Girard outguns JFK for second straight year

The Indians rallied in the final minutes to pull out a 33-29 victory.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- There is something about a Girard-Warren JFK football game that seems to always turn into an shooting match.
A year ago the Indians held off the Eagles, 64-62, and Friday night the Indians had to battle back in the final three minutes to pull out a 33-29 victory at Mollenkopf Stadium.
Girard led 26-7 at halftime, but the Eagles battled back with three second half touchdowns to pull ahead 29-26 with just over six minutes remaining.
Appeared to be over
Then when Girard fumbled minutes later at its own 13-yard line it appeared the Eagles had the game on ice, but Girard held and took over at its own 4 with 2:43 remaining.
Girard's junior quarterback, Scooter Hargate, who passed for 205 yards, hit back-to-back passes to wide receiver Mark Fiest, the first for 41 yards and the second for 46 yards, and the Indians had first and goal at the JFK 9.
Brett Dutton, who finished the game with 145 yards rushing and three touchdowns, then carried twice, the first time for 8 yards and the second for the touchdown, and the Indians were on top again.
JFK had one last chance and appeared to be going in again, but Anthony Elzy, who had another tremendous game, took a pass from J.J. Townsend on fourth down and made the first down, but fumbled and Fiest was there to recover ending the Eagles comeback.
Elzy outstanding again
Elzy finished the game with 244 yards that included touchdown runs of 67 (on the first play of the game) and 76 yards on only 14 carries.
"It was just an unbelievable game again," said Girard coach Bud McSuley. "There's something about this game, they were excited and our kids were excited and it was another barn burner.
"Give them credit they never gave up and got right back in the game, but our kids never quit either and finally pulled it out," he added.
Warren JFK coach Tony Napolet could only shake his head after the game.
"We played so poorly in the first half, then turned it completely around in the second half," he said. "We had it won, first we had a first down at their 13 and then when we gave it up it was on their own 4 with less than three minutes to go.
"They made the two big passes against our best defensive back," he added. "It's just unbelievable to have two straight years with games like this."
First play of game
Elzy put the Eagles on top quickly as he took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage, darted outside and outraced everybody 67 yards to the end zone.
Girard came right back with a 70-yard, 13-play drive with Hargate and Dutton carrying or passing on every play to tie the game on Dutton's 1-yard run.
Girard's second scoring drive was helped first by a muffed punt return by James Broadbent with Nick Devore recovering. Then a personal foul penalty by the Eagles didn't help their cause.
Finally on the touchdown Dutton was hit at the goal line and fumbled, but Robert Randall recovered in the end zone for the score.
Dutton broke loose for a 35-yard touchdown run and Hargate then connected with Fiest on a 36-yard touchdown pass as Girard built a 26-7 halftime lead.
JFK intercepted a Hargate pass early in the third period at the Girard 31 and Townsend connected with Dorian Rogers three plays later for a 27-yard score.
Another big run
After the Eagles held the Indians they took over at their own 24 and on the first play from scrimmage Elzy once again slipped outside and broke loose for a 76-yard scoring run.
The Eagles finally regained the lead on Broadbent's 42 yard punt return, before Hargate, Dutton and the Indians made their final run.
mollica@vindy.com