October 4, 2009
A win to remember for Snyder
Michael Morrison had 334 total yards as Snyder snapped a 21-game losing streak.
Click Here for more photos from Sussex Tech at Snyder.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
JERSEY CITY – Down by six within the first two minutes of their game against Sussex Tech, the Snyder Tigers found themselves in an all too familiar situation. This time, things would be different.
Snyder responded with 30 points in the first half en route to a 46-12 victory, the team’s first since 2006. The Tigers had lost their previous 21 contests.
“It was very special,” running back Michael Morrison said. “I’ve played for Snyder for two years now and never had a win. The first time feels good.”
“It felt good because the frustration of week in and week out being pummeled,” head coach Franz Pierre-Louis said. “Now to come out and (beat) someone else felt good.”
While Snyder (1-3) won in convincing fashion, the game got off to a forgettable start. The opposing Mustangs (0-4) recovered an onside kick at midfield and just five plays later were up 6-0 after Chris Kelly’s 13-yard touchdown.
It took the Tigers just five plays to even up the score when Malik Winchester connected with Morrison for a 28-yard touchdown.
After scoring just 12 points in their first three games of the season, the Snyder offense came alive on this day behind a dominant performance from Morrison. Whether it was as a rusher, receiver, kick returner or passer, Sussex Tech had no answers for the talented junior. Morrison accumulated 334 total yards and four touchdowns behind a variety of big plays.
“We knew man for man that Morrison was just a better player than any of their players,” Pierre-Louis said. “We had to utilize Michael Morrison a lot better than we have been doing. I’m just excited that he got the opportunity to have a breakout game and we were able to utilize him in the right way.”
Trailing 12-6, Morrison responded with a 69-yard rushing touchdown with 11:16 left in the second quarter. He proceeded to run in the two-point conversion to give Snyder a lead they would not relinquish.
Already with two touchdowns under his belt, Morrison was just getting warmed up. Morrison and Winchester combined on another passing touchdown, this time from 50-yards out near the end of the half.
In the third quarter, Morrison returned a punt 41 yards to the Sussex Tech 30-yard line. Three plays later, he made his mark as a passer when he threw a 27-yard score to tight end Willie Martin.
Morrison rushed for 137 yards on just eight carries and as a receiver he hauled in five passes for 129 yards in a performance that surprised everyone, including his coach.
“Michael is a gamer,” Pierre-Louis said. “In practice he doesn’t always show us all that he has. Four weeks into the season we’re just finding out what he can really do.”
As impressive as Morrison was, it was hardly a one-man effort. Winchester completed 8-of-15 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns. Martin had three receptions for 44 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Michael Collado rushed for 63 yards.
Snyder had 405 yards of total offense as they eclipsed the 40-point plateau for the first time since 2003.
When Pierre-Louis and his coaching staff took over the program this summer, they basically had to start from square one. Yesterday’s victory may have demonstrated just how far the Tigers have come in a short period of time. While the high remains from this win, he believes this team can continue to grow from here.
“We have improved,” Pierre-Louis said. “Although the scoreboard didn’t reflect in the weeks past how much we’ve improved. They’re coming along and that’s all we expect from them is to get better every week. As we pick up wins, that’s just the icing on the cake.”
Tight end Willie Martin caught two touchdown passes for the Tigers.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex Tech (0-4) | 6 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
12
|
| Snyder (1-3) | 6 |
24 |
8 |
8 |
46
|
| ST: Chris Kelly, 14 run (kick failed) | |||||
| Sny: Michael Morrison, 28 pass from Malik Winchester (pass failed) | |||||
| ST: Mike McKenna, 26 pass from Kelly (pass failed) | |||||
| Sny: Morrison, 69 run (Morrison run) | |||||
| Sny: Willie Martin, 8 pass from Winchester (Morrison run) | |||||
| Sny: Morrison, 50 pass from Winchester (Morrison run) | |||||
| Sny: Martin, 27 pass from Morrison (Morrison run) | |||||
| Sny: William Wearing, 1 run (Martin pass from Winchester) | |||||