Select Page

By Bill Bray

TOLEDO – After a game and a half of a fluttering offense over the last two weeks, Fremont Ross (6-1, 3-1) put together a solid second half of football to defeat the St. Johns Titans 34-10 in a TRAC battle.

On this night, it wasn’t so much about the offensive side of the ball, but more about the outstanding defensive performance turned in by the Little Giants and more specifically the Giants defensive backfield.  Over the last six weeks, the question mark was in the defensive secondary as the “front seven” have played as solid a brand of defensive as the old “wolfpack gang” from the early 1970s.  After a solid half by the defense, the offense came to life in the second half.  With the second half kickoff, the sea parted, and through it ran Bryson Hammer who returned the half’s opening kickoff 81 yards for a quick Ross score.  Hammer’s spark was what the offense needed as they scored 17 points in the third period and seven more in the fourth for the team’s sixth win in seven tries.

The game started much like the Findlay game from a week ago ended.  On the first play from scrimmage a St John’s long pass play found the ball suddenly on the Fremont Ross four-yard line with the Titans threatening.  Three plays later, the Ross defense pushed the Titans’ offense “way back” to the eight-yard line where St Johns was forced to kick a 25-yard field goal and settle for a 3-0 lead at the 10:21 mark.

Fremont’s offense, though struggling at times, was able to drive the ball down the field. With 5:47 remaining in the first quarter Ross broke out on front, what would prove to be for good, with a four-yard quarterback keeper by Kaden Holmes. Johan Silver added the extra point and Ross took the 7-3 advantage.

Before the first quarter was over, Silver added a 24-yard field goal at the 4:03 to give Ross a 10-3 lead that held up for the remainder of the first half.  The field goal was the result of Kalijah Alejandro’s first interception of the game.

The second quarter saw possession changes with either offense able to put together any sustained drives.

The Ross “D” held St. Johns scoreless until :58 left in the third quarter when Titans quarterback Blake Lichtenberg completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to David Koonce. But the Ross offense had come to life earlier in the quarter. Along with Hammer’s heroics, Labronze Barnett rumbled across the line for a two-yard touchdown run at the 7:39 mark and Silver added his second field goal from 21 yards out with 4:34 remaining to give Fremont a 27-10 advantage as the fourth quarter began.

With Ross comfortably in the lead, Bowen Schoch, one of five Ross backs to touch the ball on offense, dove in from three yards out for the final score of the game with 2:33 remaining.

Statistically, it was not a great game for Ross, but it was a more balanced game. Barnett led the ball carriers with 58 yards on 14 carries and a score. Kaden Holmes added 53 yards on 13 tries and Malakhi Griffin finished with 49 yards on 11 carries. “Hey if we can run the ball like that, I am happy with that on offense,” a happy Chad Long said after the TRAC victory.  “I also give credit to the big guys up front because we had several kids run for positive yardage tonight.” Holmes, dealing with pressure from the Titans defensive front, completed just nine of 26 passes for 122 yards and had two passes intercepted.  Kalijah Alejandro had one catch for 37 yards while Elijah Simms hauled down two receptions for 35 yards.  “There is a lot of pressure coming at Kaden these last few games,” Long said. “Teams are bringing the house at him and going forward that is what teams are going to be doing against us is blitz, blitz, blitz.”

Defensively, Hammer was a star on that side of the ball as well ending with seven tackles, five solo tackles, four assists, two sacks and three tackles for losses.  The defensive secondary, in which Hammer was a part, stepped up their game. Alejandro ended the night with two interceptions and Anthony Vann added a third.  Hat’s off to the improvement shown by the defensive secondary during the contest.  “Our secondary did answer the bell that is for sure,” Long added. “We could have had five or six interceptions but got three. We brough the heat and pressure on Lichtenberg.”  The Titan quarterback ended up with 20 carries for just 41 yards.

Next up for the Little Giants is their third straight road game as they head down I75 to Lima to take on the Spartans.

 
BOYS GOLF
BOYS SOCCER
CHEERLEADING
CROSS COUNTRY
FOOTBALL
GIRLS GOLF
GIRLS SOCCER
GIRLS TENNIS
VOLLEYBALL
BOYS BASKETBALL
GIRLS BASKETBALL
SWIMMING & DIVING
BOYS WRESTLING
BOWLING
BASEBALL
BOYS TENNIS
SOFTBALL
TRACK & FIELD
CHEERLEADING
GIRLS WRESTLING
T  H  E       O  F  F  I  C  I  A  L       S  I  T  E       O  F       F  R  E  M  O  N  T       C  I  T  Y       S  C  H  O  O  L       A  T  H  L  E  T  I  C  S
X