Girard passes first test in AAC Blue

The Indians were tied early then pulled away from Newton Falls, 48-14.

By RYAN JONES

VINDICATOR correspondent

NEWTON FALLS — Girard began AAC Blue Tier play against a Newton Falls squad that had scored more than 100 points in its first three victories of the season.

However, the Indians’ defense held the Tigers to 61 total yards — while the offense went for 435 — and posted a 48-14 victory to improve to 4-0 on the year.

Coach Bud McSuley said his staff preached being gap sound against the Tigers veer offense.

“We took care of our gaps, and they weren’t many lanes or options for Newton Falls’ offense,” he said. “They scored a touchdown late, so basically they had a 1-yard scoring drive against us.”

The Indians took a 7-0 lead on a fourth-and-11 play when Adam Charles hooked up with Landon Smith for a 35-yard touchdown strike.

“I was actually supposed to run a wheel route on that play, but I ran a curl instead,” said Smith, who caught four passes for 123 yards. “Adam Charles put the ball over the defender’s head and I jumped up and caught it. The defender behind me pushed me forward and I bounced off him and ran for a touchdown.”

On Girard’s next possession, Charles was picked off at the 40-yard line by Newton Falls’ Eric Kline.

Kline returned the ball to the 1-yard line and one play later, Matt Brazin scored on a quarterback sneak to even the score, 7-7.

“The interception by Eric Kline was huge at that point in the game,” Newton Falls coach Greg Lazzari said. “It gave us and our big crowd the momentum.”

But the Tigers’ boost in energy was short lived.

Girard responded when Charles, who completed 9-of-14 for 242 yards and two scores, connected with Smith on a 63-yard pass play down to the two.

Tailback Tallen Birminghan plunged in from there to make the score 14-7.

The Indians forced Newton Falls into a fourth-and-24 on its next possession and Carlo Eggleston blocked the Tigers’ punt, which was recovered by teammate Kyle Ritchey who rumbled 15 yards for a score and a 21-7 lead.

“We faced some adversity tonight,” McSuley said. “We threw the pick and they scored, but we came back and put it in the end zone, blocked the kick and put it in the end zone again. Good teams know how to handle adversity and that’s what we needed to have tonight.”

Lazzari said Girard was one of the area’s best programs in Division IV.

“We knew coming into the game that we had to play our best to win,” he said. “Our fear coming into the game was falling behind quickly because we didn’t want to get in a shootout with them — that’s not our game. After the blocked punt it was catch up for us and their defense controlled the field.”

Ahmed Eggleston led the Indians with 67 rushing yards, while Birmingham had 23 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Michael Floravit caught a 68-yard TD pass in the second quarter.

Smith had 66 on the ground, all of which came on a dazzling reverse play that was originally intended to be a wide receiver pass.

“He’s a playmaker,” said McSuley about Smith. “He runs the reverse, catches the ball in space and makes people miss. He’s a great athlete for us.”

Lance Marsh led the Tigers with 25 yards on four carries.