Lake County Sentinel
Blue Devils dominate Longhorns, opening season with 41-0 win
BY TIM SHIRER
SPORTS EDITOR
The Wickliffe Blue Devils began this odd 2020 OHSAA six game schedule season on Friday night, what else an hour and a half later than scheduled. But that did not the phase the visiting Blue Devils as they traveled to Rocky River to play the Lutheran West Longhorns. The Blue Devils dominated in every phase of the contest shutting out Lutheran West 41-0.
After an early fumble on their first drive the Blue Devils countered by stopping the Longhorns on downs 8:00 minutes left on the clock in the first quarter. With 7:12 left in the first quarter division I college prospect, Senior Chase Fortkamp scampered 41 yards to the endzone to put the Blue Devils on top 7-0 after Isaiah Bolon converted the extra point.
Just 1:23 later the Blue Devils took possession again after shutting down the Longhorns drive aided by Senior Jack Bunn who swatted down a pass to end the drive.
Wickliffe wasted little time getting on the board again as Fortkamp this time went 34 yards to pay dirt with 4:26 left on the clock. Bolon converted the extra point once again to extend the lead to 14-0.
Again, only 2:18 later Lutheran West was forced to punt this time the drive stalled after a 13-yard sack by Junior Thomas Wenz who was playing his first football game in three years and celebrating his birthday. Just after the second quarter clock started with 11:56 left Blue Devils Senior quarterback Mason Bala ran the ball in from 5 yards out to extend the lead to 21-0 after Bolon converted his third extra point in the half.
After another drive where the Longhorns had no success and had to punt the Blue Devils took over at their own 36-yard line with 10:51 left on the second quarter clock.
Thirty-Six second later Bala rumbled 54 yards, but the drive ended when Bala tossed his first interception of the season.
After the Longhorns offense was stopped by the Blue Devils defense again, Bala redeemed himself taking the ball in from 3 yards out to give the Blue Devils a 28-0 lead with 5:11 left in the first half.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Blue Devils defense led by Bunn, Wenz and Seniors Duke Stanczak and Tyler Fisher shut down the Longhorns offense completely.
Wickliffe scored two more times as Fortkamp continued his domination when he ran 22 yards for the TD with 10:28 left on the clock.
Bolon scored the Blue Devils final TD when he took the ball in with 7:59 left on the game clock from 10 yards out. The extra point failed keeping the score at 41-0.
10th year Wickliffe coach Marce Porcello said after the game he thought, “We brought it physically, I thought we played fast.” He went on to say, “I’m pretty happy it’s week one and there were a lot of obstacles to jump through to this point and I thought we were clicking on both sides of the ball.”
The Blue Devils will be back in action next Friday night at Wickliffe Memorial Stadium at 7:00 p.m. against the visiting Trinity Trojans.
POSTED 08/29/2020 00:53
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