Serra Catholic Eagles Air Raid offense escapes Ground and Pound McGuffey 21-14 @SerraCatholicFB @McGuffeyHS @NathanCumer @RFalosk @NathanWitkowsky @JesseLongstret2 @EvanWri76132876 @JenniferWhipke1 @MckinleyWhipkey

Tagged under: District 7, Game Photos, Gameday Hub

David Burnworth | October 31, 2020

This game had a little bit of everything Long pass, long runs. hard hits questionable calls, questionable play-calling, sloppy play, and borderline dirty play by one team. When all was said and done 7-points would separate these two outstanding teams and 21-yards. Watching the two teams warm up I thought to myself that Max Rocco the quarterback for the Eagles looks like A college kid throwing the ball.

Just:49 seconds into this one Rocco lofted A James Harris like pass right to Terrell Booth, who had 5-yards on the nearest Highlander defender The pass fell right into the arms of Booth who took A step and let the ball fall harmlessly to the grey turf. Had he held on he would have had an 80-yard touchdown catch?

Booth got a little redemption when he pounced on A Rocco Falosk fumble on the first play of the Highlanders drive. Once again the Highlanders defense avoid problems as they held the air raid Eagles defense to just 4-yards on the drive. At this point in the contest, it was like A heavyweight fight with both teams avoiding the others knockout punch.

It would be the Highlanders offense who would get things going first. They would use eight straight running plays to set up A 43-yard touchdown pass that came with A lot of excitement when Kyle Brookman caught the pass took a few steps then fumble the ball just before he hit pay dirt, he would pounce on the ball just before an Eagles player did. On the point after try the Highlanders went to the swinging gate look then Jared Johnson took the ball in for two points making this an 8-0 the game, with 4:55 left in the quarter.

Falosk would make like former Dallas Cowboy great Randy White and crush Machai Brooks-Dutrieuille holding the speed demon to zero yards. Just:35 seconds into the 2nd quarter Falosk again would level Dutrieuille again holding him to zero yards. Daiquan Chatfield looked to have made A nice catch but Johnson laid him out just like Ronnie Lott used to do would be pass catchers. The Eagles would have to settle for A field goal try by Joe Folino that was blocked by Jeremiah Johnson.

The Eagles defense would stand tall with Booth getting to Brookman for A 4-yard loss, then it was Mike Schanck along with John Banner teaming up to stop McKinley Whipkey for A short loss. From there the Eagles defense would get the ball back to its offense.

Booth had five yards on the nearest Highlander defender again and this time he made them pay as he held on to the ball for A gain of 27-yards. Booth would make another catch break A tackle on his way to A 12-yard gain. Needing A big play when it looked like the promising drive was going to fade away Booth made another huge catch going over the middle to score from 20-yards out. Folino would be true on his P.A.T.to cut the Highlanders lead to 8-7 with 2:17 left in the half.

There would be four more big plays before the half ended. The only offensive play came from A Falosk to Whipkey pass for 15-yards. Falosk showed some sweet touch on his throw. The teams then traded sacks with Ryan Books taking Falosk down for A 2-yard loss. Brooks is as fast as A lineman as I have seen all season. Evan Wright sacked Rocco for A 2-yard loss, and the last big play came from Wright, who put crazy pressure on Rocco forcing the talented quarterback to throw in the turf.

McGuffey started the third quarter out with Whipkey hauling in A Falosk pass for A gain of 14-yards. Falosk then acted like former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones by bullying his way to A gain of four by running over Elijah Ward. He then busted through three tackles to tack on four more yards. The drive ended when Falosk was stuffed on A fourth and one play by Paul Pearson.

After getting the ball back the Highlanders would see Booth stop Brookman for just A 2-yard gain. From there the Eagles defense quickly put the Highlanders into punt formation Jeremiah Johnson would fake the punt and run to A 19-yard gain to move the chains. Whipkey through A Pete Johnson type block to free Brookman to pick up another Highlander first down. The quarter would see Jermiah Johnson use home nasty power to pick up 7-yards.

With 10:56 left in the game, Whipkey would find a hole and run to the end zone from 3-yards out to put the Highlanders up 14-7. After A timeout everyone knew for some strange reason the Highlanders were going to forgo the PA.T. and go for two. That decision was shown to be bad when the two-point pass was incomplete because of crazy pressure from the Eagles. A side note about the 13-play, 83-yard drive was the Eagles jumped offsides four times to give McGuffey first downs each time.

Booth would leap over A McGuffey player on the far side of the field to pick up none big yards, with 10:23 left in the game. The drive was kept alive by a fourth and four conversion run by Rocco. The drive survived A sack by Grant Brookman on Rocco because Rocco found Booth wide open again this time for 38-yards all the way down to the Highlanders 10-yard line. Jeremiah Johnson. stopped Dutrieuille for A loss of four, with 6:04 left. The game would be tied up when Booth caught A 5-yard touchdown catch, with Folino hitting his P.A.T.

The Highlanders offense looked lost on their next drive and quickly punted the ball to the Eagles, where Jayvon Campbell-Holt played Santa Clause by fumbling the ball to Ethan Dietrich. The Highlanders who had their most success running the ball would roll Falosk out and before he could do anything he was plastered down by Booth for A huge 7-yard loss. Jared Johnson picked up 19-yard on A third and one call to give the Highlanders another big first down. Falosk ran to his left for A 8-yard gain then on third and three instead of trying to pick up the first down on third and short Falosk seemed to run to his right and then go down in the middle of the field to set up A 31-yard field goal attempt from Nate Witkowsky. It seemed like forever before the Highlanders snapped the ball for the field goal and when they did the timing seem to be off because the field goal was short giving the ball back to the Eagles with 45.4 seconds left on the clock. Had the Highlanders converted the third down play, they could have kicked the field goal as time expired.

The Eagles still needed to go 86-yards for A touchdown with zero timeouts or to get into field goal range. On the 2nd play of the drive, Rocco found Hold 5-yards behind the defense and he threw A Terry Bradshaw like pass for the 86-yard touchdown making this A 21-14 game.

On the Highlanders last drive, there was one incompletion, 2 sacks one by Zach Weber and the other by A host of eagle players, and one hook and ladder that gained 9-yards.

UNOFFICIAL STATS

SERRA CATHOLIC

61 PLAYS

312 YARDS

PASSING, 21-36 3 TD’S

MCGUFFEY

55 PLAYS

291 YARDS

PASSING, 4-5