OAKLAND – Messalonskee’s Ted Fabian looked more like a pinball than a quarterback late in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game against Edward Little. But as many hits as he took on a 14-yard run with two minutes to play, he didn’t fall down before stretching the ball across the goal line.
Fabian’s scoring run, the Eagles’ third of the night, typified the whole game for both teams. Edward Little was always close to making the big play, but Messalonskee was able to push through.
Danny May rushed for 200 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown and Fabian had one touchdown running and threw another to lift the Eagles to a 20-0 win over previously unbeaten Edward Little.
“Danny took a lot of the pressure off of me tonight,” said Fabian. “The offensive line, they created a great hole. It was something I could have driven a truck through.”
“I thought we had a great game plan to start with,” said Edward Little coach Jim Hersom. “We had them on the ropes early but we ended up getting bogged down late in the first half. Our inability to cash in in the first half hurt, and in the third quarter we didn’t have good field position to work with.”
EL running back Jon Demers appeared to score the game’s first touchdown on his team’s first drive down the field, but the play was called back by the officials, citing only six players started the play on the line of scrimmage. The minimum is seven.
“This bye stuff is tough,” said Messalonskee coach Wes Littlefield, whose team is coming off of its bye week and is now 2-0. “It takes you out of your rhythm and it’s tough to get that back. Every game out here is almost a must-win now.”
Messalonskee took the ball over at its own 13-yard line on the ensuing possession and marched to the Eddies’ 33 before also giving the ball up on downs.
The teams were scoreless until May punched the ball in with 4:24 remaining in the first half on a three-yard run.
“We have to be able to punch it in down there,” said May, who finished the first half with 86 yards rushing. “I always seem to do better in the second half, though.”
May finished with 200 yards, including two 11-yard scampers to open the second half, putting EL under the gun right away.
Demers finished the game with 64 yards on 13 carries, while teammate Garner LaValley had 37 yards on 12 carries. Edward Little quarterback Troy Barnies, busy in the passing department Friday, was 9-of-23 passing with two interceptions on deflections.
“I think the kids geared up like we have the last two weeks,” said Hersom. “We had some young kids who had to step in tonight and they really played hard. They have some physical backs, and it was a tough game, but we’re resilient and have great attitudes. I think next week these kids are going to be able to bounce right back.”
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