Sep 6, 2009 4 min read

PERRYOPOLIS – Devante Brooks’ California teammates might nickname him “Shoeless” after Friday’s 20-16 win over Frazier. The junior speedster left one shoe in his wake on a 66-yard punt return that set up the winning touchdown before a standing room crowd at the Commodores’ stadium.

The Trojans overcame 60 yards in penalties and three turnovers as they rallied from deficits of 10-7 and 16-13 to give new head coach Brady Barbaro his first victory.

There were still many fans lined up outside the stadium when Frazier took the opening kickoff and drove 68 yards to the end zone in 11 plays. Chase Kirmeyer carried seven times for 42 yards and capped the drive on a two-yard run for a 7-0 lead with the kick by Kyle Rodriguez.

Each of California’s three first-half drives were stalled by penalties, including the Trojans’ first drive which ended on downs at the Commodore 21 yard line. The second drive stalled at the Frazier 42, and the third drive ended just before halftime when a pass by D.J. Martinak was tipped by Jarrad Bronson and intercepted by Tim Holt.

Frazer kept the ball on the ground for all but two plays in the first half and led 14:06-9:54 in time of possession.

The tempo picked up in the second half, but only after California was once again bitten by the penalty bug. An illegal shift stalled the first drive of the half after the Trojans had reached Frazier’s 37 yard line.

But the momentum changed two plays after the Trojans pinned the Commodores at the 13 on a punt.

Wade Stinnett intercepted Jim Kline’s third-down screen pass at the 10 yard-line and had clear sailing to the end zone. Nick Wohar’s conversion kick tied the game at 7-7 with 6:54 left in the third quarter.

Frazier responded with a 65-yard drive on the next series, highlighted by Kline’s 36-yard scramble to the California eight yard line. Three plays later, the Commodores were poised to go for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal inside the one, when a costly false start infraction backed them up to the six.

Instead of going for a touchdown, Frazier settled for a 22-yard field goal by Rodriguez and a 10-7 lead.

The Trojans took the lead for the first time on a seven-play drive covering 65 yards and carrying into the fourth quarter. A pair of 15-yard runs by Dylan Hunter and Brooks set the Trojans up at the Frazer 25, from where Martinak passed to a sliding Stinnett in the end zone. Wohar’s kick was wide, but the Trojans led 13-10.

On the next series, the Commodores were forced to punt, but the ball was fumbled and recovered by Bronson at the Trojan 47.

On the next play, Kline scrambled right and found running room to the one-yard line. Kirmeyer scored on the next play and although the kick was missed, Frazier led 16-13 with 7:27 left.

One of the most exciting plays was wiped out by a penalty when Martinak improvised several times on a scramble and went 58 yards to the end zone. A holding penalty brought the ball back and Holt made his second interception two plays later.

After California held on defense, Frazier punted, and Brooks stepped out of a shoe around the 13 yard line, found some blocking and broke free for his 66-yard return. Only a saving tackle by Josh Guiser saved a touchdown.

Two plays later, Martinak’s 13-yard pass was pulled in by Stinnett for his third touchdown with 1:19 to play.

The Trojans recovered a Frazier fumble on the next series and ran out the clock.

Frazier coach Lew Sweitzer said the game came down to Brooks’ punt return. “California has good athletes and they’re a talented team. We’ve got to get ready for Mapletown on the road next week. We’ll regroup and have our players ready to go.”

Barbaro savored his first victory, but said the Trojans “made too many mistakes, and a lot of dumb ones. That’s something we’ll have to work on. For the first game, it was a little sloppy.”

He said, “There were definitely a number of momentum swings. Fortunately, we had the momentum at the end.”