Boardman vs Fitch

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High School football, Friday, October 24, 2008. Photos by Nick Mays.

By Chuck Housteau

The Falcon senior scored four TDs in a 33-14 win over arch-rival Boardman.

AUSTINTOWN — Austintown Fitch High’s Sylvestry Gibbs couldn’t have dreamed of a better ending to his high school football season.

The Falcons’ coach, Phil Annarella, couldn’t have asked for a better finish for his 19 seniors than to defeat bitter rival Boardman in convincing fashion in the season finale.

It was a perfect ending for a beleaguered Fitch team and a bitter one for a once-promising Boardman team that started the year with five straight wins.

Gibbs accounted for four touchdowns, including a 100-yard fumble return and a 35-yard interception return for scores as the Falcons outplayed the Spartans 33-14 Friday night at Falcon Stadium.

“I kept trying to play it over and over in my head all day to have a good game,” Gibbs said.

Good doesn’t give Gibbs’ effort justice.

The senior tailback and defensive back rushed for 138 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns and his two big plays both couldn’t have come at more opportune times for the Falcons.

“It was really great,” Gibbs said. “I just didn’t want to hear that final whistle blow. I’ve played with these guys since I was in little league and I so happy that we finished like this.”

Gibbs’ biggest play came early in the third quarter as Boardman was on the verge of coming back from a 21-7 deficit.

The Spartans had the ball on the Falcon’s 1-yard line when Damian Jarrett fumbled into the end zone.

Gibbs picked up the ball deep in his own end zone and raced the length of the field for a 13-point swing.

“I don’t know if that play was the difference in the game but it certainly was a big play to turn the game around,” said a disappointed Boardman coach D.J. Ogilvie. “Fitch played a great football game.

“They played better than us. They executed better than us and they deserved to win the football game.”

Gibbs score gave the Falcons a 27-7 lead with 5:22 left in the third quarter but Boardman wasn’t ready to end its season.

The Spartans capitalized on a poor punt snap early in the fourth period that Colby Clayton recovered at the 2-yard line and ran in for a score to cut the lead to 27-14.

Later in the fourth quarter, Boardman had the ball and was trying desperately for another score when Gibbs once again sealed the deal for the Falcons.

Gibbs picked off Robby Boyd’s sideline pass and raced 35-yards for a score.

“I’m so proud of all the players and especially the seniors,” said Fitch coach Phil Annarella. “It was a tough year for us with a lot of close games.

“We deserved better this year and we dedicated the game to the players and everybody came through.”

Boardman (5-5, 2-5) jumped on the Falcons early as Jarrett, who rushed for 147 yards in 28 carries, rushed three times for 69 yards and scored on a 5-yard touchdown run.

Fitch responded with three straight scores led by the running of Gibbs and fullback Nick Groat and the passing of quarterback Jon Ballard.

Ballard completed 14-of-22 passes for 134 yards.

In the first quarter, Gibbs’ 55-yard run set up his first 1-yard touchdown run.

Gibbs and Groat tallied on runs of 1 and 25 yards which gave the Falcons a comfortable 21-7 lead at halftime.

“We played a pretty solid all-around game,” Annarella said. “It was special to win against our rival but we wanted this win for the seniors no matter who it was against.”