Roncalli defense gang tackles Franklin Central running back Bryce Danzer (22).
(PHOTOS BY JOHN SMITH)
(PHOTOS BY JOHN SMITH)
By Al Stilley
Editor
Roncalli recovered from an opening night triple-overtime loss at Ft. Wayne Dwenger with a determined defense and ground-based offense Friday that upended visiting Franklin Central, 21-7 in a battle of ranked teams.
“As good as our defense played and as much as the offense needed to improve, the question about our week was, ‘How are we going to respond?’” Roncalli coach Sam Otley said. “Our linemen prepared and put themselves in position for a game like this. I’m proud of the way our guys responded from last week.”
In a true battle at the line of scrimmage, Roncalli was quiet but efficient in holding the Flashes to only one touchdown one week after the Flashes defeated Plainfield 31-7. The Royals’ defense also held FC to a mere 68 yards rushing on 23 carries. And during a tense second half, the Royals stopped FC on all five of their drives without a score.
Trailing 14-0, the Flashes put Roncalli into the danger zone by going 79 yards in five plays capped by quarterback Caiden Marsden’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Rian Frazier with four seconds left before halftime. The winning drive was set up by a 48-yard pass from Marsden to DJ Mitchell.
Roncalli kicked off to FC to begin the third quarter but the Royals defense not only stopped that drive but four more drives to hold the Flashes scoreless in the second half.
Meanwhile, Roncalli went 56 yards in six plays for its third TD, a drive capped by Luke Roeder’s seven-yard run with 2:54 left in the game.
Roncalli’s first half scores came on Alex Jarvis’ two-yard plunge in the first quarter and a 20-yard pass from quarterback Kallen Stahley to Roeder for 22 yards in the second quarter. Jarvis was a workhorse that rushed 31 times for 192 yards.
Linebacker Carson Keller led the Royals’ defense with 12 tackles, but it was the soft-spoken d-line’s hard-nosed play that also thwarted the Flashes on both sides.
“That’s just one touchdown in two games,” praised lineman Legend Williams who had three tackles. “We saw what they did on film and wanted to stop it and we did.”
Sophomore lineman Luke Schott added, “Getting stops, that’s what we do. Every time they got the ball, we just wanted to punch them in the mouth.”
FC’s defense, led by Michigan commit Jayce Brewer’s nine tackles, also featured Amarius Armstead and Andrew Harmon with nine tackles apiece.
Roncalli (1-1) is at home Friday against rival Bishop Chatard (2-0). FC (1-1) hosts reigning two-time state champ Brownsburg (2-0).
Editor
Roncalli recovered from an opening night triple-overtime loss at Ft. Wayne Dwenger with a determined defense and ground-based offense Friday that upended visiting Franklin Central, 21-7 in a battle of ranked teams.
“As good as our defense played and as much as the offense needed to improve, the question about our week was, ‘How are we going to respond?’” Roncalli coach Sam Otley said. “Our linemen prepared and put themselves in position for a game like this. I’m proud of the way our guys responded from last week.”
In a true battle at the line of scrimmage, Roncalli was quiet but efficient in holding the Flashes to only one touchdown one week after the Flashes defeated Plainfield 31-7. The Royals’ defense also held FC to a mere 68 yards rushing on 23 carries. And during a tense second half, the Royals stopped FC on all five of their drives without a score.
Trailing 14-0, the Flashes put Roncalli into the danger zone by going 79 yards in five plays capped by quarterback Caiden Marsden’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Rian Frazier with four seconds left before halftime. The winning drive was set up by a 48-yard pass from Marsden to DJ Mitchell.
Roncalli kicked off to FC to begin the third quarter but the Royals defense not only stopped that drive but four more drives to hold the Flashes scoreless in the second half.
Meanwhile, Roncalli went 56 yards in six plays for its third TD, a drive capped by Luke Roeder’s seven-yard run with 2:54 left in the game.
Roncalli’s first half scores came on Alex Jarvis’ two-yard plunge in the first quarter and a 20-yard pass from quarterback Kallen Stahley to Roeder for 22 yards in the second quarter. Jarvis was a workhorse that rushed 31 times for 192 yards.
Linebacker Carson Keller led the Royals’ defense with 12 tackles, but it was the soft-spoken d-line’s hard-nosed play that also thwarted the Flashes on both sides.
“That’s just one touchdown in two games,” praised lineman Legend Williams who had three tackles. “We saw what they did on film and wanted to stop it and we did.”
Sophomore lineman Luke Schott added, “Getting stops, that’s what we do. Every time they got the ball, we just wanted to punch them in the mouth.”
FC’s defense, led by Michigan commit Jayce Brewer’s nine tackles, also featured Amarius Armstead and Andrew Harmon with nine tackles apiece.
Roncalli (1-1) is at home Friday against rival Bishop Chatard (2-0). FC (1-1) hosts reigning two-time state champ Brownsburg (2-0).
Carson Keller (31), Charlie Neu (41), Mikey Dillon (5), and Will Hegwood (1) lead Roncalli onto Bob Tully Field for their first home game of the new season against Franklin Central.
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