Eagles score late to defeat New Orleans Home School
Published 1:08 pm Thursday, August 23, 2018
By John Glover
The Daily News
In their first game of the season, Ben’s Ford Christian School pulled out a 22-12 victory over New Orleans Home School, with all three touchdowns scored in the final five minutes of the game at home Friday.
The game was a stalemate for the first half. Neither the Eagles nor the Saints were able to push through the other’s defense. It wasn’t until a minute after the start on the second half that the first touchdown went on the board.
Saints quarterback Jacob Fisher pitched back to Pete Wypyzinski from the 3-yard line. Wypyzinski broke through the center and put the Saints on top 6-0. Fisher tried for the 2-point conversion, but the Eagles’ defense held.
With 10 seconds left in the third and after a 45-yard drive, Fisher lead the Saints to their second touchdown where he broke through the Eagles’ defense with a quarterback keep from the two-yard line. Fisher again tried for the two-point conversion, but the Eagles blocked him again and the score became 12-0 Saints heading into the fourth quarter.
The Saints kept control for most of the fourth, and it seemed like they might take the game. But with five and a half minutes left, Saints kicker Thomas Johnson’s punt went amiss and was downed at the New Orleans 23-yard line.
Eagles quarterback Tyler Winstead, back in possession of the ball, handed off to Alston Moore, who broke through the Saints defense down the right side for a 23-yard run and the Eagles’ first touchdown. Winstead appeared to set up for the extra point kick, but instead passed to Ernesto Woods in the end zone for the two-point conversion to put the score at 12-8 in favor of the Saints.
The Eagles defense continued the team’s rally, holding the Saints to just four downs in their subsequent possession and forcing a punt from the Saints’ territory. The Eagles recovered at their own 42-yard line and began a seven-play drive downfield back into the Saints’ end zone. From the New Orleans 20, Winstead passed to Tucker Keating in the end zone for the touchdown and the lead. Justin Stewart kicked the extra point and the score was 15-12 in favor of the Eagles, with two and a half minutes left in the game.
With the ball back in the Saints’ control, Fisher attempted a pass to Grant Wood. The pass was intercepted by Ben’s Ford Eagle Chase Peyton at the 44. Winstead then made a pair of handoffs to Moore — the first brought the Eagles down to the 28-yard line. The second brought the Eagles their third and final touchdown of the game. Stewart again made the extra point and set the final score at 22-12.
After the game, Ben’s Ford coach Dean King commented on the Eagles’ comeback.
“We talk about start to finish,” he said. “I told the kids, what I’m most proud of is we found a way to win tonight. We never stop playing until the whistle blows.”
The Eagles will travel to play rival Bowling Green on the road Friday.