.
Fort Madison plays host to West Burlington-Notre Dame next Friday.
“We know who we want to be,” Boyer said. “We’re going to look at this game all week and learn from it. I’m disappointed right now. But it’s a victory and I’ll take a victory over anything.”
“A big game like this, getting the first one out of the way, that’s big,” Doherty said. “We’re still trying to figure out who we are. We’re really green, if you will, for experience. But we’ve got some things we need to work out if we want to win some more ball games.”