Rock Island showed improvement on both sides of the ball, but suffered its second straight defeat to open the season, 21-7 at Dunlap on Friday night, September 1st. The Rocks were in a hole early for the second straight week, allowing a 49-yard opening kickoff return, followed by a 41-yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage. The Rocks lost a fumble at their 2-yard line, leading to another TD and a 14-0 late 1st quarter deficit. The Eagles’ third score came in the final minute of the 1st, on a 51-yard run, both long TDs by Kendall Netters. On four other first-half possessions, Dunlap gained negative yards on each one, with the Rocks’ defense coming up with several tackles for loss.
In the second half, the Rocks used their short passing game to engineer an 8-play, 82-yard drive, capped off by Garr Tarr’s 23-yard run to the end zone. The Rocks’ defense held the Eagles scoreless, including interceptions by Daishaun McCaw and V’Jay Garrard. Tarr finished with 78 yards rushing on 18 carries, plus a 34-yard pass reception on their TD drive, and was named Hungry Hobo Rock Island Rocks Player of the Game.
The 0-2 Rocks open their Western Big 6 schedule this Friday night against 2-0 Quincy, live on QCSportsNet.com beginning about 7:15 p.m.