A bad snap on a punt play early in the third quarter came back to bite David City Aquinas in a big way in Friday’s season opener at rival Columbus Scotus.
Trailing 21-7, the Monarchs did little with the second half kickoff besides move backwards in the shadow of their own end zone. Forced to punt after a fourth three-and-out, the snap sailed backwards bouncing over the end line awarding the Shamrocks the two-point safety.
Aquinas came back with two fourth-quarter touchdowns and one two-point conversion but could not convert another and saw its two-game winning streak over Scotus melt away in the August humidity.
With only one timeout remaining, the Monarchs were forced to try an onside kick. The Shamrocks recovered and knelt the final 1:14 of game time away.
“We only have two starters back on defense and three on offense. So, we were inexperienced when we started the game but as we got on we got a little more confident,” coach Ron Mimick said. “Scotus has some excellent players and they were playing good as a team. They were a better team in the first half, but we got a little confidence, started moving the ball, started to throw the ball a little bit and had a chance to tie it late.”
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Scotus capitalized on a short field from another special teams miscue to make it 7-0, extended the advantage to 14-0 on the very next drive and looked to be in control with Aquinas punting on its first three possessions.
The Monarchs finally put a drive together midway through the second quarter and found the end zone on a 19-yard run by Andy Lyons. Fullback Miles Eggleston was the workhorse on the drive, piling up 40 yards on a four carries - the biggest a 29 yard dash up the left sideline.
Scotus seized momentum back with a quarterback dive for a 2-yard touchdown to cap a possession that wasted all but the final nine seconds of the half and traveled 74 yards.
Behind again by 14, the bad snap to start the third made the hole 16.
Quarterback Nolan Hartman connected with Kyle Napier for a 33-yard touchdown on fourth-and-11 the first play of the fourth quarter and Eggleston went in for the tw-point conversion and suddenly it was 23-15.
Aquinas had a chance to tie it on the next drive until disaster struck on a trick play that was initially set up perfectly. Hartman took the throwback pass wide open but fumbled just before the goal line.
The defense came up big again for another stop then Hartman orchestrated a 60-yard march to the end zone capped by his throw to Michael Rerucha for a score. Down 23-21 the Monarchs were forced to try another two-pointer, Hartman was sacked from the backside when none of his receivers came open.
"We talked about fundamentals, and the way to get better is to keep practicing well so your fundamentals get better and you can play faster. We hope to keep getting better on the plays we have. If you're good fundamentally, and you have some quickness to start with, then you can play fast. You don't have to think about it, you can just do it."
Nate Tenopir is the sports editor for the Banner Press. You can reach him at DVDsports@lee.net.