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Adams vs.

Farmington Hills Harrison

Game 8 Summary vs. Farmington Harrison- 10/14/05

A reprieve from last weeks cold snap, offered up a beautiful Indian summer night for this important game to decide the OAA Division I leader.

Farmington Hills Harrison Hawks received the opening kick-off. Sophomore, Braden Conner tackled the ball carrier on the 21 –yard line. The initial Harrison drive set the tone for this match-up.  Outstanding defensive plays by senior linebacker Ben Dahlstrom, defensive lineman, Nick Benacquisto and linebacker Nick Morrin could not stop this methodical, well-executed drive by Harrison . On 2nd down and 5 from the 5-yard line Running Back Don Connelly blew the ball into the end zone for a TD. The Hawks P.A.T. kick was no good.

Harrison 6     Adams 0

With 5:54 left in the 1st quarter, the Highlander offense took possession on the 20-yard line. A Jake Ball pass that was tipped and nearly intercepted, brought up a 3rd and 7 situation. Ball then hit senior receiver Brian Hollett for a 22-yard reception for a key Highlander first-down. Ben Dahlstrom, filling in at Fullback gained 8-yards up the middle of Harrison’s defense. A Jake Ball QB keeper moved the rock to the 42-yard line and another first down. A hitch pass to Senior Jeff Crocenzi, followed by a 3-yard run by Cory Hamilton set up a 3rd and 2 situation. Another hitch pass, this time to Hollett, moved the chains to the 32-yard line. Jake Ball ran the Veer option hard for a 5-yard gain. 
Ben Dahlstrom (15)  took it to the 21-yard line and a big Highlander first down.  

An incomplete pass and a loss of 1 yard on a QB keeper set up a 3rd  down and 11 challenge. Brian Hollett showed senior leadership as he gained 19 yards on a well-thrown pass from Ball.

With the ball spotted at the 3-yard line and a new set of downs, the Hawk defense dug in. Running plays by Hollett and Renel inched the ball to the 1-yard line. On 3rd  down and goal, senior running back Dahlstrom scored for the Highlanders. The P.A.T. kick by Kimball knuckle-balled through the uprights.  

Adams 7     Harrison 6

Early in the second quarter, Harrison began their second offensive possession at the 15-yard line after outstanding kick team coverage by Junior Alex McClelland and Dahlstrom. A 55-yard pass attempt by the Hawks went off the fingertips of an open receiver. Facing 3rd down and 18, free safety Jake Wilson came up with yet again a huge defensive play. Wilson intercepted the Harrison pass and rambled down to the 10-yard line. A clipping penalty on Wilson’s run moved the ball to the 20-yard line. Highlanders ball 1st  down and 10. A pass to Hauser moved the ball to the 8-yard line and a first down. On 1st down and goal, Hamilton blasted his way to the 3-yard line. On 2nd and goal from the 5, Ball found Josh Renel in the end zone for the second Highlander score of the night. Kimball’s kick was good on the P.A.T.

Adams 14     Harrison 6

 Harrison’s third offensive possession started on the 20-yard line following Bryan Kimball’s booming kick that went through the end zone. A running play on 2nd down and 7-resulted in a first down for the Hawks. A well-executed swing pass moved the ball to the 41- yard line. Another pass caught by receiver Sidney Stewart moved the ball across mid-field to the 48-yard line. With 8:38 left in the first half Harrison’s QB Barron Cline hit an open receiver in the end zone but could not hold on to the ball. On 2nd down and 10, senior defensive lineman Nick Benacquisto blew past the offensive line and forced Cline to hurry his pass. The pass was incomplete. Now on 3rd down and 10 from the 26-yard line, linebacker Nick Morrin tipped the Hawks pass that resulted in another incomplete pass. Harrison attempted a 43-yard field goal that was “no good”.

 The third Highlander offensive possession was “the one that got away”. After several Jake Ball QB keepers, running plays by Hamilton, Morrin and Dahlstrom, the Highlander offense was on the move and looking poised. On 4th down and 4 from the 28-yard line Slot back Josh Renel displayed his shifty running style and ran the ball into the end zone. The touchdown was called back on an illegal shift penalty against the Highlanders. The ensuing play called for a well-thrown Ball pass to Hollett good for a first down. With the ball now spotted on the 23-yard line, Farmington Harrison intercepted Ball’s next pass to Hollett at the 1-yard line with 47 seconds left in the half. The first half ended with the Highlanders ahead 14-7.

The second half opened with a 30-yard kick return by Josh Renel.

This drive featured running plays by Hamilton and Renel that moved the ball to the 42-yard line. An incomplete pass on 3rd down and 8 resulted in a punt by Kimball.

  Harrison returned the punt to the 42- yard line. The potent Harrison offense moved swiftly after two pass plays advanced the ball to the 18-yard line. A solid run by Hawks RB Connelly moved the ball to the 12-yard line. Another nice play on 2nd down and 5 by Morrin and Bernard brought up 3rd down for Harrison . The Hawks scored on the next play and attempted a 2-point conversion to tie the game but their pass was incomplete. One official ruled the pass was complete but was over ruled by the official that was actually in the end zone. P. A T. was unsuccessful.

 Adams 14 Harrison 12

With the Hawks clearly back in the game the Highlanders started their second drive of the half on the 13-yard line after a holding call on the kick return. Hamilton and Hollett scratched and clawed their way running the ball to the 20-yaed line. On 3rd down and 3, fullback Dahlstrom pounded the ball up field for a first down. A QB keeper by Ball together with a counter to RB Morrin moved the ball to the 33-yard line with 1:18 left in the 3rd quarter. An incomplete pass and run by Ball that was stuffed by the Hawks defensive line set up a 3rd down and 11 for the Highlanders. An outstanding pass by Ball to Hauser for 14-yards gave the offense a big first down. With the ball spotted just past mid-field this drive stalled just as the 3rd quarter ended.

 Brain Hollett made a nice tackle on the ensuing punt return to drop the Harrison RB at the 8-yard line. Again, the Hawk offense was on the move after a sweep god for 5-yards and a pass complete for 6-yards and a first down. On 2nd down and 4, Joe Bernard ripped through the line and grabbed both the quarterback and running back. He stripped the ball and in the scramble for the loose BAL senior Nick Morrin scooped it up and brought it to the house for a huge Highlander touchdown. The P. A. T. kick by Kimball was good.

Adams 21 Harrison 12

With 7:20 left in the game the Harrison offense had to make something happen now. A pass along with a miss-tackle moved the ball to the 45-yard line. On 1st down and 10 a great pass to an open receiver was good for an apparent touchdown but a holding call negated the play for Harrison . Now with 6:25 left in the contest an incomplete pass and an illegal procedure penalty brought up a 4th down and 15 predicament for the Hawks. The Harrison pass was intercepted by Mike Hauser.

 It was now up to the Highlander offense to take valuable minutes off the clock. Senior leader Jake Ball ran one his patented QB keepers good for a 40-yard gain. Tough running plays by Dahlstrom and Hollet as well as Ball kept the chains and the clock moving. This last drive originated on the 19-yard line and now the ball was spotted inside the 20-yard line. On 4th down and 4, Ball showed why he’s become one of the stand out quarterbacks in the state with a hard run for the first down. With 1:59 left the offense was able to run out the clock and secure the victory.

Final score: Adams 21 Harrison 12

Congratulations to the players and the coaching staff on an impressive and well- earned victory. Now that we have beaten the Hawks it’s time to take it to the Falcons.  

D. Renel

 
Coaches congratulate each other on the great contest