Bulldogs snap losing streak with win vs. OA
By Mike Berger
The Tigers had no answers for star running back Elias Camacho on Senior Night last Friday. (Mike Barucci photo)
The CHS football team’s six-game losing streak came to an emotional and triumphant end last week on Senior Night as Shane Nordgren crashed over the goal line on a second-effort run to lead the Bulldogs past Oliver Ames 36-30 in overtime.
Friday’s game at Memorial Field was the last home game for the Bulldogs, who will travel to rival Stoughton on Thanksgiving Day for the season finale. The Black Knights are currently 9-1 and are still battling for the Davenport Division title and a chance to go to the Super Bowl.
It was a stellar night for the Bulldog seniors, many of whom came up big throughout the game. Nordgren not only scored the game-winning touchdown, but also made a game-saving tackle on a lateral pass in overtime to stop an OA drive. He finished with seven tackles on defense and 46 rushing yards on offense.
Dexter Green racked up 148 yards on the ground, and Elias Camacho rushed for 122 yards and caught three passes for 42 yards. Quarterback Ian Flavin rushed for 20 yards and threw for 100, including a 48-yard bomb to sophomore receiver Derek Harris. In all, the Bulldogs gained 436 yards on offense with 336 yards coming on the ground.
On defense, senior Conor O’Brien led the Bulldogs in tackles with 10 and blocked an OA field goal that would have won the game for the Tigers. Justin Rudy had seven tackles, and junior Frankie Powers had eight, including seven in the first half. Sophomore Yanni Papadopoulos also had a standout game with seven tackles on defense and special teams.
It was a game of momentum shifts as Canton grabbed an early 22-8 lead on a 90-yard run by Green and a 50-yard burst by Camacho. By halftime, the Tigers had cut the deficit to five and then scored twice in the third quarter to take a 30-22 lead into the fourth. But Canton tied the game on a long pass from Flavin to Harris and a second-effort conversion run by Camacho.
Oliver Ames had two attempts to score a touchdown late in the game but was foiled on one drive after a fourth-down screen pass fell incomplete. The other drive ended with O’Brien’s blocked field goal after a sack by Omar Parkman and good defense by Flavin at cornerback.
In the overtime period, the Tigers got the first chance to score from 10 yards out, but the Bulldog defense stood tall. Parkman and Sir D’Wayne Reid foiled an OA rushing attempt on first down, and then Flavin and Green broke up a pass on second down. OA managed to complete a pass to the three-yard line on the next play, but on fourth down Nordgren stopped the lateral attempt with a hard tackle.
Canton then took over on the Tigers’ 10-yard line and gained a quick five yards on rushing plays by Green and Nordgren. On the next play, Nordgren went crashing through the center of the line for the winning touchdown.
“It was a game all the seniors will remember for the rest of their lives,” said head coach Dave Bohane. “They deserve it. They fought hard and never gave up. They stepped up when it counted.” Bohane credited assistant coach Rich Eckler with making the adjustments in the second half to aid the defensive effort.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=17436
Posted by Mike Berger
on Nov 15 2012. Filed under High School, Sports.
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