Raiders overpower Spartans, 45-15

TRI-CITY AREA — Almont outscored host Imlay City, 45-15, in a Blue Water Area Conference varsity football meeting last Friday night.

With the result, Almont improves to 2-0 and 1-0. Imlay City slips to 0-2 and 0-1.

“I liked the way the boys played tonight,” Almont Coach James Leusby commented. “Our guys came into the game focused and ready for the challenge,” he noted.

On the opposite sideline, Imlay City Coach Dave Brown gave credit where it was due.

“Almont is a solid team across the board,” Brown commented. “I am proud of our boys; they came to compete but in the end we couldn’t contain their explosive plays,” he noted.

In Friday’s meeting, Almont took a 15-7 advantage after one quarter was over with.

The middle two quarters saw Almont collect 37 total points and Imlay City manage seven, pushing their cushion to 45-7 with 36 minutes gone.

Imlay City then put together an 8-0 fourth quarter rally, only to fall 45-15.

Almont produced their 45-point total aided by a Luke Winkler 54-yard punt return (followed by a PAT tote by Jacob Fuller); a Winkler 59-yard touchdown run (followed by an accurate extra point boot from O’Neil); a Winkler 52-yard touchdown run; a Matthew Bacholzky 25-yard touchdown run (followed by a successful extra point kick by O’Neil); an O’Neil 25-yard field goal; a Colten Karbel 15-yard touchdown run (followed by an accurate extra point boot from O’Neil); and a Ben Nickrand 23-yard touchdown run (followed by a successful extra point kick courtesy of O’Neil).

Imlay City registered their 15-point output thanks to a Matt Evans to Travis Tramontana one-yard touchdown pass (followed by an accurate extra boot from Andrew Cezik); and an Evans two-yard touchdown run (followed by an Evans PAT tote).

Chase Davedowski completed one of two pass plays for 30 yards as Almont’s quarterback. He threw zero interceptions along the way.

Nolan Maxlow had the lone Almont reception.

The Almont ground attack chewed up 337 yards of territory on 27 totes.

Winkler (three rushes for 114 yards), Fuller (66 yards on six totes) Jacob Stewart (three rushes for 56 yards) and Karbel (40 yards on six totes) registered Almont’s top individual outputs. The remaining nine Raider rushes netted a combined 67-yard gain.

Cohen Ferqueron (seven solos and two assists) and Dustin Claeys (two solos and seven assists) posted the highest Almont tackle totals. Ryder Baker (seven assists) plus Dominic Medley and Bacholzky (four solos and one assist each) supported their performances.

Almont also registered one takeaway. Claeys (a fumble recovery) furnished that.

Evans wound up eight of 15 passing for 105 yards as Imlay City’s quarterback. He threw no interceptions en rout to those numbers.

His successful tosses were distributed to four different targets. Tanner Land (four catches for 55 yards), Tramontana (two receptions for six yards), Cezik (one catch for 29 yards) and Noah Graboyes (one reception for 13 yards) formed that group.

The Imlay City ground attack generated 151 yards on 38 totes.

Individually, Tramontana (12 rushes for 58 yards) and Land (42 yards on 12 totes) paced Imlay City. The remaining 14 Spartan rushes netted a combined 51 yards.

Evans and Land (four apiece) provided the top Imlay City tackle totals. They were backed by Trace Dennis and Graboyes (three stops each).

Almont returns to action this Friday when it hosts Yale, while Imlay City entertains North Branch. Those BWAC clashes are scheduled for 7 p.m.