Too many penalties for football team in loss to Rogers City
If last week’s gridiron meeting between Onaway and Rogers City was indeed the last between the teams due to OHS scheduling conflicts, it is one the Cardinals would likely prefer to forget.
The Hurons defeated the Cards 22-7 last Friday in Onaway, despite the Red Birds gaining 324 yards to Rogers City’s 205. The loss dropped OHS to 0-2 on the season heading into tonight’s (Friday’s) contest at Forest Area.
To win their first game of 2013 against the Warriors, the Cardinals will have to eliminate the mental mistakes and miscues that cost them a victory against their Presque Isle County rival.
Onaway committed 17 penalties, seven of them personal fouls, against Rogers City, racking up 186 penalty yards in the process. OHS also had four fumbles, while the Hurons had just seven penalties (two personal fouls) and one turnover.
The game was scoreless at halftime, though the Cardinals nearly put points on the board in the final moments of the second quarter. Onaway marched from its own 18 to the Huron three-yard-line.
On second-and-goal from the three, RC sacked Cardinal QB Matthew Tollini back at the 16. After an incomplete pass and a delay of game penalty, the Cards attempted a field goal from the 21, but a bad snap ended things.
Disaster struck the Cards to open the second half, as the Hurons recovered an onside kick and started at the OHS 35 after the Red Birds were called for a personal foul on the play.
Several snaps later, Quintin Kelly connected with Chris Lopez on a three-yard touchdown pass. Jacob Malocha ran in the conversion and, with 6:16 left in the third quarter, Rogers City led 8-0.
Onaway turned the ball over on its next possession, as a shotgun snap sailed over Tollini’s head near midfield. The Cards were called for another personal foul on the play, giving RC possession at the Onaway 14.
Three plays later, Jack Ryan scooted around the left end of his line from three yards out. The conversion attempt failed but, with 3:39 left in quarter three, the Hurons led 14-0.
The Cardinals got on the board in quarter four, capping a 10-play, 53-yard drive with an eight-yard Tommy Auger touchdown run off left tackle. Carlos Bautista added the point after, cutting the lead to 14-7 with 9:32 left in the game.
Bautista then kicked the ball off to the shadow of the goal line, appearing to pin RC deep in its own end. But Malocha picked the ball off the turf at the three-yard-line, broke a tackle, and scampered 50 yards to the Cardinal 47.
The play seemed to return the game’s momentum to Rogers City, and three snaps later Cameron Urban scored from three yards out. Kelly and Lopez connected on the conversion, putting RC up 22-7 with 8:40 left.
OHS would have two more possessions, and twice would enter Huron territory, but the first drive was halted by a fumbled snap at the RC 42 and the other ended on downs at the RC three, after a penalty wiped out a Cardinal TD.
Tollini completed 12 of 18
Ryan carried the ball 19 times for 76 yards for RC. Malocha had 14 touches for 68 yards, while Kelly completed three of eight passes for 28 yards and ran the ball six times for 28 more.
Kickoff between Forest Area and Onaway is scheduled for 7 p.m. After the game with the Warriors, the Cardinals will be home for three straight, beginning September 20 against Gaylord St. Mary.