Ponies close out the regular season with victory over Oak Hill
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy officially clinched the No. 1 seed for the postseason by closing out the regular season with a 47-6 win vs. Oak Hill High School of Wales during Senior Night on Friday evening, Oct. 28. The Ponies scored in all three phases of the game as the team built a 21-0 first half lead and then held a 35-0 advantage early in the third quarter to help move to 7-1 with the team’s fifth consecutive victory.
All eight teams qualify for the Class D playoffs, and as the top seed Foxcroft would host No. 8 Madison Area Memorial High School (1-7). The Bulldogs have dropped seven straight games after defeating Class C Hampden Academy 16-14 on the road back on Sept. 2.
KICKOFF RETURN TOUCHDOWN — Foxcroft Academy junior Kemsley Marsters returned the opening kickoff of the second half against Oak Hill on Oct. 28 77 yards for a touchdown. A few minutes later Marsters had a 30-yard pick six as the Ponies finished the regular season at 7-1 with a 47-6 victory. Junior Hunter McSorley (75) was among the blockers paving the way for Marsters.
After opting to defer against Oak Hill (the team fell to 2-6 and will be the seventh seed in the playoffs), the Foxcroft defense forced a three-and-out. Four plays moved the football from the Raider 49-yard line to the 3. On first-and-goal junior quarterback Wyatt Rayfield threw a pitch pass to senior Caden Crocker and he went up the middle for the touchdown. Junior Kemsley Marsters followed with the PAT for what would turn out to be the game-winning point.
Oak Hill did get into Pony territory on its next drive, but Foxcroft forced an incompletion on a 4th-and-12 to take over at the team’s own 27. On 2nd-and-10 Rayfield hit junior Jadon Richard deep down the field. Richard broke away from the defensive back after making the reception for a 73-yard touchdown.
Rayfield ended the night with four touchdown passes, on an 8-of-10, 242-yard performance. In the fourth quarter he completed a 56-yard touchdown pass to junior Jackson Smith and a 75-yard scoring play to Crocker. The Richard touchdown helped him accumulate 119 receiving yards on three catches.
MINIMAL GAIN – Juniors Jackson Smith and Kemsley Marsters tackle Oak Hill junior Adam Hinkley during the third quarter, with Raider sophomore Nate Dillman (21) and senior Alex Hinkley (78) looking on.
Nearly four minutes into the second quarter Marsters brought a punt back to the Oak Hill-28 after a three-and-out. On the first play from scrimmage freshman Finn Holmes got the carry and he ran 28 yards up the middle for a touchdown and 21-0 lead.
Marsters would further showcase his versatility early in the second half. He caught Oak Hill’s kickoff at the Foxcroft-23 yard line and found a seam down the right sideline. With a wall of blockers paving the way Marsters scored on a 77-yard kickoff return.
On the ensuing series Oak Hill faced a 3rd-and-5 inside its own territory. A pass over the middle was intercepted by Marsters at the Raider-30. As he had done several minutes prior, he returned the football the other way into the end zone. Marsters’ PAT made the score 35-0 to enact the running clock. He ended the evening having scored 17 points between his two touchdowns and five PATs. The Foxcroft defense made three interceptions.
FIRST DOWN RECEPTION – Pony junior Jackson Smith makes the reception for a 24-yard play during the second quarter of Foxcroft’s regular season finale against Oak Hill. Smith later had a 56-yard touchdown reception.
The Ponies will be playing at Oakes Field at least one more time this season, but members of the Class of 2022 from the football and cheering teams and their families were recognized prior to kickoff. Seniors are Cameron Chase, Garret Chase, Caden Crocker. Kholton Perry, Brayden Rogers, Douglas Rowe, DJ Scheel, Levi Strout, and Minh Troung. Senior cheering team members are Ava Benson and Alayna Hawkes.
FOOTBALL
Foxcroft 47
Oak Hill 6
OH 0 0 0 6 | 6
FA 7 14 14 12 | 47
First: F — Crocker 3 yds from Rayfield (Marsters kick)
Second: F — Richard 73 yds from Rayfield (Marsters kick)
F — Holmes 28 yds (Marsters kick)
Third: F — Marsters 77-yd kickoff return (Marsters kick)
F — Marsters 30-yd Int return (Marsters kick)
Fourth: O — Drew 32 yds (pass fail)
F — J. Smith 56 yds from Rayfield (kick blocked)
F — Crocker 75 yds from Rayfield (kick wide)
Passing: O — Scott 6-of-16 30 yds 3 Int
F — Rayfield 8-of-10 242 yds 4 TD
Receiving: O — Drew 3, 29 yds; Dillard 2, 3 yds; Hinkley 1, -2 yds
F — Richard 3, 119 yds TD; Crocker 3, 47 yds 2 TD; J. Smith 2, 76 yds TD
Rushing: O — Drew 18, 99 yds TD; Scott 11, 29 yds; Hinkley 9, 23 yds, Dillard 1, 18 yds; Smith 2, 7 yds
F — Holmes 2, 68 yds TD; Crocker 1, 7 yds; Chase 4, 0 yds; Rayfield 1, -3 yds
Records: O 2-6, F 7-1