By Rob Potter
GLEN SPEY — September 10, 2010 — The Eldred Yellowjackets started their 2010 football season with a win, but they needed some extra time to do so.
Eldred defeated the visiting Deposit/Hancock Eagles, 20-18, in overtime on Saturday afternoon at Brookwood Camp near Glen Spey.
With the score knotted at 12-12 at the end of the fourth quarter, each team received a possession in overtime. Eldred took the ball first and scored on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Adam Schoch to Matt Balcom. Schoch then threw the 2-point conversion pass to Balcom over the middle to give the Yellowjackets a 20-12 lead.
On its possession, Deposit/Hancock (0-1) answered as Mubarik Sommerville caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Lenio. But on the 2-point conversion play, Eldred’s Zak Dilles intercepted Lenio’s pass to seal the Yellowjackets’ victory.
The Eagles took a 6-0 lead with 6:23 to go in the first quarter when Shakeel Harris recovered a fumble in the end zone.
But Eldred (1-0) evened the score just two minutes later as Schoch threw a 64-yard TD pass to Chas Wolff.
With 22 seconds left in the second quarter, Eric Hicks ran for a 14-yard touchdown to give the Eagles a 12-6 advantage.
The Yellowjackets tied the score at 12-12 with 3:05 to go in the fourth quarter on a 76-yard touchdown pass from Schoch to Wolff.
Schoch completed 8-of-13 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Wolff and Balcom each had four receptions. Wolff had 156 receiving yards and two TDs, while Balcom had 29 receiving yards, a TD and the 2-point conversion.
Jordan Tice was Eldred’s leading rusher with 66 yards on 18 carries.
Linebackers Geno Jones, Dylan Kulik and Tice led the Yellowjackets’ defense. Jones made seven solo tackles and 11 assisted tackles and intercepted a pass. Tice recorded eight solo tackles and nine assists and Kulik had six solo tackles and eight assists.
“That was a big win,” Eldred Coach Mike Paradisis said. “Our guys made some big plays and really came through today.
“Adam Schoch had a great day for his first varsity game,” Paradisis continued. “Everybody played well today. It was a great way to start the season.”
Evan Thomas gained 52 yards on 13 rushes to lead the Eagles’ offense, while Gavin Tarbox added 30 yards on five carries.
Frank Couse led the Deposit/Hancock defense with eight tackles and a quarterback sack. Thomas and Eric Hicks each recorded six tackles for the Eagles.
“Eldred was able to pass the ball well and that’s how they scored all three times,” Deposit/Hancock Coach Terry Raymond said. “We were able to move the ball pretty well, but we had too many mistakes.”
Raymond praised his players for “playing with a lot of effort.
“But we have some things we will be working on in practice,” he said.