Blue Mountain wins Monday Night Football contest over Bangor Slaters 35 to 27. @BangorSlatersFB @BMSD_Football @BMSDAthletics @SlaterAthletics
Tagged under: District 11, Game Photos, Gameday Hub, News
Daniel Reed | September 14, 2021
Monday Night Football at the Eagles Nest… High School Version !
Blue Mountain would receive the games opening kickoff and 8 plays, 3:41 minutes later, would put the first points on the board when Eagles would run two straight times for 34 yards, the first from Derek Walasavage, and the score from 8 yards out by Tyler Miller to put the Eagles on top 7 to 0 with 8:19 left in the first quarter. Blue Mountain would get another possession just 3 plays later when Bangor QB Eric Striba would be intercepted by Kreese Sabelein and return it for the PICK-6, adding to the Eagles lead early, 14 to 0 Blue Mountain with 7:27 to play in the 1st. quarter. On the Slater next possession, the drive would stall and end in a punt. Eagles would run 3 plays and they too would punt back to Bangor with 2:50 left in the quarter. The Slaters would take the punt, and start the drive at their own 36 yard line. Slaters QB Striba would connect on one pass to Gabe Woolverton for 24 yards but, that would be the only positive play for Bangor as they would once again by punting. Blue Mountain’s Austyn Fields who would block the punt, seemed to forget the ball was still live, and Bangor would recover and scamper close to a first down only to fall just shy, giving the ball back to the Eagles by way of turnover on downs at midfield.
In the second quarter of play, the Eagles had possession and just 3 plays in, Blue Mountain would score again when Payton Fasnacht, who ended the night by my calculations with 185 yards on 22 carries, would take the handoff 34 yards to the endzone for his first of three scores on the night, extending the Eagles lead to 21 to 0 with 11:16 to play in the first half. Then, something changed within the Eagles defense. Bangor would begin their next drive on their 33 yard line and after 13 plays, the Slaters would put it in the endzone when Striba’s pass was complete to Ashton Kluska for 7 yards and the score. Bangor now trailed 21 to 7 with 4:15 to play in the first half. The Eagles would run 2 plays for 9 yards on their next possession and then Eagles QB Jacobson would be intercepted by Kael Godshalk at the 44 yard line. Bangor’s next possession was much like the Eagles when the Slaters would run 3 plays for 15 yards until on the fourth play, Striba’s pass was intercepted by the Eagles, this time by James Seaman with 1:20 to play in the half. Two plays later, Blue Mountain’s Jacobson would throw another interception, when Slater’s Ryan Wildrick would grab the ball for the pick. 6 plays and 58 yards later, the Slaters seen themselves only down seven when QB Striba would connect with Derick Zamorsky for 31 yards and the score with :18 seconds left in the first half. Blue Mountain would run two plays for 24 yards to run out the time for a halftime score of 21 to 14 Eagles. When asked what happened in that second quarter with the Eagles giving up those two quick scores, Eagles head coach Tom Gallagher said, “We got a little relaxed, something that happens with a young team, something we’re going to have to continue to talk about with them”.
To start the second half, Bangor would receive the ball, and on the second play of the half, the Eagles Gaige Guers would intercept the pass from Striba at the Slater 37 yard line. On the next play, Blue Mountain would fumble and the Slaters would recover at the 34. Just five plays later, Bangor would score and tie the game when RB Kael Godshalk would take the handoff 1 yard into the endzone with 8:44 remaining the the third quarter. Blue Mountain on their next possession would run 9 plays for 45 yards only to end up turning the ball over on downs at the Bangor 19 with 4:21 to play in the third quarter. The Slaters would score on their next series, going 81 yards on 10 plays to take the lead after trailing 21 to 0 early. Bangor would miss the extra point however, setting the score at 27 to 21 Slaters with 11:26 left to play in the game.
The fourth quarter of play was a good tough battle for both teams, as you could tell both teams did not want to lose. On the Eagles next series, Blue Mountain would run, run, run, and run some more, going 70 yards on 7 plays, lead by leading rusher for the game, Payton Fasnacht, who had 60 yards on the drive and the score to put the Eagles back on top, 28 to 27 with 7:43 remaining in the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Bangor would suffer yet another setback when they would fumble the kickoff return, giving the Eagles the ball at the Slaters 20 yard line when Kreese Sabelein recovered the ball. The Eagles would run a few plays, big plays, only to fumble, and turn the ball over to Bangor at the Slater 4 yard line with 4:45 to play. Bangor would run one play, then Eagles Sabelein would leap, intercept the pass from Striba at the Bangor 16 yard line. The Eagles would score once more to extend their lead to 35 to 27 when PFN Player of the Game, Payton Fasnacht would take the handoff right up the middle for 8 yards to the endzone, his second TD of the night. The Slaters would get one last chance to score when they would go 38 yards on 8 plays before being intercepted by Eagles Justin White at the goal line to as time expired. Eagles winning 35 to 27 ! After the game, Bangor’s HC said, ” We had to shake off some cobwebs to start the game, after a long bus ride, they came out hard, took it to us right off the bat, we made a few mistakes, wouldn’t have been a rare thing for a high school team to pack it in being down 21 to 0 that early, but our kids responded, I’m very proud of their effort”. Blue Mountain’s offense produce 449 all purpose yards, with 319 of those rushing.
Up Next for Blue Mountain(2-1) is at home against Pottsville Area(2-1) in the Clash of 61 Trophy Rival Game on Saturday, 12:00pm kickoff. Blue Mountain will also be holding their Military Appreciation Day as well that afternoon.
Up Next for Bangor(2-1), at home against Southern Lehigh(0-2).
Video Highlights Uploaded Later Tonight !!
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