Highlanders roll to 28-0 halftime lead on way to shutout of Falcons
You’re unlikely to hear “rebuilding year,” “young team,” “graduation losses” or other coach-isms as an excuse for Rochester Adams. Even though the Highlanders are two seasons removed from an appearance in the Division 1 state finals and return just two starters from last year, they still pack a lot of punch.
Just ask Rochester. The Falcons, one of the better teams in the Oakland Activities Association White Division, were no match for their Red Division hosts, who rolled to a 35-0 home victory.
Adams (2-0) methodically found the end zone, scoring on each of their first-half possessions to build a 28-0 lead.
Taking the opening kickoff, Adams marched 80 yards in 12-play drive. Quarterback Ryland Watters ran the ball five times, gaining 33 yards, and completed a pair of passes to tight end Brady Prieskorn for 29 more. Fullback Matteo Humbert scored on a 1-yard plunge 5:27 into the game.
Rochester (0-2) fumbled twice on its opening possession, turning the ball over on the second occurrence as Louis Stevanovski pounced on the loose ball at the Adams 46.
The Highlanders took off on another 12-play scoring drive which followed a similar route: six more rushes by Watters and a completion to Prieskorn to get into the red zone. Drew Heppner ran the final yard to make it 14-0 8:49 before the half.
Although Rochester took better care of the ball from that point on, they couldn’t crack the Adams defense.
The Falcons went three-and-out, and Adams capitalized by returning a punt to the 11yard line. Four plays later, Humbert broke the plane on a 2-yard burst, hiking the lead to three touchdowns.
Adams packed in another score in the waning seconds of the first half. Rochester was hoping to make some headway, but three consecutive tackles for losses by Liam Kania and Prieskorn caused a fourth-and-27 for the Falcons at their 18. A heavy rush forced a bad punt which was downed at the 31 with 35 seconds to play.
The Highlanders went for the kill, with Watters hitting Gavin Ferris in the flat. Ferris was able to take the ball the remainder of the way into the end zone for a 28-0 advantage.
After a scoreless third quarter, the game went into running-clock mode when Watters
scored on a 4-yard run in the first minute of the fourth.
Although this was a highly-competitive
rivalry when Rochester was a two-high school district, Adams has now beaten Rochester the last 27 times in a row.