The Chargers defeated the Wolves 28-24
The Strawberry Crest Chargers hosted the Newsome Wolves on Friday. Entering the game, the Chargers had a 4-1 record and were 3-0 at home.
Newsome won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball to start the game. Chargers Brayden Echols kicked it off and saved the play from being a Wolves touchdown as he tackled the returner at midfield. The Wolves picked up a first down on their first offensive play of the game, followed by a Chargers encroachment to move them up even closer. After a solid run, the Wolves were already in the Chargers’ red zone with a fresh set of downs. The Wolves executed a near-perfect drive as they ran for a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead with 10:33 left in the first quarter.
The Chargers first drive of the game started at their own 32-yard line. Zion Weems took the opening carry for a first down as he was tackled near midfield. Tre Feliciano had a solid run for 5 yards to put them right at midfield. A false start on the Chargers backed them up, making it second and long. Adam Eskew had a carry for no gain, making it third and 10 for the home team. Sevin Bagnato threw a screen to Weems to pick up a clutch first down. Weems then had a carry for no yards, bringing up second and long. After an incomplete pass, the Chargers were faced with a third and long. A timeout was called with 6:09 left in the first quarter. Hunter Hall had a completion, but it was called back due to a Chargers block in the back penalty. It was then third and 19 for the Chargers. They were forced to punt it after a deep shot went incomplete. After a touchback, Newsome took over at the 20-yard line.
The Wolves had a 3-yard run to start the drive, followed by another run, getting a first down. An illegal shift on the Wolves was called, backing them up to the 25. Steven Diaz had a nice tackle on the running back for no gain. Nolan Catlin had a nice pass deflection off the line to bring up a third and long for the Wolves. Chargers Joe Borchard had a nice pass breakup, making it 4th and long.
Hall had a nice return for the Chargers, but they were backed up 10 yards due to a holding penalty. They started at the Wolves’ 47-yard line. Bagnato had a short pass to Hall for a 3-yard gain. Weems had a solid run, bringing up third and 2 for the home team. A short run by Weems made it 4th and short, and the Chargers lined up to go for it. Weems was short, and the Chargers had a turnover on downs with 23 seconds left in the first.
Zayveon Springfield had a nice open field tackle for the Chargers to make it a short pass on first for the Wolves. That play ended the first quarter.
The second quarter started with a 2nd and long. The Wolves ran for a hard-fought first down, followed by another run. Malachi Johnson read the Wolves’ offense and had a nice tackle for loss, making it 3rd and 9. The Wolves got the first down on a play action play down the sidelines, putting them past midfield into Chargers territory. A timeout was called with 9:03 left in the half. Ezra Brantley got an interception for the Chargers and had a good run back as they took over at the Wolves’ 45.
Jake Ogden had a catch for the Chargers to start the drive, followed by a pass to Hunter Hall for no gain. On third and long, a Chargers touchdown from Feliciano was called back due to a Chargers penalty. Eskew then ran for the Chargers’ first down, putting them first and 10 at the 2-yard line. Weems then took the carry for the Chargers’ touchdown. After the extra point, it was a tie game, 7-7, with 6:14 left in the half.
The Wolves had a great run to their own 41-yard line. A run of no gain made it second and long. A bad snap made the Wolves quarterback dive for it for no gain, bringing up third and long. After the Chargers failed to get any pressure on, the Wolves quarterback found an open wide receiver for the first down. Nolan Catlin had a tackle for the Chargers, bringing up second and long for the Wolves. The Wolves continued running with back-to-back big runs, putting them inside the Chargers’ 10-yard line. The Chargers stopped the Wolves at the line of scrimmage, making it second and goal. The Wolves powerfully ran it up the middle for the go-ahead touchdown, making it 13-7 with 1:10 left in the first half after the missed extra point. The Chargers fumbled the kickoff, and the Wolves took over on offense again with 1:08 left in the half. The Wolves struck early with a wide-open play-action play to get an easy touchdown. They then had a 2-point conversion, making it 21-7, Wolves with 57 seconds left in the half.
Hall had a nice run back as the Chargers started the drive at the 42-yard line with 50 seconds left in the half. Bagnato threw a pass on first down, and it was nearly intercepted. On second and 10, Bagnato threw a 2-yard pass to Jake Ogden. On third and 8, a timeout was called with 34 seconds left in the half. Bagnato then passed it to Jayson Lewis for the Chargers’ first down. Another timeout was called with 27 seconds left. After the timeout, Bagnato went back to Lewis on the nice curl route for another first down. Bagnato threw it to Hall for another first down, and the Chargers had it at the 7-yard line. With 7 seconds left in the half, the Wolves called a timeout. Bagnato threw an end zone fade to Lewis for the Chargers’ touchdown. The score was 21-13, Wolves at half.
