Griz win penalty laden game
Sunday, September 7, 2008 12:32 AM PDT
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| Larry hurrle | Argus Observer
Grizzly running back Nick Varriale dances down the football field during Fruitland’s 21-0 shutout win over the Emmett Huskies Friday in Fruitland. |
FRUITLAND—Fruitland turned out to be their own worst enemy Friday night.
The Grizzlies overcame penalty after penalty, and a tough Emmett defense for a 21-0 victory at home in a nonconference game.
The Grizzlies committed 11 penalties for 115 yards, with multiple penalties coming from unsportsmanlike conduct.
On the night, Fruitland had two touchdowns called back due to penalty.
Early in the second quarter, Fruitland marched down the field to set up a first-and-10 from the 15-yard line. After Tommy Macfarlane rushed for no gain, backup quarterback RJ Edwards rolled to the left and found Derek Keeton in the end zone for a 15-yard score, only to have the play called back due to holding. The Grizzlies were not able to recover, as Edwards was sacked, threw an incomplete pass, before Nick Varriale rushed for 20 yards, coming up four yards short, turning the ball over on downs, inside Emmett’s 10-yard line.
“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Fruitland coach Bruce Schlaich said. “We have had some discipline issues we need to clean up. Right now, we are not playing Fruitland football.”
Again, in the fourth quarter, Fruitland set themselves up with a first-and-goal from the 6-yard line. On the next play, Caleb Crim rumbled into the end zone for a score, only to have the play called back for an illegal procedure, only six players on the line of scrimmage.
Fruitland was able to rebound from this mishap, with Varriale scoring from 11 yards outs, with just over eight minutes to play.
That was just a glimpse of what type of game the Grizzlies were having, as the Fruitland defense surrendered only 85 yards of total offense, less than the team gave up on penalties.
In the opening half of the game, Fruitland was only able to use one big play to grab a quick 7-0 lead, when starting quarterback Dillon Stringfield found Keeton for a 73-yards scoring strike.
Stringfield left the game late in the first quarter with a concussion, trying to make a tackle after he threw an interception.
Unfortunately for both teams, that was the bulk of the offense in the first quarter, as Fruitland added another 38 yards on the ground and held Emmett to a negative yard of total offense.
The second quarter was much better for both teams, in terms of total yards, With Fruitland adding 61 yards rushing, while Emmett added 39 yards on the ground, with each team failing to put any points on the board.
In the second half, it was another story. Fruitland’s offense began on their own 15 yard line. Six run plays later, Fruitland was again in their end zone, with Varriale scooting in from 28 yards out and a 14-0 lead. Varriale finished with 126 yards on the ground, and a pair of touchdowns.
Fruitland’s defense stopped the Huskies attack, forcing a punt, and again marched down the field. This time, Crim was stuffed on a fourth-and-goal run, from the 1-yard line.
Crim, even with being stopped, had a huge second half, rushing for 115 of his game high 129 in the second half.
“We changed our mindset in the locker room,” Crim said. “The line came out in the second half and I don’t think I was touched on most of my runs until I was 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.”
In the second half of play, Crim had six rushes for greater than 10 yards.
“The key was their lineman,” Emmett coach Jerry O’Mahony said. “The weight of their offensive line wore us down in the second half. The weight difference is big.”
The offensive line of the Grizzlies helped them bust the game open with 240 yards rushing in the second half, controlling the line of scrimmage.
“I have to give kudos to (Tyson) Flannery. He suggested to try a trap, it was a good suggestion,” Schlaich said. “We made a lot of adjustments and really got after it. We challenged them after the half.”
The Grizzlies (2-0) take the win and head down to Nampa to take on Columbia, Friday at 7 p.m., while Emmett (1-1) is off for the week.
———
Fruitland 21, Emmett 0
Emmett 0 0 0 0 — 0
Fruitland 7 0 7 7 — 21
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
Fruitland — Derek Keeton 73 pass from Dillon Stringfield (Tyson Flannery kick), 8:02.
Second Quarter
No Scoring
Third Quarter
Fruitland — Nick Varriale 28 run (Flannery kick), 8:49.
Fourth Quarter
Fruitland — Varriale 11 run (Flannery kick), 8:09.
TEAM STATISTICS
Emmett Fruitland
total Yards 85 414
Rushes-yards 30-62 47-341
Passing yards 23 73
Comp-Att-Int 3-10-2 1-5-1
Penalties-Yards 4-35 11-115
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Emmett, Kasey Griffith 17-56, Conner Bannister 13-6; Fruitland, Zack Fabricius 9-47, Nick Varriale 10-126, Caleb Crim 16-129, Tommy Macfarlane 10-50, RJ Edwards 2-(-11).
PASSING — Emmett, Bannister 3-10-23-0-2; Fruitland, Edwards 0-3-0-0-0, Dillon Stringfield 1-2-73-1-1.
RECEIVING — Emmett, Cory Holm 2-22, Griffith 1-1; Fruitland, Derek Keeton 1-73.
