Game # 8
summary-Rochester Adams vs. Birmingham Groves- Homecoming
(Game
time weather conditions: 54 degrees, partly cloudy, slight NW
breeze, football weather)
HOMECLUBBING
There’s nothing like a Homecoming High school
football game in early fall. No question, fall has arrived compared
to last Fridays heat and humidity. A special night was in store for
the Highlander Zone as we filled the stands for the last regular
season home game against the Birmingham Groves Falcons. If that
wasn’t enough, it was “Senior night” where the senior football
players and Cheerleaders were introduced to their family, friends
and fellow students.
Senior place kicker Alex Verville booted the
ball into the end zone for a touch back to get the game underway.
From the 20-yard line, Birmingham Groves Falcons tested the middle
of the Highlander defense and were introduced to “Big Daddy” senior
DL Mike Polk. The result: a 2-yard loss. On 2nd down,
senior LB Aaron (Mac Attack) McNamara stuffed the Falcon RB for no
gain. Facing a 3rd down and 11, the Falcons went to the
air and senior safety Josh Renel intercepted the pass and raced for
15-yards to the 25-yard line. This was not the start that the Falcon
coaches had in mind.
On his first run of the game Renel made it look
easy as he took it into the end zone for the first Highlander
touchdown of the night. Casey’s P.A.T. kick split the
uprights-“good”.
After just 1:54 into the game, the score read:
ADAMS 7 FALCONS 0
Verville’s strong leg would kick another ball
into the end zone to result in a touchback that results in no kick
return and the ball spotted at the 20-yard line. The Falcon offense
tried to go wide on the Highlander defense but senior DB Adam (Smitty)
would have none of that as he dropped the ball carrier for a 1/2
–yard gain. On the ensuing play “Big D” senior LB Dan Muncey teamed-
up with Smitty to stop the Falcon RB for a short gain. On 3rd
down, LB Mac Attack took away the screen pass attempt resulting in a
loss of 4-yards. The Falcons punt was returned by Renel who
picked-up 9-yards to move the rock out to the 46-yard line where the
Highlander offense would take over.
Waszak threw a quick pass to WR Cody Wilson
for a 4-yard gain on 1st down. On 2nd down
junior FB Beau Barterian nearly broke free for a long gain but lost
the handle and fumbled the ball. Fortunately he was able to recover
the ball for gain of 3-yards. Barterian got the call again and
plowed his way to a 1st down at the 33-yard line. After
an incomplete pass on 1st down, Waszak connected on a
very well thrown pass to his favorite target in Wilson. Cody’s extra
effort and strength allowed him to break the plane of the goal line
for a Highlander touchdown. Senior Tom Casey’s P.A.T. kick was
“good”.
ADAMS 14
FALCONS 0
With 6:07 left in the 1st quarter
the Highlanders were looking sharp and threatening to blow this game
wide open. Verville’s (“robo-leg”) once again booted the ball 60+
yards for a touchback. The Falcon offense desperately needed to
mount some offensive attack to keep this contest competitive however
the Highlander defense was not in a charitable mood. “Big D” Muncey
and DL Zach Trumble came up big to stop the Falcon’s running game
cold. On 3rd and 10, DB Smitty covered the Falcon WR like
a blanket on a pass that was caught out-of-bounds. The Falcon’s
line-drive punt was downed at the 44-yard line.
The Highlander offense experienced a few
miscues that included a fumbled snap, an incomplete pass and a
penalty before QB Waszak threw a perfect strike to senior WR Mike
(formerly known as “no-sox”) Monahan for a big 24-yard reception.
From the 31-yard line Barterian picked-up a tough 6-yard gain before
Waszak connected with senior RB Braden Conner for a 25-yard
touchdown pass. Casey’s P. A. T. kick was “good”.
ADAMS 21
FALCONS 0
“Robo-leg”s kick went into the end zone for
the 4th consecutive touchback of the game. The Highlander
kicking game, under the tutelage of Coach Rob Houghtlin, is doing an
outstanding job. Seniors Alex Verville, Tom Casey and Josh Patten
are on top of their game and this should prove to be a crucial
weapon during the play-off run.
The Falcon offense was stymied again by the
Highlander defense. A quick “3 and out” led to a short punt of just
15- yards. The ball was spotted at the 39-yard line.
Barterian blasted his way for a 10-yard gain to
move the chains and set-up a pass to RB Josh Renel who was caught
and tackled at the 5-yard line. Senior FB / LB Aaron McNamara
checked in and torpedoed his way down to inside the 1-yard line. Mac
Attack finished off the drive on the ensuing play when he blasted
into the end zone for another Highlander touchdown. Tom Casey’s
P.A.T kick was “good”.
ADAMS 28
FALCONS 0
Again “robo-leg” put the ball into the end zone
and the Falcon offense starts from their own 20-yard line. But this
drives ends abruptly when “Big D” recovers a fumble to give the
Highlanders the ball deep in Falcon territory.
