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Salem halts Campbell rally, surges to fourth win, 32-14
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By John Kovach
CAMPBELL — The turning point in the Salem-Campbell Memorial High football game Friday night came in the third quarter with the Quakers leading, 25-14, but with the Red Devils threatening to score at the 15 on a fourth-and-5 situation.
But senior running back Darrio Bivens was stopped through the middle for only a 1-yard gain, and the Quakers regained the ball and drove 86 yards in 16 plays to junior quarterback Trent Toothman’s 1-yard TD plunge and Ben Eisel’s placement.
That gave Salem a 32-14 victory at John Knapick Field to shatter the Red Devils’ three-game winning streak.
“We thought we had the right play. We just didn’t execute it the way we wanted to,” said Campbell (4-2) coach Jeff Bayuk of Bivens’ turning-point attempt that blunted the Red Devils’ momentum and comeback from a 25-7 halftime deficit.
However, overall, Salem was just too strong for Campbell both on the line and in the backfield.
Junior running back Eric Bailey, dashing behind strong blocking, scored a pair of first-half touchdowns on runs on 9 yards and 1 yard, and finished with 114 yards rushing in 16 attempts.
But Toothman, although he was contained to only 51 yards passing on 6-for-10, adjusted and emerged as the game’s rushing leader with 155 yards in 22 attempts to also power the Quakers’ offense.
“It was the physicality of our kids and backs that was the difference. We were able to pound [the ball],” said coach Mike Kopachy of Salem (4-2). “That is a testament to our weight program and our line coach John Armeni and also coach Craig Boles.”
Kopachy said his offensive line, Bailey and Toothman were outstanding.
“Our offensive line was very physical. Our offensive line did a good job,” said Kopachy.
“Eric Bailey had a breakout game which we always knew he could have. And Toothman took us on his back.”
And Bayuk admitted: “They controlled the line of scrimmage. They were bigger and stronger than we are.”
Eisel, a senior wide receiver and placekicker, also was a key factor in the Salem win. In fact, he scored 14 of the Quakers’ 32 points on a 9-yard TD dash, 34-yard field goal, two-point conversion reception on Toothman’s pass, and three extra-point kicks. Eisel also caught three passes for 10 yards.
Junior quarterback Lester Hughes figured in both of Campbell’s scores. He hit Richard Bledsoe on a 6-yard scoring strike and Alex Sudacov kicked placement to pull Campbell within 15-7 in the second quarter.
But the Quakers put 10 more points on the board in the second quarter on Bailey’s 3-yard run and Eisel’s field goal for a 25-7 halftime lead.
Then Campbell mounted its comeback in the third quarter.
Hughes ran over from the 1-yard line to cap a nine-play, 73-yard march and Sudacov again hit the placement to make it 25-14.
Hughes was 8-for-11 passing for 101 yards and one interception and added 51 yards rushing in 14 carries. Skevo Zembillis caught four passes for 73 yards.
Bivens led Campbell in rushing with 62 yards in 15 carries.
After Hughes scored, Campbell stopped Salem and forced the Quakers to punt to the Red Devils’ 43.
Then Campbell began to move again behind Hughes’ passing and running, and drove to the Salem 14 where they were stopped to spoil the comeback.
“When you go against a spread offense with five of six receivers, there is no guarantee that you are going to stop their passing,” said Kopachy of Campbell’s passing attack. “It is hard to stop everything. They took advantage of us and we weren’t able to stop them.”
He also admitted, “Defensively, this was not our A-game. They made some plays.”
But as Bayuk said of his team’s belated comeback, “When you dig yourself into a 25-point hole, it’s hard to be 100 percent.”
kovach@vindy.com