They say any win over Mogadore is a good win. It could be argued that this week's A Team Gold victory over the Wildcats was a great win!
Mogadore began the contest with the ball and was able to advance, and despite some great defensive stops by Colten S. and Andrew F., the Wildcats were able to gain a first down. However, on 4th and 3, Kane made a big stop to give the Tallmadge offense their first possession:
A Team Gold also moved the ball with a couple of big first down plays. The first by Kane:
and on a 3rd and 4, Mike B. made a huge run to move the Blue Devils deeper into Mogadore territory as the first quarter came to a close with no score on the board:
Good fortune did not follow A Team Gold in the second quarter as they fumbled on the Mogadore 12 yard line to lose possession of the football.
The Wildcats were able to move the ball as far as the 30 yard line. However, A Team Gold's defense begins to push back with some key plays like this stop by Jake M.:
and this great stop by Andrew F. after Kane gets run over by the Wildcats' tailback!:
A few short plays later, Mogadore had to punt away and confusion turned to excitement as Kane made a spectacular return!
Two plays later, A Team Gold coughed up the ball again and the Wildcats began another drive. The Blue Devils' defense bent but did not break, and continued to hold back the Mogadore offense with a couple of tough plays:
Thus, the first half came to a close with no score on the board.
The Tallmadge players came back from the break determined to move the ball. However, disaster struck on the kickoff as the Blue Devils let the ball get away and the Wildcats recovered. But the Tallmadge defense was up to the task and again made some hard nosed plays which drove the Mogadore offense back. Bobby C. made his presence felt on a number of occasions, like this tackle for a loss:
and Jake M. followed suit by also dropping the Wildcats behind the line of scrimmage:
And finally, with 3 minutes left on the third quarter clock, Kane makes a gritty run from Mogadore's 42 yard line to paydirt, giving the Devils a 6-0 lead:
A Team Gold was unable to convert on the play, and the third quarter came to a close with Tallmadge ahead 6-0.
The fourth quarter was a back and forth affair. The Wildcats were able to pull off some spectacular plays.... but they only count when you don't get penalized! And so, A Team Gold took control of the ball, and Andrew S. led his team downfield with some fleet of foot of his own:
Three plays later, Andrew would see daylight and run up the middle for this 34 yard TD!:
the conversion again failed, but now A Team Gold was sitting on a 12-0 lead. Nick C. made a big tackle on the ensuing kickoff:
And on this offensive series, the Wildcats' offense stayed home as they scored on a long half back option pass (their fourth attempt) for a touchdown. However, Bobby C. rudely interrupted the Mogadore conversion attempt with this play:
Mogadore decides to trick the Tallmadge receiving team with an onsides kick. However, the Wildcats' kicker lifts the ball and Mike B. makes them pay with this 24 yard return:
Two plays later, Dylan S. rumbles up the middle with this 11 yard gain, effectively putting the proverbial nail in the Mogadore coffin:
After this, A Team Gold's offense went into the Victory Formation as the clock ran out and giving the Blue Devils a 12-6 victory over Mogadore and a 2-0 record for the year.
Again, our thanks to the A Team Gold Cheerleaders (the Golden Girls?) as they kept the crowd pumped!
Next week, the Green Bulldogs visit us at Overdale Field. Many of the A Team Gold players remember this team from two years ago. It was many of the players' first ever game as C Teamers and it was a defeat in the driving rain of the Katrina remnants on a muddy Green field. It'll be a great week of practice, and A Team Gold hopes to avenge that bitter loss!
