Falcons still kicking after Spartans’ miss

Boardman v. Fitch football

Gallery

By Marty Gitlin

sports@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

It wasn’t just a game that came down to one kick Friday night for Fitch and Boardman. It was a season.

Fitch 21, Boardman 20. Two seconds remaining. And Spartans junior Tommy Fryda lined up for a 33-yard field goal. If he makes it, his team clinches a Division II playoff spot. If he misses, the Falcons punch their ticket to the Division I postseason.

The rain beat down as Fryda inched forward and tried to adjust to a poor snap. He had little chance. His kick was blocked at the line of scrimmage. And that score turned out to be the final.

Boardman (5-4, 0-2) All-American Conference Gold Tier) had hoped to tally a touchdown on its last possession after running back Joe Ieraci, who had run effectively in replacing the injured Josh Rodriguez, hauled in a long pass from quarterback Mike O’Horo to the Fitch 23. But two stops on running plays forced the Spartans to attempt the field goal.

“We tried to score but they stopped us,” said Boardman coach Joe Ignazio. “We were still in position to win, but you have to execute.”

The Falcons certainly did that when they needed to. One in particular was senior running back Roddell Bebbs, who gave them the lead for good in the third quarter on a brilliant 81-yard scoring run in which he appeared doomed along the left sideline. He then shed two tacklers and sprinted the rest of the way.

“We just couldn’t finish the play,” Ignazio said. “They think that the play is over and it isn’t.”

Boardman counterpart Phil Annarella offered that the spirit shown by Bebbs on his touchdown was indicative of the spirit displayed by his entire team.

“The kids have played all year with heart,” he said. “We’ve been able to reach down all year and that’s what we did tonight. This was a huge win for us. It’s a big, big rivalry and Boardman played great. We were just fortunate enough to have come out on the right end.”

The kicking game didn’t just hurt the Spartans at the final ticks of the clock. They could have tied the game late in the third quarter after O’Horo scored on a short dive, but Fryda’s extra point was wide left.

The first half featured both success and frustration for both offenses. Possessions ended abruptly. Boardman defensive back Mike Fetsko ended the first for Fitch with a diving interception that gave his team the ball in Falcons territory. But a sack of O’Horo wiped out that opportunity.

Fitch (7-2, 2-1) found its rhythm after a shanked punt behind quarterback Bobby Cavalier, who hit favorite target Cory Vernon for 15 yards, then again for 21 yards in the left flat for a catch-and-run touchdown to make it 7-0.

Boardman answered with its first of two fine drives before intermission — and the only successful one. The Spartans pounded away on the ground until Rodriguez hit a small hole for a 3-yard score to tie it.

That score lasted less than a minute, thanks to Cavalier, who on the second play of the following possession faked a handoff, bolted left through a huge hole, and sprinted 65 yards to provide Fitch with a 14-7 lead.

Soon frustration set in for both teams. Fitch recovered a fumble on the Boardman 42 late in the first quarter but running quarterback Domenic Montalbano was stuffed on fourth down. The Spartans then drove to the Fitch 9, but Vernon showed he could thrive on defense as well, making a big tackle on fourth down and forcing a missed field goal attempt.

The Falcons could not stand prosperity. They quickly fumbled and this time the Spartans cashed in on an O’Horo touchdown burst up the middle to forge a 14-14 halftime tie.

Boardman ran 77 offensive plays to Fitch’s 35 for the game.