A holding penalty on Waszak’s scramble brought
up a 1st and 20 situation. Waszak found Renel across the
middle of the field who bolted for the goal line only to run smack
dab into senior OL Rob Reynolds who brought down Josh hard at the
12-yard line. Awesome tackle Rob…..
George (Colonel) Patten took over the
microphone from the legendary Wayne Conti to call the 2nd
quarter of the game. George did a great job and interlaced the
announcing with long-standing nick-names of the seniors.
From the 12-yard line Josh(shake-n-bake) Renel
raced virtually un-touched into the end zone for his 2nd
touchdown of the game.
The route was on and so was Casey’s P.A.T kick.
ADAMS 35
FALCONS 0
At the risk of sounding like a broken record,
Verville’s kick resulted in another touchback that didn’t allow the
Falcons a kick return. With 10:28 left in the 1st half, McNamara
and co-captain Jake Heinrich stepped-up to limit the Falcon offense
to “3 and out” again. This time the Falcon’s decided to not even
punt in the vicinity of Renel so the ball went out-of-bounds at
midfield.
Junior Joe Reynolds took over at QB for the
Highlanders and ran a series of QB option/ keepers to move the ball
to the 24-yard line. Conner picked-up 6 yards to move the ball down
to the 11-yard line. Shake-n-bake Renel cut and weaved his way to
his 3rd touchdown of the game while Casey made his 6th
P.A.T kick of the game.
ADAMS 42
FALCONS 0
Bear (Colucci) and Big D (Muncey) combined to
make the tackle on the ensuing kick-off to drop the Falcon ball
carrier at the 18-yard line. On 3rd and 1 and facing the
possibility that the Falcons would get a 1st down, LB A J
Johnson recovered a fumble at the 25-yard line.
QB Reynolds followed the blocking of OL Jeff
Denton and sophomore Nick Demiro as he found daylight as well as the
end zone for another Highlander touchdown. Casey’s kick was” good”.
ADAM S 49
FALCONS 0
Junior Mitch Weiland made the tackle on the
kick-off return at the 14-yard line. Mac- Attack blew-up the play
on 1st down and the ball was recovered by the Falcons
this time. The Falcon’s ran a sweep and got a rare 1st down. Junior
DB Aaron Taylor was called for pass interference that appeared quite
questionable. The Falcon offense moved the ball to near midfield
before junior DB Ryan Crocenzi made a nice break on the ball for an
interception. This DB is quietly making efficient use of his time on
the defense when called upon.
The Highlander offense ran a few plays before
the half ended with Elvis (Orno) and the Bear picking up 16-yards on
the ground.
During the halftime presentation of the
Homecoming court it was announced that Senior Cory Colucci was named
the Homecoming King for the class of 2007. Congratulations King
Bear!
The 2nd half got underway with the
advent of the running clock rule. The running backs for the
Highlanders consisted of Ornazian, Wieland, Barber and Reynolds at
the QB position. Elvis picked-up the hard yards on the ground and
Reynolds ripped off a huge 38-yard gain to move the ball down inside
Falcon territory. Bear scampered around the end for a quick 7-yards
on the blocking of OL’s Chris BaBaBaBini and Demiro. Junior RB
Elliot Ford got into the act and moved the rock down near the goal
line before Elvis (Orno) lunged his way into the end zone for a
touchdown.
Casey’s 8th P.A.T kick of the game
was good. I’m not certain but this has to be a school record for
extra-point kicks in one game…? Great job Casey!
ADAMS 56
FALCONS 0
King of the court Colucci removed his crown
just long enough to make the tackle on the kick return. The Falcon
offense moved the ball steadily from the 36-yard line to deep inside
Highlander territory while the 3rd quarter segued into
the 4th quarter.
Jeff Warburton, Crocenzi and Barber teamed-up
to slow the Falcon offense but to no avail as they got on the
scoreboard on a 2nd down and goal run. Their extra-point
attempt was “good”.
ADAMS 56
FALCONS 7
The Highlander offense was forced to punt for
the 1st time in the game and McNamara and Gesquire blew
down the field to make the tackle at the 46-ayrd line.
Adams defenders; Bear, Reeves, Wood, Barber and
Robertson all contributed to slow the Falcon offense down before
senior DB Alex Anderson recovered a fumble to return the ball to the
Highlanders.
RB’s Nick Montes, Olson (cousin Vinnie), and
Adam Courville ran the ball to end the game and let the Homecoming
celebration begin.
Congratulations to the UNBEATEN Rochester Adams
Highlander football team and coaching staff.
Let’s close out the battle of Highlander vs.
Falcons 3X with a final regular season win over Rochester. This
group of seniors has never lost to the Falcons in football.
The Highlander Zone will be locked and loaded
to support our boys at the corner of Walton and Livernois this
Friday.
GO ADAMS!
