Lake County Sentinel
Blue Devils trounce Lions 48-12
BY TIM SHIRER
SPORTS EDITOR
In On Thursday Night the Wickliffe Blue Devils played their third of three home games in a row, they welcomed the Orange Lions. In the recent past things have not gone well for Wickliffe against the Lions. Thursday’s game was a different story as the Blue Devils exercised some past demons mauling the Lions 48-12 to move to 4-0 on the year.
The game was never close as the Blue Devils scored just 2:03 into the game when Senior Chase Fortkamp rambled into the endzone from 2 yards and the rout was on with Wickliffe up 7-0.
The Blue Devils scored three more times before the Lions could answer. Senior Isaiah Bolon rushed the ball in from nine yards out with 4:57 left in the first. Just :11 second into the second quarter Fortkamp scored again from two yards out and finally Senior Mason Bala scampered 42 yards on a keeper to give the Devils a commanding 28-0 lead with 7:30 left in the first half. Bolon also was perfect 4 for 4 on extra points in the first half.
Orange put their only points of the half up with :06 left on the second quarter clock when Senior Zac Basharat completed a 25-yard pass to Senior Tyler Hoffman in the endzone. The Lions were not able to convert the extra point and the Blue Devils lead at the half 28-6.
It was more of the same in the second half as Wickliffe stopped Orange on their first drive and scored thereafter with 8:58 left in the third quarter when Bolon once again crossed the goal line from nine yards out to put Wickliffe on top 34-6 as the extra point was blocked.
Fortkamp then decided on Wickliffe’s next drive that two yard runs were to short as he took the ball 33 yards to the endzone extending the Wickliffe lead to 41-6 with 5:12 left in the third and the running clock was in effect.
Fortkamp apparently was not tired out after the 33 yard run and playing defense all night as with 7:10 left in the game he took the ball 65 yards to the endzone for Wickliffe’s final points of the night giving them a 48-6 lead.
The Lions scored with no time left on the clock on a Basharat one-yard run for a final score of 48-12.
Bala lead the Blue Devils rushing attack with 176 yards on ten rushes, Fortkamp also exceeded the 100-yard mark with 127 on 11 carries. Wickliffe’s potent ground game finished with 405 yards in the win.
Wickliffe coach Marce Porcello said after the game, “There were a couple of years where I thought we were as good if not better and they beat us. The last time we beat them was (20)16, so that’s a huge game for us. I was telling the guys it’s kind of a personal thing, it’s always a fight when we play these guys, so tonight we played really well.”
Next week Wickliffe travels to Independence who is 3-0 and plays Friday night. Game time next Friday night is 7:00 p.m..
tshirer@lakecountysentinel.com follow Tim on Twitter @TBBucsTim or follow us on Twitter @LCSentinelcom
POSTED 09/17/2020 11:03
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Photo by Kayla Sharpe
