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10/15/07-Football
Eaglets run the ball and the clock to beat DeLaSalle
By Mike Rosenbaum/The West Bloomfield Eccentric
ORCHARD LAKE--Orchard Lake St. Mary's saved its best drive for last Saturday, controlling the clock for more than half the final quarter before scoring the decisive touchdown in a 28-13 victory over visiting Warren DeLaSalle. The Eaglets, 6-1, earned a spot in the Catholic League championship game against Birmingham Brother Rice Saturday at Ford Field. The Pilots dropped to 6-2.
Saturday's contest was a defensive battle for most of the afternoon, with the Eaglets clinging to a 14-7 advantage late in the third quarter. St. Mary's then drove 60 yards in six plays – assisted by a 15-yard personal foul call against the Pilots and capped by Dominique White's 20-yard touchdown run. Sean Graham booted the third of his four extra points to open a 21-7 lead.
DeLaSalle, playing without star running back Chad O'Shell, answered with a five-play, 70-yard drive. Kyle Torzy's 28-yard run in the first minute of the fourth quarter trimmed the margin to 21-13, as Torzy's extra point try hit the upright.
St. Mary's re-gained possession at its 26 and proceeded to take 6:45 off the clock with a 16-play drive, including 15 running plays. Quarterback Robert Bolden completed his only pass attempt of the drive, connecting with Tayler Peruski for 15 yards, to midfield. Otherwise, White carried six times for 29 yards, Sam Fioroni gained 15 yards on three tries and fullback Justin Semmes, who spent much of the day banging his helmet against a tough DeLaSalle front line, had six carries for 15 yards, including a one-yard touchdown plunge with 4:15 remaining in the game.
“I thought my offensive line down the stretch, they were making nice holes for Domo and Sam,” said St. Mary's coach George Porritt. “What a beautiful drive that last drive was…and I credit that whole offensive line.”
The Eaglets line – tackles Christian Brandt and Mike Kaiser, guards Matt Sargent and Tim Wyderko, center Mark Carroll and tight end Jason Semmes – earned Porritt's praise by helping St. Mary's control the ball for 17:35 of the second half.
Porritt called DeLaSalle “a tough defensive football team, but that offensive line – when you can win football games like that you can be proud of those kids.”
Defensively, Sargent also snuffed out the Pilots' last hope with his fourth down sack of DeLaSalle quarterback Josh Sinagoga with 2:19 remaining. The Eaglets then ran out the clock.
St. Mary's defense and special teams set up the game's first score, after Kris Morris' coffin corner punt went out of bounds at the DeLaSalle three late in the first quarter. The Pilots managed a first down before an Earnest Thomas hit forced a fumble which Jason Semmes recovered at the Pilots' 11. Two plays later, Bolden threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Justin Semmes for a 7-0 lead.
DeLaSalle responded with its only solid drive of the half, moving 70 yards in five plays capped by Torzy's 34-yard touchdown run.
Bolden stood out on St. Mary's next possession, an 80-yard scoring drive. The sophomore completed a 15-yard pass to Dion Sims, then ran 26 yards on an option keeper. Bolden finished the drive with a 15-yard scoring pass to Jason Semmes, giving the Semmes brothers three TDs on the day.
St. Mary's finished with 222 yards on the ground and 69 through the air. White gained 103 yards on 19 carries while Bolden completed six of 13 passes.
The Eaglets now face the challenge of playing Brother Rice a second time, after beating the Warriors 40-21 on Sept. 22. Rice is 6-2 on the season. Both teams are 4-1 in the Catholic League's Central Division. Saturday's Prep Bowl kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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