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11/2/06-Football
St. Mary's soaks Lakeland, 34-0
BY MIKE ROSENBAUM OF THE OBSERVER AND ECCENTRIC
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Neither rain nor snow nor the gloom of a muddy field could stay Orchard Lake St. Mary's from the swift completion of its appointed task Saturday, that task being a first-round football playoff victory.
The Eaglets completed that task in dominating fashion, defeating White Lake Lakeland 34-0 in a Division 2 district contest.
St. Mary's, 8-2, advances to the district final this Saturday against visiting Walled Lake Central (8-2). The game is scheduled for St. Mary's natural-turf field, although a repetition of last week's wet weather could cause a last minute change of venue.
St. Mary's Milewski Field had a few puddles and plenty of mud when Saturday's game began, and the driving rain never let up all afternoon, except when it turned to sleet. But the field conditions didn't stop the Eaglets' runners, who carried 61 times for 215 yards. Quarterback Justin Siller, who scored on runs of six and 10 yards, threw just seven times, completing three for 66 yards, including a 34-yard TD toss to Taurian Washington. But St. Mary's most impressive number was zero -- as in, zero turnovers.
"That was the key," said St. Mary's coach George Porritt. "With the weather, I think anytime you play in those kinds of conditions and you can hang on to the ball and not have silly turnovers it just betters your chances."
Lakeland, meanwhile, managed a turnover-free first half Saturday but lost four fumbles in the third quarter and one more in the fourth. In the third quarter, the Eagles ran five plays from scrimmage, three of which resulted in lost fumbles. Lakeland also fumbled away a kickoff. St. Mary's, which led 14-0 at halftime, turned the third-quarter miscues into three touchdowns.
The Eaglets began their initial scoring drive with 4:55 left in the first quarter, and held the ball until 7:15 remained in the half. In between, St. Mary's ran 18 plays -- including 17 runs -- and ground out five first downs, with two of them coming via fourth down conversions.
Key plays included Dominique White's five-yard carry on fourth-and-two from Lakeland's 21, plus Siller's 14-yard quarterback draw on fourth-and-nine from the 15. Two plays later, Blair Hollis ran two yards into the end zone. Sean Graham added the first of his four extra points for a 7-0 lead.
With 47 seconds left in the half, St. Mary's took possession on Lakeland's 31 following a shanked, four-yard punt. Siller's 20-yard run set up his six-yard TD carry.
The Eaglets scored in the third quarter on Siller's second touchdown run, his TD toss to Washington and Ben Caplinger's one-yard touchdown carry. The Eaglets then substituted freely in the final quarter.
Siller led St. Mary's runners with 67 yards on 12 carries. White ran 12 times for 44 yards and Caplinger added 38 yards on six tries. Washington caught two passes for 39 yards.
"Dominique White and Blair Hollis and Chris Mitchell did a nice job of running the ball," Porritt said, "with Blair leading on those (isolation) plays."
The Eagles, who finished 6-4, gained 120 yards, all on the ground. Cody Leavenworth led Lakeland with 59 yards on 10 carries.
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