DANVILLE — Fredericktown football coach Scott Spitler had no illusions about the battle his team was going to face on Friday night at the Tough Street Stadium when the Freddies visited Danville in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference opener.
A 52-7 showing by the home team left Spitler an even bigger believer.
“I told (Danville Coach Matt Blum) at the end of the game that he has a heck of a team, and right now they are in the captain’s seat and should win the league; that’s my mindset,” Spitler said.
At the other end of the field, Blum said he knew his team came to play.
“The kids came out and executed at a high level, and it starts with our preparation throughout the week.”
The Blue Devils wasted little time getting on the board, jumping on top with a quarterback keeper less than three minutes into the game. Sophomore receiver Briggs Wallace also found the end zone with 3:46 remaining in the opening twelve minutes.
Just 98 seconds into the second period, Wallace again crossed the goal line after grabbing a 10-yard pass, giving the Devils a 20-0 lead. Danville then turned a blocked Fredericktown punt into points via Brycen Burke’s 35-yard return.
By halftime the score was 36-0. The second half was played with a running clock.
Cyren Wallace caught a 12-yard touchdown pass for the only points in the third period.
The Freddies avoided a shutout when, with just over two minutes remaining in the game, Parker Saunders broke away from the field and scored the lone touchdown for the visitors.
“I thought we had a really good game plan on both sides of the ball, and I am just really proud of the way our kids came out and executed,” Blum said. “Last year we came out and scored on the first possession, and this year we did the same things, but this time we were able to build on it.
“This is our standard, but we cannot have any let ups. We have to stay consistent, and just keep it up.”
(Video by Dan Werner)
Spitler believes he has a better team than Friday’s outcome showed.
“We did not play to our potential,” the Freddies’ boss said. “I am not taking anything away from Danville, but we knew we had a challenge this week, and we just did not respond, and that’s on me.
“I love these kids, and this week we will roll up our sleeves and get back to work.”
Next Friday, the Freddies (2-2_ will host Cardington-Lincoln for the first game in the newly renovated stadium, and are looking for the homecoming game to put them back on track.
The Blue Devils will host Mount Gilead.
(Cheryl Splain’s photos.)
(Photos by Dan Werner)
