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Ballentine runs Warriors to win over Whiting

By HILLARY SMITH
hsmith@nwitimes.com
219.933.3233 | Saturday, October 04, 2008 | No comments posted.

CALUMET TWP. | Darcell Ballentine told his fullback to make a hole just big enough for the 6-foot, 190-pound running back to slip through.

"I told my fullback if he opened up the hole, I'd keep my feet moving," Ballentine said.

His feet, and the football, found the end zone, good enough for a two-point conversion, the difference in Calumet's 14-13 win over Whiting in Greater South Shore Conference play on Friday night.

Ballentine also picked up the Times No. 8 Warriors' other two big offensive plays -- a 43-yard touchdown run and a 36-yard scamper to set up Calumet's second score.

"He's a powerful runner, he's an elusive runner and he wanted the football," Calumet coach Ivan Zimmer said. "You could just tell the determination in his body posture and he's a tremendous runner."

Calumet had lost seven straight in the series and been outscored 292-56 in those losses, but a late turnover helped stop the streak.

Nate Fowler, the Warriors' quarterback who doubles as a linebacker, recovered a Whiting fumble with 1:40 remaining in the game to set up Ballentine's long run to the 1-yard line. Fowler then plunged into the end zone to make the score 13-12.

"After we got that fumble, I knew I had to make a run for it," Ballentine said. "I told my line to step it up and I put my faith in my line."

Whiting's defense held the Warriors (6-1, 5-0) to seven first downs and 143 yards overall, and kept top Calumet threat George Ezell to minus-27 yards rushing.

"Calumet's been noted for big plays," Whiting coach Jeff Cain said. "These guys you're not going to stop, you're going to hopefully contain them. ... I thought our guys did a good job. If you had told me we were going to give up 14 points, I'd have been a happy guy."

Prior to the last 1:40, the Oilers (5-2, 4-2) had dominated the game offensively. With 136 yards from quarterback Dan Macon in the air and another 57 on the ground, Whiting picked up 16 first downs. Alex Leddesma led the Oilers' ground game with 76 yards and a touchdown.

Whiting scored its last touchdown on a 1-yard Leddesma run at 7:23 of the third quarter, but Ezell blocked the extra-point kick.

No. 8 Calumet 14, Whiting 13
Darcell Ballentine plunged into the end zone for the winning two-point conversion with 32 seconds left.