FAIRFIELD - Adversity.
There's not a better word to sum up the first three games for the Fort Madison Bloodhounds this year.
The Hounds got a 16-yard field goal from junior Leif Boeding with 17 seconds left that just slipped inside the left upright for what proved to be the game-winner as Fort Madison knocked off Fairfield 16-13 on the road Friday night in non-district action.
Boeding had missed a PAT earlier in the game and said he wasn't about to miss again.
"I just knew I wasn't going to miss it again. I walked up confident, The first one I missed I rushed, but this time I stayed calm. I was ready. I wasn't going to miss another one," he said.
Boeding almost got a chance to put the Hounds up two minutes earlier when the Hounds drove to the Trojans three and were facing 4th and goal. Head Coach Derek Doherty lined Fort Madison up for the field goal try but then let the play clock go all the way down to chew up some clock before calling time out.
After the timeout the team came out in regular formation, and the shotgun snap got past quarterback Aiden Boyer who fell on it at the 14 turning it over to the Trojans.
On the next play, the Hounds defense came up big, popping Fairfield's Miles McEntee who coughed up the ball and Fort Madison recovered.
Teague Smith, who finished with 81 yards on 23 carries, got 3 yards each on the first two carries from scrimmage and then Boyer couldn't get in forcing Doherty to bring Boeding back for the successful try.
The Trojans got a strong kick return to their own 42 yard line, but an ineligible receiver penalty on the next play put them back five yards and the next pass from Tate Allen fell harmlessly to the ground giving Fort Madison the win.
"It's a credit to the kids To be honest we drive them and are very demanding of them. Monday through Thursday they may not fully understand why and then you get in a tight game like this," he said.
"That was our message at halftime, This is why we train the way we do for these types of slugfests. We're built for this."
Fairfield got on the board first with a 23-yard scoring strike from Allen to McEntee who slipped down the right sideline while Allen scrambled around in the pocket.
Fort Madison, who's trailed by a touchdown in the first quarter in every game this year, responded with a 11-play 52 yard drive that stalled at the Trojan 32 when Boyer was stopped on a keeper on 4th and 2.
Fairfield came back with an 11-play drive of its own to the Hounds' 31, and went for a field goal on 4th and 8, but the Hounds' Tanner Settles got a hand up to block it.
The Hounds then went 65 yards on 13 plays capped by senior Nathaniel Swigart's catch from 11 yards out diving at the pylon. Boeding's PAT tied things up at 7.
That's the way it would stay through the first half. Fort Madison took possession to start the second half and were snakebit on a four and out. Senior Kane Williams returned the ball into Trojan territory but an illegal block brought the ball all the way back to the Hounds' 17-yard line.
Then Williams and Boyer almost hooked up on a 30-yard pass play down the right sideline in front of the Bloodhound bench, but Williams lost his footing near the sideline and dropped the pass for what would have been a 35 yard gain.
The Hounds would be forced to punt and Fairfield would go on the run again with a heavy diet of McEntee. But on 2nd and 9 from the 22, Allen dropped back and threw under his receiver allowing Henry Wiseman to step in and get the interception.
Defense was the name of the game for both sides until the fourth quarter with each team suffering four-and-outs in the following possessions.
Fairfield would get on the board again in the fourth when Allen found Max Wheaton on a crossing pattern at the endzone for a 13-7 lead. The PAT would fail.
Williams got loose on the ensuing kickoff and brought the ball all the way back to the Trojan 27-yard line, where three plays later, Swigart would score again from nine yards out on a jet screen from Boyer to the right.
Swigart cut inside on the catch and then stepped outside to shake the corner off at his hips and raced in to the endzone to tie the game at 13.
"I'm a veteran returner and I've been doing this for three years so feel it's my job to get us good field position and get some yards.," Williams said.
"This is phenomenal - a great win."
Swigart finished with 50 yards on five catches and two scores. Boyer was 15-20 passing for 148 yards and the two TDs without an interception.
Senior Daniel Sokolik who plays on both offensive and defensive lines for the Hounds, said they just had to keep making plays.
"The last two games I wasn't so productive I didn't think. So tonight I needed to come out and change that and help the team. I felt really good today," he said.
"We knew we needed to stop them on defense and get to our offense drives and score some points."
Doherty said the adversity is bringing the Hounds into proper form.
"Blowouts are fun and nice because we get to coast, but sometimes its good for the kids just to see what they're made of," he said.
"Life lessons - when things get tough what are you going to do? And tonight our kids went all in and we appreciate that about them.
"What a Friday night. This is what they're supposed to be like. I want to give our coaches of ton of credit for the adjustments they made tonight."
Hayden Segoviano and sophomore Cory Arnett lead the team in tackles with nine each. Brody Cashman had a big sack in the 4th quarter. Both of his tackles were solo for losses.
The Hounds return home for a tilt with Washington next week.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here