by The North Olmsted Eagles (2-6) went on the road to take on the Valley Forge Patriots (4-4) where they came up with a late score to secure the upset on the road 13-10. This game was a defensive battle that the Eagles ended up taking after they scored a clutch touchdown with less than a minute left in the game. Both teams ran the ball effectively throughout the game, making the line of scrimmage battle a great one to watch. Eagles sophomore running back Amir Silmi was great in this one as he finished with 105 yard on the game.
The Patriots started with the ball after North Olmsted elected to differ during the coin toss. Their gameplan was much the same as it has been all year, run the football. Seniors Daymon Watts and Evan Tappe have been the stars of the offense throughout the year and they wanted the ball in their hands. The Patriots were rolling down the field run after run until they found themselves with a 4th and 2 deep in enemy territory. They ran a draw up the middle and Eagles safety Luis Bautista filled the gap and came up with a huge stop to give his offense the ball at their own 13 yard line.
Looking to capitalize off the big stop, the Eagles offense went for a deep shot on first down. Quarterback Will McPherson loaded up and sent the ball deep down the sideline for his receiver. Cornerback Archie Fullah was in coverage and after perfect tracking, he leaped up and made an amazing grab falling back, to give the Patriots the ball right back.
After an incompletion, the Patriots elected to put the ball back in Evan Tappe’s hands. The play call was counter, and they ran it to perfection. Tappe took the ball in the backfield and cut to the side his line was shifting towards. After he made it past the first layer, he then cut back the other way and used his speed to get to the outside and run past everyone. He took it 44 yards to the house and put Valley Forge up 7-0 with 6 minutes left in the first quarter.
Looking to respond, North Olmsted found a rhythm. It started with a nice 23 yard pick up over the middle on a nice pitch and catch. After that they got to work on the ground. Amir Silmi got going on this drive, as he highlighted the drive with a 28 yard tote to put his squad down at the 2 yard line. His freshman teammate Jake Burger took it in for the score on the next play, capping off an impressive 8 play drive and knotting the score up at 7 with 2:31 left in the first half.
Valley Forge continued to pound the rock their next drive. They ran all the down into the redzone again, but this team on 4th down, they elected for a field goal instead of going for it again. The 24 yarder just scraped over the uprights and put the Patriots up 10-7 at the start of the second quarter.
The rest of the quarter turned into a defensive battle. Both offenses were fighting for every single inch as the opposing defenses played tighter and tighter as the game kept going. Both teams forced a few 3 and outs and Valley Forge came up with a massive 4th down stop with 2 minutes left in the half. The clock ran off and the teams entered the locker room with a super tight game on their hands. Valley Forge up 3 with a score of 10-7 with 24 minutes left to play.
The 2nd half started in a wild way. Valley Forge squibbed their kickoff as they usually do, but this time the Eagles had trouble with it. It took a few wild bounces and went off a returner’s hands, where it was then recovered by the Patriots at the 24 yard line.
Set up in prime position, the Patriots offense went out for their first drive of the half. Unfortunately for them, the Eagles defense didn’t lose a step from the first half. They came up big with yet another 4th down stop and gave their offense the ball back, completely negating the special teams blunder.
With the ball back, the Eagles began to drive down field and made it to just outside the redzone, when the Patriots defense said it’s their turn to come up big. They forced a turnover on downs of their own as both defenses showed they can bend but not break.
The rest of the 3rd quarter and a majority of the 4th was filled by good defensive play and offensive woes. Each team traded 3 and out after 3 and out during this time. It was until there was 5 minutes left in the game until one of the offenses got back on track.
North Olmsted started their drive at their own 35 yard line after a Patriots punt. They moved the ball down the field with a mix of the run and pass and got out of multiple 4th down situations. 1 they picked up themselves and the other 2 they picked up due to penalties on the defense. None of those 4th downs were as big as the final one however.
The Eagles had the ball at the 4 yard line with a 4th and goal to go. They lined up in what seemed to be a run, which had been working for them lately, but McPherson pulled the handoff back and rolled out for play action. He kept rolling out and found his running back Luca Larue in front of the endzone with 47 seconds left in the game. After a missed PAT the game was now 13-10.
Valley Forge got the ball back with 40 seconds left and took some shots down field but corner back Lawrence Stanley for the Eagles came up with the game sealing interception. The game would end 13-10 Eagles after they kneeled the ball out.
North Olmsted looks to stay hot in their final game of the season next week as they take on Westlake at home. On the other hand Valley Forge looks to bounce back in their finale as they take on their rival Normandy.
Player of the game
North Olmsted RB Amir Silmi – 22 Carries for 105 yards
