Almont holds off Marysville, 24-21

ALMONT — Almont built a 24-7 advantage midway through quarter number four and held on for a 24-21 win against visiting Marysville in a non-league varsity football battle last Thursday night.

It was the season-opener for both combatants.

In Thursday’s battle, Almont and Marysville ended the opening quarter with zero points each.

Quarter two saw Almont collect 17 points and Marysville generate seven.

That was followed by a scoreless third quarter.

Almont then withstood a 14-7 fourth quarter rally, holding on for a 24-21 win when the final second ticked off the clock.

The triumphant Almont side produced their 24-point total aided by a Sean O’Neil 32-yard field goal; a Colten Karbel two-yard run (followed by a successful extra point kick courtesy of O’Neil); a Blake Lane to Matthew Bacholzky 16-yard touchdown pass (followed by an accurate extra point boot from O’Neil); and a Lane 11-yard touchdown run (followed by a successful extra point kick courtesy of O’Neil).

For the evening, Lane completed four of eight pass plays for 62 yards as Almont’s quarterback. He threw one interception en route to those numbers.

His successful tosses went to three different targets. Their ranks consisted of Logan Schapman (two catches for 36 yards), Bacholzky (one reception for 16 yards) and Brody Corneau (one catch for 10 yards).

The Almont ground attack wound up with 313 yards on 60 totes.

Corneau (15 rushes for 89 yards), Bacholzky (86 yards on 17 carries), Jacob Stewart (14 rushes for 76 yards) and Lane (44 yards on four carries) proved Almont’s toughest players to stop. The remaining 10 Raider rushes netted a combined 18-yard gain.

Cohen Ferqueron (one solo and six assists) posted Almont’s highest tackle total. He was backed by Karbel (five assists) along with Gordon Stolecki, Dominic Medley and Bacholzky (three assists each).

The Almont defense also registered one takeaway. Corneau (an interception) furnished that.

Almont returns to action this Friday when it entertains Imlay City. The Blue Water Area Conference matchup lists a 7 p.m. starting time.