By: Joel Herrig
Murray County News Sports
The Murray County Central Rebels opened the 2018 High School season Friday night on the road in Canby. The Rebels a year ago beat the Lancers to open the year 27-0 and MCC was hoping for a similar result. The Rebels were ready to start the season after three difficult injuries in the lead up to game number one playing a real game was needed. The two defenses would highlight the play on Friday night but the Rebels offense was good enough to post a win in the Rebels first game of the year.
In the first quarter, neither team’s offense performed all that well especially the first drives of the game. Canby got the opening kick and picked up seven yards on three plays before punting. MCC would get good field position but struggled to gain a yard in the run game and only picked up a first down because of a roughing the punter call that gave the Rebels 15 yards. The Rebels started to click at the end of the first quarter. The Rebels began to make things happen and it began when the ball got into the hands of Justin Benda. The Rebel senior had two big catches one for 35 yards and a second on a screen pass for 22 yards to move the Rebels down the field. MCC scored first with 55 seconds left in the first half with a Benda three-yard touchdown run. The extra point was missed and the Rebels led after one quarter 6-0.
The second quarter started with the Lancers driving the field on a drive that began at their own ten-yard line. Cameron Anderson had a pair of runs one for 16 yards and a second run of 10 yards. Parker Viessman completed a long pass for 26 yards to Kalib Greenman to put the Lancers inside the Rebel 30-yard line. It was Benda’s turn to make a play on defense. Benda came on a linebacker blitz off the right side of the formation and hit Viessman across the QB’s left elbow causing a fumble. Rylan Behnke recovered the football ending the Lancers drive.
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