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The Olmsted Falls Bulldogs held a pregame ceremony to acknowledge the newly built turf in their football stadium, and the Bulldogs did not disappoint. The offense exploded for 35 points in the first half, with the running game largely to thank for that. Bulldog running backs combined for 5 touchdowns, with Jack Pinchek and Rocco Conti each having 2 scores, and Michael Candow adding another.
Quarterback James Rosol did not need to do much through the air, completing just 2 passes for 53 yards and letting the running backs do the work. Rosol must have heard about Netflix teasing a potential Johnny Manziel documentary, as he rolled to his left and threw a dime to Michael Candow for 28 yards, a play eerily similar to one of the former Heisman Trophy winner who was once the king of the college football hill.
The first quarter started out slow offensively, as both sides traded 3 and outs. The Norwalk Truckers blew an opportunity to take an early lead, as a pass from QB Payne Flores went through the hands of Milo Murray on what could have been a touchdown.
Unfortunately, that would be the closest Norwalk got to scoring in the first half, as the Bulldogs dominated the rest of the way. On the next Olmsted Falls drive, Jack Pinchek led the way with 3 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown to get the bulldogs on the board first 7-0. Rosol’s amazing ‘Johnny Football’-like play set up another Bulldog score, which ended with a Rocco Conti 26 yard TD rush.
The Truckers had a chance to get back in this game early in the second quarter, as the Bulldogs were facing a 4th down and 10. However, Rosol stayed calm, cool, and collective in the pocket as he delivered a strike to Rocco Conti. This set up first and goal where the Bulldogs muscled in for another score behind Pinchek once again to put Olmsted Falls up 21-0.
The game officially became out of reach on the next drive as Payne Flores fumbled the snap and was recovered by Bulldog defensive lineman Jack Hatgas. This left Olmsted Falls with great field position once again and they took advantage.
A pass interference call against the Truckers gave them extra field position, and the Bulldogs cashed in on a 12 yard run from Candow to make it 28-0. On the very first play of Olmsted Falls’ next drive, Rocco Conti took the handoff and went straight to the house to put the Bulldogs up 35-0 with 5 minutes left in the second quarter. By the 2 minute warning, all of Olmsted Falls’ starters were out of the game. The Bulldogs entered halftime with a comfortable 35-0 halftime lead.
Olmsted Falls continued to put their foot on the gas in the second half, as they stormed down the field on their first possession of the half and finished with an Aidan Hurt 10 yard touchdown run. The rest of the third quarter consisted of stalled drives and injury timeouts, but the truckers were finally able to get on the board as RB Jarren McLendon powered through for a 23 yard score, cutting the deficit to 42-6. Even with the starters out, the Bulldog rushing attack never skipped a beat, as Joseph Solomone joined in on the fun with a 38 yard TD run to make it 49-6. Trucker QB Payne Flores finished the day with just 3 of 9 completions for 23 yards and an interception, along with a lost fumble.
Player of The Game
Tonight’s player of the game goes to Rocco Conti, who averaged a whopping 14 yards per carry and finished with over 100 yards rushing on the night, to go along with 2 touchdowns and a 26 yard catch. I also want to give recognition to Bulldog DL Dillon Foulkes who kept the pressure on Flores throughout the first half, while also having 2 sacks to his name.
Great Game