Sinagoga's big game helps Pilots sneak past Orchard Lake St. Mary's

By CHRIS LAU • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER Game Photos

WARREN--Warren De La Salle had stopped Orchard Lake St. Mary's in the first series of overtime and could win the Catholic Central Division matchup with any kind of score.

The Pilots were inches away from the goal line and in the center of the field – a perfect situation for a chip-shot field goal.

But Josh Sinagoga, the quarterback and holder, was suffering bad cramps in both legs, and couldn't kneel.

“So we told him to ride behind center Richie Sciuto and get into the end zone,” De La Salle coach Paul Verska said.

And that's what Sinagoga did.

De La Salle lost a 28-12 lead with less than seven minutes left in regulation, but held on to win, 34-28, in overtime Friday night at Warren Fitzgerald.

Including the overtime sneak, Sinagoga rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two more, to Jim Martinez and John Martinez.

“My line picked me up,” Sinagoga said. “I told them I was hurting. The guys really picked me up.”

De La Salle (4-0, 1-0) scored on its first possession when Sinagoga connected on a short pass to Jim Martinez, who turned it into a 34-yard touchdown on third-and-9.

St. Mary's (2-2, 1-1) responded the ensuing possession after quarterback Robert Bolden (16-of-26, 239 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) hit Rodney Woodland (four catches, 95 yards) on a 70-yard bomb down the left sideline.

De La Salle took a 28-12 lead early in the fourth on Sinagoga's second TD run, but St. Mary's put together two methodical scoring drives to tie the game.

The first one was 80 yards on 13 plays and it ended when Bolden found Tayler Peruski wide open in the end zone from 12 yards out. Bolden and Peruski (nine catches, 95 yards) also combined for the two-point conversion.

The second one was seven plays for 65 yards, capped by an eight-yard run by Sam Fioroni with 2:04 left. Fioroni also ran in the two-point conversion.

“Robert got loosened up,” St. Mary's coach George Porritt said. “When we went to the short passing game, Robert got into a rhythm.”

But St. Mary's couldn't put any points on the board in overtime, setting up De La Salle's dramatic finish.

“It was a wild one,” Verska said.

Prep Football

No logos, photographs, or graphics on the site may be reproduced without written permission.