Detroit -- In a matchup marked by strong defenses, Fr. Gabriel Richard of Ann Arbor prevailed to take down Divine Child of Dearborn by a score of 14 to 0 at the Prep Bowl’s first high school contest at Ford Field on Saturday.
The first of the Fr. Gabriel Richard Fighting Irish’s two touchdowns came at the beginning of the second half. A Divine Child fumble that gave the Fighting Irish the football on the Divine Child 24 yard line proved crucial. A play after it happened, Fr. Gabriel Richard senior quarterback Don Eaton unleashed a touchdown pass to his classmate Joey Birchler. The conversion gave the Fighting Irish the game’s first and only lead.
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Although the Divine Child Falcons were effective through much of the day moving the ball between the 30 yard lines, they weren’t able to get deep into Fighting Irish territory.
The Fighting Irish added insurance points with a 98-yard drive that took up most of the fourth quarter. Eaton ran the ball into the end zone with 2:15 left in the game. The subsequent drive by the Falcons fell short on a fourth down pass play, sealing the shutout.
While the first half ended without a score, it certainly wasn’t without its opportunities.
The Fighting Irish opened the game with an impressive 71-yard drive, converting on a couple of third down plays. A 24-yard scramble by Fr. Gabriel Richard senior quarterback Don Eaton brought the Fighting Irish to the Divine Child 12 yard line.
But the Divine Child defense held strong, forcing an incomplete pass under heavy pressure on a 3rd down and seven. On the next play, a 26-yard field goal attempt by senior Ryan Jenkins was off the mark.
Divine Child converted a couple of key 3rd down plays of its own on the ensuing drive, which lasted into the second period. A sack on a third-and-long led by Fr. Gabriel Richard junior middle linebacker Dallas Hartsell forced a Divine Child punt to end that possession.
For the rest of the second quarter, it would be the Fighting Irish struggling to earn a first down. They were forced to punt from their own 35 yard line on a fourth-and-one.
Fueled by hard running, the Falcons rolled back down the field to the Fighting Irish 29 yard line but fell literally just inches shy of a first down. Eight plays later – following a three-and-out on three straight Fighting Irish incomplete passes – Divine Child looked to be rolling again, converting a fourth-and-one to cross midfield.
With the offense in two-minute mode, Divine Child just missed on a 38-yard pass play when a ball thrown by sophomore wide receiver Chris Martain sailed through the hands of senior wide receiver Jimmy Hughes at the goal line.
With 12 seconds left on a fourth down, Divine Child opted to try a 50 yard field goal. Junior kicker Andrew Fulan appeared to have put enough leg into it, but the ball was to the left of the uprights.
By halftime, the Fighting Irish had 80 yards of total offense; the Falcons had 98. But just having forced consecutive three-and-outs, momentum was on the side of the Divine Child Defense.
