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9.29.06 -
Matthew A. Anderson |
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21 Unanswered 2nd Half Points Powers Eagles |
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Recap |
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Images |
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Gamebreaker |
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The 12th Man |
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Vassar
- In what was suppose to
be Vassar's year to avenge
the 30 point loss to
Frankenmuth last year turned
out to be another win for
the Eagles on a 3 game win
streak and a complete U-Turn
from their 0-3 start.
For the Vulcans they
continued their pattern in
'06 of win one and lose the
next.
The first half packed plenty
of excitement for both
sidelines. Dan
Bernthal hit Nick Kneilling
for a 32 yard scoring strike
for the games first score
with just under five minutes
to go in the opening
quarter. 68 seconds
later, Justin Woolwine
answered the Eagles with a
45 yard TD run. Almost
a quarter went by before the
scoring resumed. Both
teams matched each other
with some unconventional
touchdowns. Zak
Deschaine intercepted a Gary
Pratt pass and the Eagle
looked as if he was going to
take it to the house.
Out of nowhere came Vulcan
DB Kevin Bacon, stripping
the ball.
Unfortunately for Vassar,
Muth's Jeff Napolitano was
there to scoop up the loose
ball and take it the rest of
the way for the score and
the 6 point lead.
Vassar answered the bell
again, this time with a
time-expiring 36 yard heave
from Pratt to Bacon to end
the first half. The
score had swung momentum in
favor of the Homecoming
Hosts. In a game where
momentum had swung back and
forth like a pendulum,
Vassar gained control
heading to the locker-room.
Even though 'Mo' was on the
Vulcan's side, Muth had the
benefit of getting the ball
to start the 2nd half.
The Eagles had the option
working early in the 2nd
half. After a few
tough runs from RB Brandon
Cataline and Bernthal,
Cataline took the option
from his own 47 all the way
inside of the Vulcans' 20
yard line. An
unsportsmanlike conduct
penalty was tacked on and
half the distance to the
goal later, Muth had it
first down at the Vassar 11.
On 2nd down, Bernthal rolled
out and bought some time, on
his journey, he found an
open Mark Kidd for an 11
yard scoring hook-up.
It took the Eagles less than
three minutes to complete
their opening drive
masterpiece. The drive
was aided by several dead
ball penalties that had
plagued both teams all
evening. |
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Box Score |
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1Q |
2Q |
3Q |
4Q |
OT |
Final |
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(3 - 3) |
Frankenmuth |
7 |
6 |
7 |
14 |
0 |
34 |
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(3 - 3) |
Vassar |
7 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
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On the
ensuing kickoff, Vassar's Michael Arksey had a
beautiful return to his own 40. His facemask
was incidentally grabbed on the way and it tacked on
5 more. After three plays, the Vulcans only
managed 2 more yards and were three and out on their
first possession of the 2nd half. A promising
kickoff couldn't spark the offense. With the
Eagles back on the move on their next possession,
Vassar just didn't have an answer for the option.
The Eagles were executing it to a T. They were
breaking contain at the last moment and getting a
lot of positive yardage on the outside.
Bernthal was also having success keeping it himself.
After moving the ball down to the Vassar 42, the
Eagles were pushed back 5 yards putting them face to
face with 3rd and 15. The Vulcans were
answering the call on defense and were determined
not to let Frankenmuth go up a critical two scores.
On 3rd down, Bernthal dropped back, couldn't find
anyone, so he scrambled right and moved up just a
tad. As he began to move up, so did the Vassar
secondary, allowing Eagle WR Alex Zuellig to get
behind the coverage and break free. Bernthal
hit Zuellig right on the money and picked up the
first down and an additional 9 more down to the
Vassar 23. Zuellig was hit pretty hard on the
reception and went down for a while, fortunately a
few minutes later he was able to walk off under his
own power. The very next play, Frankenmuth ran
right up the belly, with RB Steve Spadafore taking
it 19 yards down to the Vulcan 4, setting up 1st and
goal. Spadafore got it down to the 1 but no
further. Twice more they tried to push it up
the middle with Vassar not yielding the yard.
On fourth and inches from paydirt, Bernthal kept it
and was amazingly stuffed yet again. The
Vulcans with their backs to the wall and down 7
points came up with the stop of the season.
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Vassar keeping points off of the board still
were in the danger zone however, sitting right
outside of their own inch line. After a
sneak for about 4 yards by Gary Pratt, it became
the Andrew Adkins show. Adkins took the
running load on his shoulders and moved Vassar
out of harms way all the way out near midfield.
With Vassar on the move, the 3rd quarter had
ended. The 4th started with a manageable
3rd and 4 for Vassar. They ran the end
around for first down yardage but the dirty
yellow laundry soiled the Vulcans scoring plans
and ultimately led to the end of their drive.
Vassar was hit with a holding penalty and
couldn't covert on 3rd and long. As soon
as the Eagles got the ball back, they wasted no
time converting the defensive stand into an
offensive blow and ultimately the back breaker.
Just moments after the Vulcans' drive had ended,
Brandon Cataline dashed 73 yards for the score,
making it an even tougher mountain to climb if
Vassar would come back in this one.
Down
27-13, the Vulcans went back to work on offense.
Determined not to give up on the game, Vassar
was on the move. The move was cut short
however as Vassar fumbled their chance away at
any sort of comeback. Winston Adkins took
the end around on 3rd and 3 for a first down and
then was hammered by the Eagles defense, causing
the fumble, which was recovered by John Kayzak.
Bernthal then made sure the Vulcans would stay
down for good. The Muth QB took the snap,
kept the ball himself on the option keeper and
raced 47 yards down to the Vulcan 5, setting up
first and goal. Bernthal finished the job
as he dropped back in what looked to be a pass
but most likely was a designed keep. When
Bernthal dropped back, so did the Vulcan
defense. When the box was cleared,
Bernthal tucked it and ran around right end,
diving the last yard and a half for the score
and a 34-13 lead after MIke Prenzler's extra
point.
The Vulcans would not go away without a fight.
Down three scores, they put together their best
drive of the 2nd half, moving the ball down to
the Eagle 28. It is there where the Eagles
dug down and forced a 4th and 9. On
Vassar's last gasp, Pratt dropped back, tried to
hit his man in the middle of the field but it
was intercepted by Muth's Jeff Napolitano.
It was celebration time in the visiting stands.
The complete circle had been reached by
Frankenmuth in week 6. After starting a
dismal 0-3, they had reached 500 ball.
They still need three wins for an automatic
berth into the post-season and it will not be an
easy chore. They will be favored in two of
their contests but in week 8, North Branch comes
to town. That may decide the Eagles week
10 plans. For Vassar, they travel to North
Branch next week and then host Millington in
week 8. That's a tough road to playoff
qualification but one that is not out of reach.
The Vulcans had high hopes at the beginning of
this season and there is still a lot of football
to be played. The Vulcans must put this
defeat behind them and concentrate on how they
can stop North Branch, the league's hottest
team.
Millington beat Garber in other league action
creating a three way tie for first place, with
Millington, North Branch and Birch Run sitting
atop the standings. Garber and now
Frankenmuth are just one game back. It
will be interesting to see how things shake out
in the last three weeks of the regular season.
You could see as many as 5 East teams make the
post-season but on the other hand, only 3 may
make the cut. Along with Vassar heading to
North Branch next week, the other spotlight game
will have Birch Run traveling to Millington.
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