Final

Box Score

 

Play by Play

Here is your game report:

 

Beechwood received the opening kickoff and promptly marched downfield 60 yards and scored at the 9:04 mark. Ethan Stringer scored on an 8 yard run, Mario German XP, 7-0.

 

Holy Cross threw an interception, freshman Logan Castleman once again making his presence known and things were looking bleak for the Indians very early. On the very next play Stringer dropped the handoff and Holy Cross recovered. The Indians could not capitalize though and punted the ball to the 10 yard line.

 

The Tigers did not the long field deter them proceeding the full 90 yards with Stringer scoring from 4 yards out just before the end of the first quarter. German's XP made it 14-0.

 

Holy Cross could not move the ball and punted it to the Tigers as the second quarter got under way. Beechwood was marching again and looking to put the game away early. However, a Stringer fumble at the 24 yard line gave the ball back to the Indians. This time Holy Cross did not waste the chance. Jaylin Williams caught a 30 yard pass Hamilton Scott while falling to the ground after it was deflected and juggled by a Beechwood defender. Then Williams made a nice catch on a low pass on a quick slant and scored from 24 yards out. Scott's XP made it 14-7 with 7:12 to go in the half and the Indians now felt they might be able to hang with the Tigers.

 

Beechwood decided to start using the passing game and went on another long drive. This 77 yard scoring drive was capped by a 4 yard TD pass from Kyle Fieger to Aiden Justice, German XP making it 21-7 with 3:17 left in the half.

 

The Indians next drive was a quick 3 and out and Beechwood had the ball at their own 24 with 1:33 to go. That turned out to be time to spare as Beechwood hit several big passes, the final one to Slusher from 8 yards out. The 34 second drive and German XP made it 28-7 with 59 seconds left and that is your halftime score.

 

Holy Cross opened the second half with another juggling catch by Williams. The ball hit off his hands and popped in the air. The Beechwood defender reached for the ball but Williams grabbed it first and stepped past the Tiger DB and went on to score from 53 yards out. Scott's XP made it 28-14 at the 9:39 mark. It did not take long for Beechwood to score. One minute later, Ethan Stringer crossed the goal line from 53 yards out, German XP, 35-14. Holy Cross responded with their best drive of the game. Xavier Abernathy scored from 2 yards out, Scott XP, 35-21 at 4:34.

 

The Indians then kicked an onsides kick which they recovered at the Beechwood 47. Beechwood dialed up the defense a notch. Slusher flattened Scott on a vicious hit and sack to create a 4th and 16. Holy Cross faked the punt and Scott just missed completing the pass. That fake punt gave Beechwood the ball with a short field at the Holy Cross 42. The Tigers scored quickly with Fieger hitting Slusher on a 22 yard pass on a great catch of a fade pass in the back of the end zone, German XP, 42-21 at 2:51. The action packed quarter ended with Beechwood still in control leading by 21.

 

Holy Cross punted their next drive. Beechwood again wasted little time marching down field. Fieger threw a high arcing pass down the left sideline that dropped right into Slusher's hands in stride in the end zone for a 23 yard TD reception. The XP was blocked and this game looked over with the Tigers leading 48-21 with 8:30 left. Holy Cross went 3 and out. Beechwood started their next drive at the Holy Cross 44 and backup RB Aiden Justice scored on the first play of the drive on a run up the middle showing excellent speed on the 44 yard TD run, German XP, 55-21 at 6:12. The second teamers played the rest of this one out.

 

Final Score Beechwood 55 Holy Cross 21.

Great report Eye, thanks.

Great job as always Eye of the Tiger!

Despite the final score, Holy Cross looked pretty solid. I think the Lloyd / Holy Cross game will be a really good one. Both those teams have some talented players. Both teams need to get better on defense. I will give the edge to Lloyd on defense. That will be a game worth seeing.

I had the pleasure of meeting @EyeOfTheTiger before the game! Thanks for the hospitality.

This game went about as expected. The Beechwood offense looks like it can score just about any time it wants. Beechwood is still working on their defense. They need to just keep working and getting better every week. It will be there by the end of the year.

Kind of exactly how I expected it. Balanced offense, run game too much which opened the pass and Fieger was excellent. Holy Cross has some real athletes, 21 and 2 could play on any team in the area. Really thought their QB played with guts, I like him. No punts for BW, did what they wanted when they wanted on O. Line came back strong, and those three kids at RB QB and WR really took this one over.

Stats for the Beechwood big three:

 

Fieger ... 13 for 15, 173 yards, 4 TD passes

 

Stringer ... 22 carries, 173 yards, 3 TD runs

 

Slusher ... 8 catches, 151 yards, 2 carries for 55 yards rushing, 3 TD's

Stats for the Beechwood big three:

 

Fieger ... 13 for 15, 173 yards, 4 TD passes

 

Stringer ... 22 carries, 173 yards, 3 TD runs

 

Slusher ... 8 catches, 151 yards, 2 carries for 55 yards rushing, 3 TD's

 

Thanks for posting, did you mean 273 yards for Fieger? I know right at the end of the half he had a huge completion for about 60 yards to Cam Way, so add just that to his yards to Slusher and he's well above 200.

Thanks for posting, did you mean 273 yards for Fieger? I know right at the end of the half he had a huge completion for about 60 yards to Cam Way, so add just that to his yards to Slusher and he's well above 200.

 

Good catch. I pulled those stats out of the Enquirer. Using nkypete's stats above, Fieger had 284 yards passing.

 

Also from nkypete's stat box, Beechwood had 615 yards offense in this game. :wideyed:

Good catch. I pulled those stats out of the Enquirer. Using nkypete's stats above, Fieger had 284 yards passing.

 

Sounds right. Man, whoever does that play by play for Nkypete is a busy person game night, maybe it's his. That's an awesome recap of every play. Does every school do that?

Sounds right. Man, whoever does that play by play for Nkypete is a busy person game night, maybe it's his. That's an awesome recap of every play. Does every school do that?

 

As nkypete said above, we chatted before the game. A big thanks to him for helping with the Holy Cross roster last night.

 

He said he uses a software package that helps calculate all those stats as the game is going on. He also said that Beechwood uses the same stats software.

Well done Red Cats!