by Strongsville, OH – In the final week of the regular season, the Brunswick Blue Devils roll into Strongsville to take on the Mustangs. With the final score of 19-9, the Mustangs take it home led by their strong run game.
After winning the toss, the Blue Devils deferred to the second half and allowed the Mustangs to receive the ball to begin the ball game. From the get-go, the Mustangs wanted to get the ground game going. QB Nolan Beard picked up a first with the legs for 18 yards on a 3rd and medium to begin the game. Soon after though, Strongsville had to punt the ball away to the Blue Devils to give their offense the first crack at it.
It took 3 plays though, the Strongsville defense got the ball back to their offense when on a completed pass, #11 Swasey knocked the ball free and gave the Mustangs amazing field position on the other side of the 50.
A couple plays later, #38 Kendck Boddie broke through, what looked like, every defender on the Blue Devils defense and plowed his way for a TD and opened the scoring at 7-0 midway through the 1st quarter.
Brunswick followed the Mustang TD drive with a long drive of their own, rolling down the field with short throws and QB Sean Barnett scrambling when needed to, to extend the drive. Brunswick would end up punting though, pinning the Mustangs deep at their own 3.
The Mustangs would go all run plays the next drive and then punt from their own 30.
Brunswick again drove down the field, slowly and methodically. The Strongsville defense stood tall though on their side of the field and forced a long FG attempt which was knocked through by #37 Vincenzo DiTeodoro from 41 yards out and make the game 7-3.
Strongsville still wanted to get the ground game going would go three straight runs but end up punting again.
The Blue Devils started the next drive with a long 41-yd pass down the right side to #14 Aiden Konopinski over the defender to get the sparks flying again for the offense.
With 14 Seconds left in the half, the Blue Devils turned to their kicker again with a 38-yd FG that would make the game 7-6.
Halftime: Strongsville 7, Brunswick 6
To begin the 2nd half, the Blue Devils would receive after deferring in the 1st half. They got a 1st down and looked to be driving but the Mustangs defense became stifling again and held them to a punt at midfield.
The punt was a good one and looked to be fair caught, but a muff and an immediate recovery by the Blue Devils set up them up inside the Strongsville 10-yard line. As they did all night though, the Mustangs came up with another stop and forced another FG attempt by the Blue Devils, this one the shortest of the night at 26 yards and would make it a 9-7 game.
The Mustangs started to get the run game working with both #27 and #38 carrying the workload behind the offensive line. Driving down the field, the Mustangs looked to shift momentum but a botched handoff inside the redzone would turn the ball back over to the Blue Devils.
Brunswick started to take time off the clock and #8 Barnett continued to make plays with his feet when in trouble. Even with the long drive starting inside their own 20, they would end up punting the ball back to Strongsville.
The breakthrough the Mustangs were looking for finally came. A short flat route to the left to #1 Alex Epsay from #17 Beard went 73 yards down the left sideline with excellent downfield blocking to take the lead early in the 4th quarter.
Brunswick went three and out the next drive with a sack and incompletions turning the ball back to Strongsville who only had chewing clock in mind.
As it was most of the half, #27 Sam Dimacchia and #38 Kendck Boddie took turns churning the legs and gaining solid yardage on the ground to gain multiple first downs. With a big 3rd down to come, #27 Dimacchia took the ball to the right tackle and broke through for a 31-yd TD to ice the game at 19-9 (PAT Muffed).
The Blue Devils ran a couple plays but the game was all but over.
The Mustangs finish the regular season on a high note going into the playoffs while the Blue Devils look for answers going forward.
Final: Strongsville 19, Brunswick 9
Players of the game:
Strongsville RB Sam Dimacchia- 17 carries for 99 yards, TD
Brunswick QB Sean Barnett- 12/23 for 98 yards, 14 carries for 73 yards
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