09/19/05
Delhi turns to Hood, defense to nip Unatego
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
By P.J. Harmer
Staff Writer
DELHI — Delhi found a solution for its turnover-prone offens
| | | Contributed photo by Dan Lentz
Unatego’s Owen Moss makes a catch in front of Delhi’s Josh Wake during the first half of Saturday’s Division V game. |
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e Saturday: Give the ball to Brenton Hood.
Junior Hood ran 25 times for 179 yards to lead the Bulldogs past Unatego, 14-13, in a Division V football game at Dave Kelly Field.
The Spartans (1-2, 0-1) missed an extra point with 6 minutes, 31 seconds left that would have tied the score.
Hood put Delhi (3-0, 1-0) ahead after a sloppy first half during which the Bulldogs fumbled three times and had a pass intercepted.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Hood carried 16 times for 117 yards in the second half, including touchdowns on back-to-back carries in the third quarter.
"He’s seeing things very well — like a guy who has been a two-year starter," said Delhi coach Dave Kelly, whose team is ranked fourth in the state in Class C. "He’s become a very solid back."
Hood scored on a 7-yard run with 2:07 left in the third quarter and added the conversion run for an 8-6 lead.
On Unatego’s first play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Kevin Campbell threw over the middle but was intercepted by Geoff Rosa, who tipped the ball into the air and stayed with it long enough to grab his fourth interception of the year.
"I saw (Campbell’s) eyes look toward the middle," Rosa said. "Kind of on instinct, I tipped it. I thought it was going to fall, but it popped up and fell to me."
On the first play after the turnover, Hood broke a 51-yard TD run. He slipped through three defenders at the line, shifted to his left and used his speed to pull away.
Helping to set up the hole was guard Mike Rama, who led Hood around the corner.
"I came around the corner, saw it clear out and took off," Hood said. "I saw open grass."
Said Kelly: "We needed that breakaway big-time. He had one tackle to go through, then it was a case of good speed."
Hood’s running wouldn’t have mattered much if not for a stingy effort by Delhi’s defense. The Bulldogs continually denied Unatego points off turnovers in the first half.
"Delhi’s defense played us very well," Unatego coach John Mushtare said. "We had a very difficult time running the ball throughout the game."
Defensive tackles Jeff Daye (6-foot-5, 320 pounds) and Kevin Rossley (6-3, 280) didn’t give Unatego’s backs any room up the middle. The Spartans managed 74 yards on the ground, the majority coming outside, when they avoided Daye and Rossley by using the option.
Even then, the largest gain from a Unatego back was a 12-yard run by Allen Knowlton in the first quarter.
"When you turn the ball over four times in the first half, your defense better play well or you don’t have a chance," Kelly said. "Our kids stepped up every time."
Unatego (1-2, 0-1) had its best success through the air. Campbell finished 12 of 23 for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
His first TD pass gave Unatego the lead with 9:55 remaining in the second quarter when he connected with Joe Innes for a 7-yard score. Matt Shelton’s extra point made it 7-0.
After falling behind, 14-7, in the third quarter, the Spartans engineered a 16-play drive that ate 7 minutes off the clock.
The Spartans ended up with a third-and-goal from Delhi’s 5. A false start pushed the Spartans back to the 10, and Delhi’s Rossley dropped Campbell for a 1-yard loss on third down.
On fourth down, Campbell again found Innes in the right corner of the end zone for an 11-yard score with 6:31 left.
"(Campbell) threw very well," Mushtare said. "The offensive line did a great job protecting him."
Shelton’s extra-point attempt sailed wide right.
The Spartans got the ball back with 1:45 left and drove to Delhi’s 39. However, Campbell’s pass on fourth-and-8 with 34 seconds left fell incomplete.
Delhi then ran out the clock.
DELHI 14, UNATEGO 13
Unatego 7 0 0 6 — 13
Delhi 0 0 14 0 — 14
