FDA ends Morgan’s season

Published 1:43 am Saturday, November 8, 2008

Morgan Academy’s season is over.

Fort Dale sent the Senators home and out of the playoffs with a 10-0 win, led by a running back tandem that combined for 201 yards on the ground.

Morgan didn’t help its cause with a pair of costly mistakes.

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A forced Morgan fumble by FDA’s Jeffery Stead set up a 19-yard field goal by Sean McKeague to break a 0-0 tie with 5:29 remaining in the third quarter.

On Morgan’s ensuing possession, FDA lineman Kendall Gibson crashed in to force another turnover, giving Fort Dale the ball at the Morgan 24. Daniel Nolan carried the ball in for a touchdown with 3:41 left in the third.

“Our goal was to keep it close going into the fourth quarter, and we weren’t able to do that,” said Morgan’s head coach, Robert Gartman.

But his Senators had proven successful through the first half, keeping Fort Dale out of the end zone when the Eagles threatened on fourth and one at the 3-yard line.

Yet, Morgan couldn’t capitalize on the stop. The Senators converted twice in third-and-long situations, moving to the 41-yard line before having to punt it away.

Some hope flickered in the fourth when Morgan picked Fort Dale’s Dustin Till’s pass and moved into Eagle territory. But Fort Dale stopped the move on the 26-yard line.

Morgan finishes the year 5-6. “We’re going to go in and put up all the equipment, except the weights,” Gartman said. “We’re going to go to work with them on Monday and see who wants to play.”

Fort Dale (9-2) travels in the second round to play Bessemer Academy, 25-12

winners over Lee-Scott on Friday night.