The Chargers started the second half down 8 and got the ball to start the second half. They fumbled the kickoff, their second of the game.
The Wolves took over at the Chargers’ 36-yard line. The Wolves started strong with a play-action pass for the first down. They had a run for one yard on the following play, making it 2nd and long. The next pass was incomplete, making it third and 9 at the 25. The Wolves converted with a slant up the middle, but it was called back due to a Wolves penalty. It was third and 19. After an incomplete pass, the Wolves were forced to punt.
A good Wolves punt put the Chargers in bad field position, as they started at their own 8-yard line. A short run by Feliciano was extended due to a 15-yard penalty on the Wolves for unnecessary roughness. Weems took the carry for another Chargers first down. Feliciano had another run, this time for 2 yards. The play action pass was incomplete for the Chargers, bringing up third and 8. Bagnato threw a perfect pass to Hall for the Chargers’ first down, putting them at the Wolves’ 48-yard line. Weems had a carry of no gain, making it 2nd and 10. Bagnato found Ogden for a nice gain, giving the Chargers a first down. A timeout was called with 6:05 left in the third quarter, and the Chargers were at the Wolves’ 28-yard line. Feliciano took the carry after the timeout for a 28 yard touchdown! Zayveon Springfield then hit the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21 with 5:51 left in the third.
A facemask penalty on the Chargers gave the Wolves a free 15 yards to start the next drive, putting them near midfield. Springfield was making an impact on both sides of the ball, this time with a nice tackle for no gain. Another run brought up 3rd and 3 for the Wolves. The Wolves ran it again for a first down, crossing into Chargers territory. Nolan Catlin blew up the following play for a loss of a couple of yards, making it 2nd and long. Targeting was called on the Chargers, giving the Wolves an automatic first down at the Chargers’ 31-yard line. The Wolves then had a 5-yard run, followed by another solid run, bringing up third and 1. They got the first down with a quarterback sneak. A Chargers penalty made it first and goal at the 9 for the Wolves. An 8-yard run by the Wolves had them at the 1. A false start backed them up 5 yards. Malachi Johnson had a nice tackle for loss for the Chargers, bringing up third and long. An injury timeout was called at the end of the third quarter.
The Wolves faced a third and goal at the 11 to start the 4th quarter with the game tied 21-21. The third down play was incomplete so the Wolves opted to go for the go-ahead field goal. They converted and they took the lead 24-21 with 11:50 left in the game.
The Chargers started at the 30-yard line. Eskew had a 5-yard carry to start the drive. No gain by Weems made it third and 5 for the Chargers. A timeout was called with 10:02 left in the game. Weems got the carry on the delayed handoff for the Chargers’ first down. Feliciano then had a big run for the Chargers on top of a facemask penalty. It made it first and goal at the 7 for the Chargers with 9:10 left in the game. They had a run for no gain, bringing up 2nd and goal at the 7. The Chargers stayed with the rushing attack and scored the go-ahead touchdown by Eskew with 8:01 left in the game, and they led 28-24.
The Wolves started the drive at their own 33-yard line with 7:55 left. They started with a short run, followed by another run, making it 3rd and 3 for the away team. Springfield had an open field tackle for the Chargers, bringing up 4th down. The Wolves lined up to go for it with 5:40 left in the game. They tried their fourth run in a row, and the Chargers were all over it, as they forced a turnover on downs.
The Chargers took over at midfield with 5:25 left in the game. Weems started the drive with an 8-yard run, followed by a first-down run by Feliciano. An illegal formation was called on the Chargers, making it first and 15 with 3:32 left in the game. Weems had a nice run as he was tackled right at the 20-yard line. An official’s timeout was called with 2:52 left in the game. After the timeout, it was 2nd and 2 for the Chargers. Weems ran for a first down, and the Wolves called a timeout with 1:59 to play. An offside penalty on the Wolves gave the Chargers 5 yards, making it first and 5 at the 13-yard line. A short run by Weems for a yard was followed by another Wolves timeout with 1:53 left. Feliciano had a solid run, giving the Chargers a first down. It was first and goal at the 7-yard line. Bagnato kept it for a QB run up the middle for 5 yards. It was 2nd and goal at the 2, and the Wolves used their final timeout of the game with 58 seconds left. Bagnato took a knee, and the clock started draining with third and goal at the 6-yard line and 30 seconds left in the game. Bagnato kneeled again, making the final score 28-24 Chargers.
