By Rob Potter
ELDRED — Two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter helped the Livingston Manor/Roscoe Devilcats record a 25-8 victory over the host Eldred Yellowjackets on Thursday night in a Section IX Class D football game.
Entering the fourth quarter, LMR held a slim 12-8 lead over Eldred. But two TDs in the final three minutes of the quarter allowed the Devilcats to earn the 17-point win.
Mike Mills scored the first of those touchdowns for LMR on a 30-yard run with 2:10 remaining. The Yellowjackets stopped the Devilcats on the two-point conversion attempt, but the Devilcats still held an 18-8 advantage.
Eldred (1-2, 0-1 Class D) tried to reduce the LMR lead on its subsequent possession. But on first down, LMR linebacker Kenny Fisk intercepted a pass by Anthony Margarum and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. Fisk then made the extra-point kick to give the Devilcats a 25-8 lead.
After a scoreless first quarter, Eldred took a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter. With 10:40 displayed on the scoreboard clock, Margarum ran 7 yards into the end zone to complete a nine-play, 65-yard drive.
LMR (2-1, 1-0 Class D) tied the game at 6-6 less than two minutes later. Mike Mills threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Troy Correa with 9:00 remaining until halftime.
The Yellowjackets regained the lead at 8-6 with 6:33 left until the intermission. LMR was deep in its own territory and a bad snap sent the ball into the end zone. Devilcats’ fullback Joe Fredenburg covered the ball while it was still in the end zone, which gave Eldred a safety.
Mills and Correa led the Devilcats’ offensive attack. Mills carried the ball 14 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed 4 of 8 passes for 57 yards and a a TD. Correa had seven carries for 62 yards and caught one pass for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Also helping the Devilcats’ offense were Fisk, Fredenburg and Chad Rosario. Fisk had three receptions for 35 yards, Fredenburg ran five times for 13 yards and Rosario rushed seven times for 48 yards.
“First of all, you have to give Eldred credit,” LMR Co-Coach Fred Ahart said. “Eldred played a very good game tonight. [Eldred Coach] Pat Kean, the assistant coaches and players deserve a lot of credit.”
Ahart was also quick to praise the Devilcats.
“Those two touchdowns we had in the fourth quarter were big,” he said. “Mike [Mills] had a good run on the first touchdown. Then Kenny [Fisk] made a good play on the interception and ran it back for a touchdown.
“We made some mistakes early in the game,” Ahart added. “But we kept our heads up and made some good plays. We took advantage of the breaks we got.”
Kean, who is in his first season of guiding the Yellowjackets, saw some positives from his team.
“We worked really hard out there tonight,” he said. “I thought both teams played with a lot of heart for all four quarters.”
Kean noted that Mills’ fourth-quarter touchdown run “really hurt us.
“When you only score eight points, you are not going to win many games,” he commented. “We’ll improve our offense as the season goes along.”
Kean noted that Fisk’s interception for a touchdown was another big play in the game.
“Before the play, we could hear their sideline saying ‘Watch for the screen,’” Kean said. “He [Fisk] saw the pass coming and made a great play.”
Senior halfback Jordan Tice led the Yellowjackets by running the ball 16 times for 61 yards.
“They were a very tough 61 yards,” Kean explained.
Margarum carried the ball 13 times for 56 yards.
The Yellowjackets’ defense was led by Zak Dilles, Anthony Moriggia and Adam Schoch. Dilles made nine solo tackles, while Moriggia and Schoch each had six solo tackles.