Lake County Sentinel
Blue Devils roll over Hawken 49-7
BY TIM SHIRER
SPORTS EDITOR
On Friday night the Wickliffe Blue Devils traveled to Gates Mills to take on the Haken Hawks in their first Chagrin Valley Conference game of the season. The Hawks entered the contest 1-2 and the Blue Devils came in 2-1 suffering their first loss last week to the Orange Lions 28-14. Friday night was a completely different story as the Blue Devils blew out the Hawks 49-7.
Wickliffe just out to an early lead with 10:35 left in the first quarter Junior Mason Bala scored from four yards out. Isaiah Bolon converted the extra point to give the Blue Devils a 7-0 lead.
Wickliffe then executed a perfect onside kick recovering the ball and scoring just 1:13 later again by Bala when he scampered 18 yards across the goal line. Bolon converted the extra point put Wickliffe up 14-0.
Hawken turned the ball over again at the 5:54 mark of the first quarter when Junior Duke Stanczak intercepted the Hawken pass attempt. The Blue Devils turned the turnover into eight points when Chase Fortkamp scored from one yard out and Bolon converted the two-point conversion with 3:31 left in the first quarter.
The first quarter ended with Wickliffe leading 22-0. Three seconds into the second quarter Hawken Sophomore Josh Lombardo missed a 30-yard field goal attempt and the ball went to Wickliffe on their own 20. Wickliffe junior linebacker Jack Bunn was flying all over in the first quarter and had five solo tackles for the Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils extended the lead to 29-0 with 10:15 left in the second quarter when Bala ran around end and ran 58 yards for his third TD of the game. Bolon converted the extra point his third extra point of the game.
After taking the 29-0 lead Wickliffe stopped the Hawks on their next drive when Lombardo missed a 29-yard field goal with 6:05 left in the half.
The Blue Devils drove right down the field and took a 36-0 lead when Fortkamp ran 16 yards for his second TD of the game with 3:55 left on the first half clock.
Wickliffe then once again stopped the Hawks on down and took over at their own 51 and on the first play of the drive Bolon ran 51 yards for the touchdown, he could not convert the extra point as it was blocked, and Wickliffe led 42-0
Hawken was driving deep into Wickliffe territory when Bala intercepted a Hawken pass and went 80 yards for the touchdown giving Wickliffe a 49-0 lead after Bolon converted the extra point with :20 left in the first half.
Hawken got on the board at the 7:13 mark of the third quarter when Zach Miller scored from nine yards out. Lombardo converted the extra point to cut the Blue Devil lead to 49-7 which was the final score.
The Blue Devils compiled 455 yards off while the Wickliffe defense limited the Hawks to only 293 yards, a lot of that came in the second half when the Blue Devils pulled most of their starters.
Six different Blue Devils carried the ball 37 times for 421 yards. Individually Bolon led the Blue Devils with 105 yards on the ground on just three carries. He also had one reception for 16 yards for 121 yards from scrimmage on the night. Bala carried the ball six times for 98 yards and Fortkamp had eight carries for 65 yards and had one catch for 23 yards.
Wickliffe will be in action next Friday at Kirtland to take on the 4-0 Hornets.
tshirer@lakecountysentinel.com or follow Tim on Twitter @IndiansTim Check out our High School Scoreboard
POSTED 09/17/2019 23:57
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Photos by Tim Shirer
