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Sports
Sports
By Jerry DeRoche
CRYSTAL FALLS — The Forest Park Trojans hit the road for the first time this season when they traveled to Stephenson on Sept. 17.
After a slow start, the Trojans took control in the second half and ran away from the Eagles 50-14 to improve to 4-0.
Leading 22-14 at halftime, FP got a 28-yard touchdown run and a 44-yard touchdown run from Sam McKissack to increase its advantage to 22 at the end of the third period. Will Curtis added a 94-yard touchdown pass from McKissack and Reagan Alder finished the scoring with a 29-yard run in the fourth as the Trojans won the game going away.
“We started slow and Stephenson came ready to play,” FP coach Brian Fabbri said. “This was our first road test and the players responded well after the first couple of series.”
The Trojans went for a first down on a fourth and three from their own 20 on their first possession but were stopped. The Eagles scored two plays later on a 16-yard run from Spencer Coldren.
Fabbri said the Trojans changed their blocking scheme after their first series in order to account for Stephenson’s middle linebacker. FP did punt on its second series but turned things around offensively after that.
“The offensive line started picking up the blocking scheme and Sam McKissack followed his blockers for another workhorse performance,” Fabbri said.
McKissack, who finished with 279 rushing on 29 carries (9.6 average), scored the first of his four touchdowns when he opened the second quarter scoring with a 60-yard burst. The 2-point try failed and the Trojans trailed 8-6.
Coldren once again got loose, this time for a 52-yard run. The conversion failed as the Eagles took back their 8-point lead.
But that was it for the hosts and they never scored again. The FP defense recorded with six forced turnovers, including three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Fabbri said one of the
turning points in the game came when assistant coaches Chris Nocerini and Gene Giuliani inserted senior lineman Timmy Bendick into the defense line.
“He caused two fumbles and was in the backfield most of the night,” Fabbri said of Bendick.
Reagan Alder led the Trojan defense with eight solo tackles and four assisted. Matthew Showers added six solos and four assisted, while Nik Stephens chipped in with five solos and six assisted tackles.
Showers, Will Curtis and Gabe Quevedo each intercepted a pass, while Alder, Stephens and Tim McKissack each recovered a fumble.
FP also recovered an onside kick in the fourth quarter.
For the game, FP held Stephenson to 190 yards rushing on 45 carries (4.2 avg) and just 25 yards passing with the three picks.
The Trojans pulled into a 14-all tie when freshman Kevin Giuliani hauled in a 9-yard pass from McKissack. McKissack finished the first half scoring with a 51-yard TD run.
FP finished with 331 yards rushing on 41 carries (8.1 avg.) and completed 5 of 7 passes for 152 yards.
Fabbri credited Nocerini for his work on the special teams and defense in the win, Gene Giuliani on his efforts with the offensive and defensive linemen and conditioning coach Spencer Burns (“It seems like every game we have been able to wear down our opponents and we get better as the game goes on,” Fabbri said.)
Forest Park was scheduled to face Norway on Sept. 24. The game will have been completed after the Reporter’s press deadline on that date, so a report on that game will be delayed until the Oct. 6 edition.