St. Mary's earns wet grid victory

BY MIKE ROSENBAUM
ECCENTRIC STAFF WRITER

ORCHARD LAKE--St. Mary's had two fumble recoveries and an 8-0 lead before the Eaglets' offense ran their first play from scrimmage Saturday. St. Mary's went on to handle the game-long rain, and visiting Flint Southwestern, with relative ease in a 35-0 victory.

The Eaglets improved to 2-1 overall while the Knights fell to 1-2.

The rain varied from a drizzle to a downpour throughout the contest, helping lead to seven Southwestern turnovers. The turnover count might have been worse, but the Eaglets' 35-0 lead in the first minute of the second half triggered a running clock, shortening the second half. The Eaglets lost two turnovers Saturday.

The turnover-fest began on the game's second play from scrimmage, when Flint quarterback Cameron Stover's errant lateral was scooped up by St. Mary's linebacker Pierce Niemiec, who ran 15 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt resulted in a mishandled snap, but holder Nick Larson picked up the ball and ran in a two-point conversion.

Flint then enjoyed its best drive of the day, moving from its 41 to the Eaglets' 21 before a fumbled handoff was recovered by St. Mary's lineman Justin Ruby.

The Eaglets then drove to the Flint 15 before losing their first fumble of the day, which was recovered by Nick Griffin. Unfortunately for the Knights, they returned the favor on the next play when another fumbled handoff was recovered by James Huddleston for St. Mary's.

The Eaglets then handled the ball well enough to score on their next three possessions. Justin Semmes scored on a two-yard run, followed by a missed extra point following another mishandled snap. Early the second quarter St. Mary's made it 22-0 on a four-yard run by Sam Fioroni and a two-point conversion via a completion from quarterback Robert Bolden to Rodney Woodland. An 18-yard punt return by Suave LaVallis then set up a 27-yard march, capped by a Fioroni three-yard run plus kicker Keegan Dupack's extra point.

The half ended, appropriately, with a wild double fumble. St. Mary's had the ball on Flint's seven with 15 seconds remaining when a Bolden fumble was picked up by Flint's Equandre Carradine, who dashed into St. Mary's territory before being caught from behind and coughing up the ball, which was recovered by LaVallis.

The Eaglets capped the scoring on their first play from scrimmage in the second half, when Fioroni burst through the line on his way to a 42-yard touchdown run.

St. Mary's ran the ball 46 times Saturday for 251 yards. Fioroni gained 95 yards on eight carries while Semmes added 59 yards on 11 carries. Bolden passed just three times, completing one, in addition to his successful two-point conversion pass.

Northwestern managed just 66 yards of total offense. Daniel Robak had a second half fumble recovery for St. Mary's while Tayler Peruski and Woodland added interceptions.

The Eaglets face Catholic League Central Division foe Warren De La Salle Friday, at Warren Fitzgerald High School. The Pilots are 3-0 and have out-scored their opponents 128-14. Southwestern plays host to Bay City Western Friday.

Prep Football

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