By STEVE BRICKLER
IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — Irondequoit improved to 5-1 on the season fueled by a Cam Miller 99-yard interception return off a fake field goal attempt to get past Webster Thomas 24-6.
The key play came with 1:53 left in the first quarter as Thomas looked poised to tie the game at three apiece with a 21-yard field goal attempt. However, the Thomas holder attempted a shovel pass up the middle that Miller intercepted and ran down the Irondequoit sideline to complete the 10-point swing and gave the Eagles what proved to be an insurmountable lead.
“We were in goalie (goal line defense) so we are always ready for a fake,” said Irondequoit coach Dan Fichter.
The Eagles took the opening kickoff and drove down to the Titans one yard line, earning six first downs along the way. Five different Eagles ran the ball on the drive and quarterback Taiden Makubire found Jordan Nolan and Isaiah Ballard on back-to-back pass plays that covered a combined 22 yards. A false start penalty on third down from the Titan one pushed Irondequoit back to the six. After a two-yard run by Cam Freeman on third down, the Eagles’ Sam Hittepole came in to convert a 21-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead. The Eagles took just over half the quarter off the clock on the opening drive.
The drive proved costly as Makubire was injured on a quarterback keeper and did not return for the remainder of the game.
“The playbook shrinks for sure” said Fichter of losing Makubire.
The Titans responded by marching down the field on the ensuing drive keyed by a 20-yard run by Parker Carley and a 17-yard hookup from quarterback Levi Kulik to wideout Sean Marlin. Kulik had a 9-yard run to the Eagles one for a first and goal situation. The Eagles defense stiffened, forcing two tackles for loss and an incompletion in the end zone which led to the Miller pick six on the field goal try.
The Eagles’ offense took over after a Thomas three and out and drove 60 yards, all on the ground, as running backs Freeman, Isaiah Wynn, Jordan Nolan and Steven Clinkscales (who replaced Makubire) each contributed carries with Nolan hitting paydirt from the 1-yard line. A blocked PAT made the score 16-0 in favor of the Eagles.
Another three and out forced by the Irondequoit defense gave the Eagles possession at their own 42-yard line where the offense proceeded on a similar scoring drive with the exception of a 21-yard catch and run from Clinkscales to Isaiah Ballard. Nolan again found the end zone from 3 yards out and a Freeman 2-point conversion extended the lead to 24-0.
After the Titans’ initial drive of the game, the Irondequoit defense only surrendered two first downs for the remainder of the first half and closed the half with a Christian Freeman interception at the Eagle 10-yard line.
“The defense played well”, said Fichter.
The Titans received the second half kickoff and got inside Irondequoit territory on a 23-yard pass play from Kulik to Marlin but a sack by Miller doomed the drive for the Titans who punted the ball down to the Eagle 5-yard line. The Eagles took off on a 14-play drive, running on 11 of those plays. The drive ended in a turnover on downs but proceeded to take approximately 7 minutes of valuable time off the clock.
The defensive stalemate continued until Thomas caught a break three minutes into the final quarter. Quarterback Joseph Ferretti threw a post pattern from midfield to the Eagle 10-yard line where the intended receiver was hit by an Irondequoit safety causing the ball to carom directly to a second receiver in the area, Charles Sciortino, who caught the ball and finished off the 50-yard pass play for a touchdown. The failed 2-point conversion resulted in a final score of 24-6. Thomas had one final possession that crossed midfield but ended on a turnover on downs and the Eagles kneeled out the last 1:12 of the game for the victory.
Freeman led the Irondequoit ground game with 105 yards on 21 carries with Wynn contributing 51 yards on 8 carries while Nolan had 21 yards on 11 rushes and the two touchdowns. Miller led the defense with 9 tackles, a sack and the interception return. Cam Freeman and Serah Hall finished with 7 tackles each and Ballard contributed 5 tackles and a sack.
The Eagles move on to play at Schroeder next Friday night while Thomas (2-4) will host Churchville-Chili, also next Friday night.
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