Backup quarterback, long drive lead Somerset to first win

Somerset and Forest Hills went into last night’s contest both looking for their first win of the season.

The Golden Eagles overcame some late first-half miscues and the loss of their starting quarterback to secure their first win of the season, a 24-20 victory over the Rangers.

“I think our line said we were going to run the ball and control the clock in the second half, and I think our time of possession in the second half was a good bit better than theirs,” said Bob Landis, when asked what was the difference in the second half. “Hats off to those guys. We held onto the ball, and had no turnovers in the second half. We took care of the ball, and we go from there.”

The first half was full of momentum swings. Somerset grabbed the lead on their second possession thanks to their running attack. The Golden Eagles moved the ball 80 yards in nine plays, all rushes, to get on the board.

Dustin Hyde carried four times for 24 yards on the drive, including a one-yard touchdown plunge that gave Somerset a 6-0 lead. After a Forest Hills offside penalty while lining up for the point after attempt, Somerset decided to go for two. The pass failed.

The Golden Eagles defense quickly added to the lead. On the third play of the Rangers drive, Forest Hills quarterback Zach Myers rolled to his right. However, Ethan Hemminger stepped in front of the pass and returned the interception 44 yards for a touchdown. The two-point run failed, but Somerset held a 12-0 lead.

Somerset had a chance to add to their lead on their next possession, but were stopped on downs at the Rangers 23 yard line.

The defensive stand sparked the Rangers offense. They cracked the scoreboard with a 78-yard drive, sparked by a 45-yard catch and run from Myers to Jake Delic.

Damon Crawley scampered 26 yards on the next play, and capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.

The Rangers tried a trick play on the two-point conversion, as a pitch to the running back, and throw back to the wide receiver, led to a pass into the end zone.

Kereem Akanan, however, made a leaping interception.

The Rangers defense made another big play on Somerset’s next possession.

Brad Madigan intercepted a high pass by Golden Eagles quarterback Jarett Flitcraft, give Forest Hills the ball near midfield. Myers hit Seth Richardson for 18 yards. Later in the drive he connected with Delic for a 15-yard screen pass for a touchdown that tied the game 12-12 going into halftime.

The Golden Eagles kept Forest Hills pinned deep in their end of the field for most of the third quarter. They looked primed to take the lead midway through the third quarter, a 24-yard pass from Flitcraft to Akanan and a 13-yard run by Hyde gave Somerset a first-and-goal at the 9 yard line.

A high snap led to a loss of 21 yards and the loss of Flitcraft, as he was injured underneath a pile of Rangers. Hyde fumbled on the next play, ending Somerset’s scoring threat.

Backup quarterback Bradley Barndt led a scoring drive to give the Golden Eagles the lead.

A 15-yard punt return by Akanan set Somerset up at the Rangers 20 yard line. Five running plays covered those 20 yards, with Hemminger scoring on a 3-yard run to give Somerset an 18-0 lead with :04 left in the third frame.

The two-point try was fumbled, keeping the lead at six points for the Golden Eagles.

The lead was short-lived, though. Seth Richardson returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards, weaving across the field and down the sideline for the touchdown.

Crawley eluded a Somerset tackler in the backfield and ran in the two-point try giving the Rangers their first lead, 20-18 on the last play of the quarter.

Somerset owned the final quarter. They responded with a six play, 57-yard scoring drive.

Barndt hit Riley Zylstra for a 15-yard touchdown to give the lead back to the Golden Eagles.

It appeared that a Ranger had a chance for an interception, but Zylstra wrestled control of the ball for the score, giving Somerset a 24-20 lead.

After forcing a Rangers punt from midfield, the Golden Eagles took over on their own 12 yard line with 7:07 left in the game.

They ran the clock out, converting two third downs and churning out yards. Barndt knelt down twice to run out the clock to secure the win.

“We went into the huddle on a couple of the timeouts and told the linemen, we want to run the ball,” Landis said. “Hats off to the team. Dustin ran the ball hard. Brad ran the ball hard. The backs did a nice job. The line did a nice job. It was just a nice drive at the end of the game to close it out.”