Lake County Sentinel
Fortkamp returns, Blue Devils dominate Trojans 46-14
BY TIM SHIRER
SPORTS EDITOR
The Wickliffe Blue Devils (3-4) traveled to Bedford Stadium on Saturday night to play the Trinity Trojans (4-3). The Blue Devils who lost two in a row coming into the contest got back on track with a 46-14 win to improve to 4-4.
After a failed drive by the Trojans to start the game Wickliffe took possession at their own 35 with 11:09 left in the first quarter. Wickliffe scored with 6:23 left on the 1st quarter clock when Junior Chase Fortkamp ran the ball in from one yard. Junior Isaiah Bolon gave Wickliffe a 7-0 lead when he converted the extra point.
On the second play of the next drive Trinity fumbled and it was recovered by Wickliffe Junior Zach Esteves at the Trinity 31 with 6:15 left in the first quarter. Wickliffe scored three plays later when Senior Evan Rypinski scored on a keeper from one yard out. Bolon’s extra point attempt went right of the upright and the Blue Devils led 13-0 with 5:10 left in the quarter.
Trinity couldn’t do much with their next drive against the stifling Wickliffe defense led by Junior Jack Bunn and were forced to punt with 2:47 left in the first quarter. Wickliffe took possession at their own 14-yard line with 2:42 left. With 7:24 left in the second quarter Fortkamp ran the ball in from four yards out to give Wickliffe a 20-0 lead after Bolon converted the extra-point.
Trinity took over after the squib kick by Wickliffe at their own 30-yard line with 7:19 left in the second quarter. The drive ended with when Bolon intercepted the pass and took the ball 13 yards to the Trinity 44 with 5:46 left in the half. Rypinski took the ball in from 12 yards out for the touchdown with 1:40 left in the first half. The extra point attempt by Bolon was blocked and Wickliffe led 26-0.
On the kickoff Senior Kirk Colvin returned the ball 84 yards to the Wickliffe 1-yard line with 1:20 left on the first half clock. Three plays later Zion Owens took the ball in from one yard out for the touchdown. Senior kicker Mitchell Knotek converted the extra point to pull the Trojans to within 19 at 26-7 with :07 left in the half. The score remained the same at half time.
Wickliffe took possession of the ball to start the second half and had a successful first drive when Fortkamp rumbled 42 yards for the Blue Devils TD. The 2-pt conversion pass failed and the Blue Devils led 32-7.
Trinity took possession of the ball after the Wickliffe touchdown and could do nothing against Juniors Donnell Jackson, Tyler Fisher and the rest of the Wickliffe defense. Once again, the Trojans were forced to punt.
After the Trinity punt Wickliffe drove down the field and capped it off with a four-yard TD run by Bolon. Bolon also converted the extra point and the Blue Devils led 39-7 with 5:09 left in the third quarter.
Trinity mounted a nice drive with their next possession and scored on a four-yard pass from Ian Anderson to Joe Ziegler. The extra point was converted by Knotek to pull the Trojans to within 25 points at 39-14 with 11:50 left in the contest.
On the ensuing kickoff the Blue Devils fumbled, and the Trojans took over at the Wickliffe 48 with 11:48 left on the clock. The Trojans turned it back over to Wickliffe when Rypinski intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards to the Trinity 40-yard line with 9:18 left. On the first play of the possession Fortkamp scampered 40 yards to the end zone to give Wickliffe a 46-14 lead with 9:13 left in the game after Bolon converted his fourth extra point of the contest.
Wickliffe recovered the mishandled kick off, when Senior Nick Martinitis fell on the loose ball at the Trinity 28 with 9:11 on the clock. Wickliffe then attempted a 38-yard field goal, but Bolon kicked it just left of the upright into the wind.
Trinity took the ball over with 3:35 left on the clock at their own 20-yard line. But the game ended with Trojans at the Wickliffe 19.
The Blue Devils racked up 459 total yards on offense while the Blue Devils defense was strong limiting the Trojans to only 214 total yards.
The Blue Devils ground game was back to its powerful self as Fortkamp who was limited by an ankle injury in the previous two game returned to form running the ball a workman like 17 times for 224 total yards and four TDs. Sophomore Mason Bala also had a nice night falling just three yards short of the century mark, carrying the ball 15 times for 97 yards. Rypinski carried the ball 12 times for 88 yards and two TDs. Rypinski was also 1 for 2 passing for 16 yards on a pass to Junior Daniel Byrne.
The Blue Devils limited the Trojans to just 11 first downs in the contest.
Next week the Blue Devils travel to Grand Valley to take on the Mustangs on Friday at 7:00 p.m.
tshirer@lakecountysentinel.com or follow Tim on Twitter @IndiansTim Check out our High School Scoreboard
POSTED 10/19/2019 22:53
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Photos by Tommy Shirer
