Ponies run wild in Homecoming victory vs. Hermon
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy started the second half of the regular season in a big way as the Ponies hosted Hermon High School in a Homecoming contest on the evening of Oct. 2.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FENDING OFF A COUPLE OF PESKY HAWKS — Foxcroft sophomore quarterback Nick Clawson looks to stiff arm Hermon junior Connor Magliozzi and run away from junior Alex Leathers during a Oct. 2 contest at Oakes Field. The Ponies won big during the team’s 2015 Homecoming game, jumping out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter, 49-0 halftime advantage and winning by a final score of 62-16.
Foxcroft found the endzone four times in the first quarter, seven times in the first half and limited the visiting Hawks to just a single non-penalty first down in the opening 24 minutes to build a 49-0 lead. The seven-touchdown advantage enabled much of the roster to get onto the field before the Homecoming crowd as the Ponies gave the fans plenty to cheer for in a 62-16 victory. Foxcroft improved to 2-3 while Hermon fell to 0-5.
After electing to receive, Hermon was forced to punt from the team’s own 14-yard line on the opening series. Freshman Jeremy Richard caught the short punt and returned the ball to the Hawk-17 to set Foxcroft up with great field position in the redzone.
After three plays the ball was at the 10. Sophomore quarterback Nick Clawson took the shotgun snap from senior center Michael Pendriss and Clawson ran untouched up the middle for the first Pony touchdown of the night. Senior Nate Church followed with the PAT, with Richard holding, to start his 8-for-9 kicking night.
On the next drive Richard picked off a pass by Hermon junior Connor Magliozzi at the Pony-46. Just over two minutes later senior Zachary Caron found a hole in the middle of the Hawk defense as he ran 35 yards for the touchdown.
Hermon turned the ball over on its next possession, this time on a fumble which Pony senior Brandon Brock fell on at the Hawk 24-yard line. Two plays later Brock got the carry and while the defense may have been able to get a hand on the ball carrier, Brock could not be brought down on the 24-yard touchdown run. The Ponies added one more touchdown in the opening quarter, mixing it up through the air as junior Nick Dyer was on the receiving end of a 17-yard scoring pass from Clawson in the left side of the endzone.
The visitor’s struggles continued despite a switch in directions for the second quarter. On a punt attempt the snap to freshman Austin Morse was high, and the punter was tackled at his team’s own 10-yard line before he could boot the ball away. One play was all Brock needed to go through the right side of the line for the score and what would be a 35-0 lead with Church’s PAT. Brock ended up with touchdowns on two of his three rushing attempts.
Hermon would have to attempt a punt again after senior Tanner Strout made his second straight third down sack. This Hawk punt got off as senior Joe Villavicencio caught the ball inside Hermon territory near the left sideline. Villavicencio then cut right and ran along that sideline with the return team in perfect position as he scored the special teams touchdown.
Late in the first half head coach Danny White began to send in some of his non-starters to take advantage of the big lead. A stop on fourth-and-11 gave the new look Pony offense the ball at the Hermon-44 with just under three minutes before the half.
Two carries by junior David Salley, who ended up leading his team with 75 yards on the ground in eight attempts, for 25 yards and a pair of flags for facemasks by Hermon put the football at the Hawk-10 for a third-and-goal. Salley ran the ball through the right of the line for a touchdown with two seconds on the clock. Church’s seventh PAT of the first half made the game 49-0.
The 62 points were the most for Foxcroft in 2015, and surpassed the total of 57 accumulated by the team in its previous four games.
The Ponies will travel to Winslow High School (5-0) to face the defending Class C state champions on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
PONY BALL — Junior Evan Chadbourne makes the correct call as Foxcroft senior Brandon Brock recovered a Hermon fumble in the first quarter. Two plays later Brock scored on a 24-yard run.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
SHINING ON SPECIAL TEAMS — Senior Zachary Caron brought a punt back from near the 50-yard line for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter against Hermon on Oct. 2. Caron and senior Joe Villavicencio both scored on punt returns.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
GASHING THE DEFENSE— Hermon freshman Garrett Trask brings down Pony junior David Salley on a tackle during the third quarter. Salley gained a team-high 75 yards on eight carries, including a 10-yard touchdown run at the end of the first half.
FOOTBALL
Foxcroft 62,
Hermon 16
HER 0 0 0 16 – 16
FA 28 21 7 6 – 62
First qtr: F – Clawson 10 yds
(Church kick); F – Caron 35 yds
(Church kick); F – Br. Brock 24 yds
(Church kick); F – Dyer 17 yds
from Clawson (Church kick).
Second qtr: F – Br. Brock 10 yds
(Church kick); F – Villavicencio
39-yd punt return (Church kick);
F – Salley 10 yds (Church kick).
Third qtr: F – Caron 47-yd punt
return (Church kick).
Fourth qtr: H – Trask 33 yds
(Carmichael rush); F – No. 14 3 yds
(kick wide); H – Trask 24 yds
(Carmichael from Trask).
Passing: F – Clawson 1-for-4
17 yds TD; Laffin 0-for-3.
H – Magliozzi 1-for-6
7 yds Int.
Receiving: F – Dyer 1,
17 yds TD.
H – Hartford 1, 7 yds.
Rushing: F – Salley 8,
75 yds TD; Caron 3, 51 yds
TD; Br. Brock 3, 36 yds
2 TD; Clawson 3, 35 yds
TD; Laffin 3, 5 yds.
H – Trask 6, 79 yds 2 TD;
Kiritsky 3, 48 yds; Page
9, 13 yds; Shelley 3, 10
yds; Carmichael 2, 8 yds;
Morse 8, 6 yds.
Records: F 2-3; H 0-5.