MONTELLO - The host Montello/Princeton racked up 333 yards of total offense against Johnson Creek and had 20 first downs, but time and again a key mistake cost the Phoenix, as they were only able to find the endzone once in a 40-6 loss to Johnson Creek on Friday night at Montello High School.

Montello/Princeton had three turnovers that squashed promising drives, and a bad snap on a punt that put Johnson Creek in prime scoring position in the opening quarter. When it wasn't turnovers that was costing the Phoenix, it was penalties, as the hosts were flagged 13 times of 125 yards.

"We moved the ball up and down the field, but you got to make the plays when you need them," Montello/Princeton co-head coach Harlan Leusink said after the game. "There was just key penalties at the wrong times and turnovers at the wrong time and a missed block at the wrong time. It just kept us out of the endzone and we got to clean that up."

The Phoenix looked like they would grab the early lead as Johnson Creek fumbled the ball away on the first play from scrimmage. Montello/Princeton had possesion deep in Johnson Creek territory, only to give the ball back when quarterback Jake Lunow pass was picked off in the endzone.

The Blue Jays quickly took advantage of the interception, as quarterback Mitch McCaffery hit Ruger Roehl for a 70-yard TD pass down the middle of the field for the first score of the game.

On Montello/Princeton's next possesion, they were forced to punt, when a bad snap gave the Blue Jays the ball at the Phoenix 13-yard line, setting up the first of three touchdown runs from Zach Schmidt.

The Phoenix responded with a long drive that was capped off with a 3-yard TD run by Braden Hartwig, making it a 12-6 game. The momentum gained was quickly lost when Johnson Creek scored its third TD of the opening quarter on a 2-yard run by Schmidt.

It was another turnover that cost the Phoenix in the second quarter. On the play, Lunow was rolling right, looking for a receiver when he was hit before he could get the pass off. The ball squirted loose and was picked up and returned for a 31-yard TD by defensive lineman Patrick Nampel, giving the visitors a commanding 28-6 lead.

Lunow finished the night with a big game statistically, completing 14-of-28 passes for 197 yards. Hartwig also helped the Phoenix finish with 127 rushing yards on the night with his 91-yard performance on 12 carries.

While Leusink was disapointed to see his team fall to 1-4 on the season, the coach does see a reason to be optimistic.

"We're getting better. We're still playing a lot of young kids at the skill positions and that makes it tough," Leusink said. "In the coming years it will pay off, but right now it's frustrating for them and us."

JOHNSON CREEK 40, MONTELLO/PRINCETON 6

Johnson Creek ................ 20 8 6 6 - 40

Montello/Princeton .......... 6 0 0 0 - 6

Johnson Creek - Roehl 70 pass from McCaffery (conversion failed)

Johnson Creek - Schmidt 10 run (conversion failed)

Montello/Princeton - Hartwig 3 run (conversion failed)

Johnson Creek - Schmidt 2 run (McCaffery run)

Johnson Creek - Nampel 31 fumble return (McCaffery run)

Johnson Creek - Schmidt 3 run (conversion failed)

Johnson Creek - DeVries 2 run (conversion failed)

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs - JC 15, MP 20. Rushes-yards - JC 42-245, MP 32-127. Passing yards - JC 139, MP 206. Passes (Comp-Att-Int) - JC 4-12-1, MP 15-32-1. Penalties-yards - JC 8-50, MP 13-125. Fumbles-lost - JC 2-2, MP 2-2.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing: JC - Schmidt 17-91; MP - Hartwig 12-91. PASSING: JC - McCaffery 4-12-1, 139; MP - Lunow 14-28-1, 197. RECEIVING: JC - Schmidt 2-22. MP - Sosinsky 8-116.

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