Frazier holds on to beat Mapletown
The Commodores dominated on the ground in the first half, gaining 289 yards from the likes of Steve Toth who finished with 74 yards, and Kevin Shanaberger who had 117, with each recording two touchdowns runs. The Commodores scored first in the game, methodically marching down the field on a 9-play, 74-yard drive capped off with a Jordan Adams’ five-yard scamper into the end zone, and after Chase Kirmeyer walked into the end zone for the two point conversion, the Commodores led 8-0.
After a Cory Minnick incompletion on fourth down at the Maples 36-yard line, Toth slashed into the end zone at the 11:51 mark in the second to put the Commodores ahead 14-0, and minutes later, Kirmeyer outraced the Maples defense for a 75-yard touchdown run to give the Commodores a 22-0 lead at the 9:03 mark in the second.
Shanaberger added a pair of touchdowns runs in the final four minutes of the quarter to put the lead at 34-0 at halftime.
“We wanted to come out strong and put it to them,” said Commodore coach Lewis Sweitzer. “We knew we could give it to any of our backs and get the job done, and that’s what we wanted to do, spread the ball out.”
The Maples came out firing in the third, clicking on offense, and were able to cross midfield for the first time with a Minnick four-yard sneak, and cut the lead to 34-8 with a Kevin Glover 12-yard reception from Minnick for the touchdown.
Then the defense came alive forcing the Commodores to a three and out on their 22, where the Maples blocked a Commodore punt and chased the Commodores for the loose punt where a Commodore fell on the ball for a safety at the 4:06 mark in the third.
After trading punts, the Maples converted a perfect punt fake on fourth down with a Minnick pass to Lambert Grim to get the ball short of midfield, and after a Tommy Riggleman rush the Maples were once again on the Commodores half of the field to end the third quarter, with Minnick completing a 41 yard touchdown pass to Glover, and after a Jarret Porterfield two-point conversion catch, the Commodores found their lead cut to 34-16 with 10:32 remaining.
Once more the Maples were able to get the ball back towards the end of the fourth, passing their way down the field where Minnick again connected with Glover to close the gap 34-24 with 4:47 remaining.
However Toth iced the game with a 12-yard run with 1:52 left, with Minnick finishing his second half 13-26 with 227 yards and three touchdowns.
“At halftime we just had a heart-to-heart talk,” said Mapletown coach George Messich. “And we came out and had a great second half. I’m really proud of this team, they could have given up, but they didn’t.”
Scoring summary:
Mapletown 0 0 10 14 – 24
Frazier 8 26 0 6 – 40
First Quarter
F- Adams 5 run (Kirmeyer run), 7:41.
Second Quarter
F- Toth 26 run (kick failed), 11:51.
F- Kirmeyer 75 run (Kirmeyer run), 9:03.
F- Shanaberger 21 run (kick failed), 3:42.
F – Shanaberger 21 run (kick failed), :47.
Third Quarter
M – Glover 12 pass from Minnick (Greene pass from Minnick), 6:10.
M – Safety, punt blocked out of end zone, 4:06.
Fourth Quarter.
M – Glover 41 pass from Minnick (Porterfield pass from Minnick), 10:32.
M – Glover 23 pass from Minnick (kick failed), 4:47.
F – Toth 12 run (kick failed), 1:52.