Box Score
April 12th, 2003 Snake River Rebels vs. Madison Lionz

MADISON 34 SNAKE RIVER 20

REXBURG – How often does it seem like in sports that much-hyped game falls far short of expectations. One team gets on a roll, the other comes out flat and you have bored fans, frustrated players and sports writers with writers block... The second game of the season, pitting 2002's upstart team, the Madison Lionz, the "David who slew Goliath" in a rematch against that very same Goliath... only this time, Goliath did not underestimate David...and brought his own sling shot! Once again, however, the Madison passing attack was a little too much for the Rebel defense and the Madison defense was a little more effective against the explosive Rebel rushing offense. Result: Madison scores 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and falls a Rebel team that had never seen defeat in its home state in its 5-year existence... until, that is, the Lionz came along.

The game was a back-and-forth classic from the beginning. Madison started strong with Josh Black runs and Troy Dougherty passes until Dougherty over-souped a pass that Rebel defensive back, Dustin Aldous would intercept, setting up the Rebels early. The Rebels utilized a variety of sets, going away a little from their strict wing-T formation and drove quickly on the Lionz an into the end zone on an Adam Egbert 3-yard run. After an Austin Shawver conversion, the Rebels lead 8-0. The Lionz answered with a drive of their own, set up by an electrifying, Josh Black 28-yard run. Troy Dougherty (19-38-2-209-5) found Tony Jenks for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Dougherty found Zach Murray for the two-point conversion pass, tieing up the score at 8-8. It would be the first of 5 touchdown passes for Dougherty. After several defensive stops, the Rebels took a 14-6 lead on a 5-yard Austin Shawver touchdown with 3:50 on the second quarter clock. That would be the halftime score until the Madison explosion in the second half.

Madison tied the game early in the third quarter when Dougherty found Brett Petty for a 29-yard touchdown pass. Jim Marshall's attempt to take a one point lead on the conversion kick was blocked and the score remained tied at 14-14. Snake River would go back in the lead right at the end of the 3rd quarter when Logan Cobb capped a short drive, set up by at T.J. Bingham block of a Jim Marshall punt, recovered by Jeb Harrison. Cobb's two-yard quarterback sneak gave the Rebels a 20-14 lead, once again. Snake River failed on their second conversion run and Madison remained in easy striking distance. Then Dougherty, who is making a serious claim for the league's 2003 MVP title early, got the Lionz really heated up.

He found ex-star quarterback, Dave Allen in the corner of the end zone, out-leaping a defender for an 18-yard score to tie the score at 20-20. Inexplicably, Madison, who has the best kicker in the league in Jim Marshall, then called time out before the conversion and decided to run for the conversion and the lead... and failed. Score still tied at 20-20. Madison's defense by this time, however, had the upper hand. The Rebel offense struggled to drive and punted on each occasion. Meanwhile, Dougherty took each opportunity and drove the Lionz down the field, primarily passing at this point. The Lionz next drive was capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Dougherty to Petty. Marshall's kick made it 27-20. Madison's next drive ended with a most improbable touchdown. Dougherty threw up a long fade pass to his star receiver, Buck Mouser near the front corner of the end zone. Two Rebel defenders were there. The ball tipped off Mouser, up in the air, off a Rebel defender and then settled into the stomach of a falling Mouser in the end zone. Lionz 34 Rebels 20.

A lot of stars shone in a game like this. For the Rebel defense, Dustin Aldous got the two interceptions and Charlie Bair lead the team with 6 tackles and Jack Phippen had 5. The sack-happy Rebel defense, however, couldn't capture the elusive Dougherty in the backfield although they applied constant pressure for much of the night. The Rebel offense picked up some big plays as usual; a 20 and a 21-yard run from Egbert, a 15-yard run from Boden, and Logan Cobb connected with Austin Shawver for 26-yard completion and Tracy Watt for a 27-yard gain. The Lionz got the big offensive games from Dougherty, Black, Mouser, Allen and Petty, however, perhaps the Lionz offensive line should get a big part of the credit. The Rebel defensive line they faced could be considered the best in the business. Chidester, Berger, Vassas, Harrison, Gordon presented a great amount of pressure. However, Crockett, Perkes, Maw, Lords, Harris and Murray were up to the task. The Lionz defense was lead by Junior Falevai (7 tackles, 1 sack), Josh Huntsman (7 tackles), Brodie Atwood (5.5 tackles) and Andrew Ulbert (5 tackles) who could not stop the great Rebel offense, but they did "contain" them. All the stars were there... only this time... in this "round"... the Lionz had just a few more.

Snake River

Madison

Scoring Summary:

First Quarter:

Snake River: Egbert 3-yard run (A.Shawver run) 11:00
Madison: Jenks 6-yard pass from Dougherty (Murray pass from Dougherty ) 5:53

Second Quarter:

Snake River: A.Shawver 5-yard run (run failed) 3:50

Third Quarter:

Madison: Petty 29-yard pass from Dougherty (kick failed) 8:15
Snake River: Cobb 2-yard run (run failed) 0:00

Fourth Quarter:

Madison: Allen 18-yard pass from Dougherty (run failed) 12:23
Madison: Petty 13-yard pass from Dougherty (Marshall kick) 8:01
Madison: Mouser 29-yard pass from Dougherty (Marshall kick) 5:23

	Snake River	Madison
First Downs	15	13
Rushes, Yards	37-183	21-129
Passes	7-15-1	19-38-2
Passing Yards	87	209
Sacked-Yds Lost	1-3	0-0
Total Net Yards	267	338
Punts, Average	5-30.6	2-52.5
Penalties, Yards	8-70	10-90
Fumbles, Lost	3-0	3-0

Individual Statistics:

Rushing: Snake River - Egbert 6-68, A.Shawver 9-44, Boden 7-38, K.Shawver 11-23, Freeman 3-8, Cobb 1-2. Madison - Black 7-57, Dougherty 5-36, Allen 1-19, Jenks 4-14, Quinton 3-3, K.Smith 1-0.

Passing: Snake River - Cobb 7-15-1-87-0. Madison - Dougherty 19-38-2-209-5.

Receiving: Snake River - A.Shawver 2-37, Watt 2-31, A.Blakely 1-11, K.Shawver 1-5, Goodwin 1-3. Madison - Mouser 5-77, Petty 3-44, Allen 4-33, Murray 2-26, Black 2-14, Clark 1-9, Jenks 1-6.

Tackles: Snake River - Bair 6, Phippen 5, Berger 4, Aldous 4, R.Blakely 4, Bingham 3, Vassas 3, Hyde 3, A.Blakely 2, J.Harrison 2, Goodwin 2, Boden 1, Gordan 1. Madison - Huntsman 7, Falevai 6 (1 sack), Atwood 5.5, Ulberg 5, B.Landon 4, Williams 4, G.Givens 3.5, P.Davis 3.5, Peach 3, Hornung 3, M.Landon 1.5, French 1, Rammell 1/2, Harris 1/2.

Interceptions: Snake River - Aldous 2. Madison - M.Landon.

Missed Field Goals: Madison - Marshall 38-yards (WL).