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Foran Football Ends Long Skid |
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By PHIL BRODSKY
Weekly Sports Writer
Back in September, 2005, the Foran football team tripped Derby 12-6. The Lions then lost their next 20 games in a row. It wasn’t until last Fridsay night, their first visit to Ryan Field since that Southern Connecticut Conference Division II victory that once again the Lions tasted victory. They snapped their 20 game losing streak (the longest losing streak in school history) by tripping the Red Raiders 24-21.
“Our kids were really excited when the game ended,” Coach Jeff Bevino said. “It was nice to see us win for a change. All that hard work the kids put in every single day in practice finally paid off. It was a great feeling seeing them get onto the bus enjoying a victory.”
While Foran (now 1-3) had led 10-7 at the end of the first half, 0-4 Derby scored twice in the third period to grab a 21-10 advantage.
According to Bevino, “We had a let down in the third quarter. We always play hard but our kids get beat up by the larger schools with deeper rosters. My guys never quit, but usually we find ourselves running out of gas in the second half. This time we could have gone into the tank once again but we fought back and found a way to finally win a game. I’m proud of my kids. It was really good to see them come back from behind and win.”
Foran stopped Derby drives twice in the fourth quarter. The second time, the Raiders were camped on their own 30-yard line and dropped back to punt on fourth down. Doug Daniels broke through the Derby line and roared in to first block the punt and then fall on the football at the 5-yard line. On the first play after the blocked punt, Terry Andrejko-Gras scored and Joe Capalbo booted the extra point to make it 21-17 with six minutes left in the game.
“That blocked punt was the turning point in the game. It gave us a new life” Bevino said.
The Lions’ aroused defense again stopped the Red Raiders on their next possession. This time Derby did get off its punt and Foran took possession at its own 40-yard line. Two plays after the exchange of possession, speedy junior tailback Tyler Hames raced 60 untouched yards on a counter play to put the Lions back on top 23-21 with four minutes left on the clock. Capalbo added the 24th point with his PAT.
Bevino added, “Tyler can fly. He has legitimate 4.4 second speed. Nobody put a hand on him.”
Derby had opened the scoring with Cody Collenello’s 60 yard run in the first period. Steve Lazarus’ kick gave the hosts an early 7-0 lead; but, it was short lived as Foran immediately answer back with a spectacular 91 yard touchdown by Hames. Capalbo’s extra point boot tied the game at 7-7. With five minutes left in the first half Lion quarterback Jake White led his team down to the Derby 9-yard line. On fourth down, Capalbo made it 10-7 by booting a 28 yard field goal.
Early in the third quarter, Derby had the ball at its own 33-yard line. When the Foran defense forced Red Raider QB Chris Mastrianni out of the pocket, he managed to keep his cool and flip the ball out into the flat where it was snagged by Dan Grady. He raced 67 yards for the score that put his team on top 14-10.
“I thought our defensive back had the short pass lined up and was ready to pick it off and run it in for a TD that would have given us back the lead 17-14. Instead, the opposite thing happened. The ball went right through his hands. The Derby guy caught it and was gone. We didn’t have anyone back there to catch him,” Bevino said.
Later in the same session, Derby extended its lead to 21-10 on a 76 yard dash by Collenello.
While Foran had regained the lead, Bevino and Co could not yet celebrate. On a second-and 12 from his own 30, White hit Justin Loomer on a crossing pattern that was worth 42 yards and a first down at the Derby 28. Andrejko-Gras picked up eight yards but on the next play, Foran fumbled the ball away to the Red Raiders. With 3:37 to play, Derby had the ball at its own 20. Put to the trest one more time, the Lion defense dug in and held to finally salt away its first victory in two years and 21 games.
White completed nine of 16 passes for 145 yards. Loomer made four receptions that were worth 77 yards. Dan Geyer added three grabs for 36 yards. Hames cashed out with 14 carries for a career-high 213 yards and two touchdowns. Andrejko-Gras added seven carries for 42 yards and one score.
Bevino praised the defensive efforts of line backer Mark Scheets, defensive tackles Kyle Turchek and Justin Sansone along with the play of defensive backs Andrejko-Gras and Brian O'Keefe.
He added, "I thought we played great defense throughout the game. Derby hurt us with three long plays. That's all they had throughout the game. Our defensive play was tremendous!"
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