Rochester, MI — Community energy and team spirit were at an all-time high following the pre-game Goldrush Tailgate to celebrate the crosstown rivalry between Rochester Adams and Rochester High. The Highlanders kick off to start the game and the coverage team swarms the returner with a group tackle led by Tait Picot, Matt Reed and Josh Vokal. The Falcons start with the ball from their own 23-yard line and get a short gain on first down as Rocco Orsini meets the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage. The Falcons complete a second-down pass for 8 yards and Parker Picot makes the tackle, setting up third and short. A four-yard run after a stop by Griffin Henke gives the Falcons a first and ten from the 36-yard line. RHS picks up five yards on a first-down pass, but the Falcons are pushed out of bounds by Christian Schomer. On second down, the mighty Alex DeGrieck flushes the QB out of the pocket, but the Falcons scramble to complete the pass for a long gain down to the 33-yard line before being pushed out of bounds by Marco DiCresce. With first and ten from the 33, the Falcons run the ball for a gain of one, and the tackle is made by Tait Picot and Hassan Murray. The second-down pass play results in a touchdown and the extra point is good. Adams 0 – Rochester 7 With 8:47 left in the first quarter, Joey Shallow returns the kick 19 yards to the 38-yard line and the Highlanders begin their first offensive series of the game. Shallow picks up five yards on the first-down run. On second down, Parker Picot picks up 11 yards for a first down at the 46-yard line. A Falcon penalty sets up first and five. After a short gain on first down, Parker Picot scores on a 39-yard touchdown run! The extra point is good with Luke Stockoski on the snap, Nick Paterra on the hold and Colin Timko with the kick. Adams 7 – Rochester 7 With 6:17 left in the first quarter, the Highlanders see great blocking on the scoring play from Brady Prieskorn and Shallow to open up the running lane and the offensive line of Finn Tobiczyk, Andrew Rolfs, Rocco Orsini, Nick Stokan and Alex DeGrieck. Timko booms the kick-off through the back of the endzone for a touchback, putting the Falcons at their 20-yard line. On a first-down run, RHS picks up five yards and the ball carrier is knocked out of bounds by Paterra. DiCresce gets a QB sack on the second-down pass attempt for a loss of four on the play, with an assist from Henke for defending the screen pass attempt. On third and nine, the Highlander defense would prevail as Christian Schomer defends the pass attempt, leading to a fourth-down punt that rolls out of bounds at the 46-yard line. Highlanders begin with first and ten from the 46. They misfire on two pass attempts and the third-down run is met with no gain. Parker Picot’s punt rolls out of bounds at the 12-yard line, setting up a Falcons first and ten with 4:21 in the first quarter. Max Cibor and Orsini stop the first-down run after a gain of four and the Falcons pick up the first down through the air, with Parker Picot making the tackle at the 36-yard line. On first down, Prieskorn stops the running back for a one-yard loss. Falcons complete the second-down pass play with Paterra making the tackle at the 47-yard line and RHS has first and ten. The first-down running attempt is stopped behind the line by Cibor and Orsini for a loss of two. The second-down pass is incomplete, but a roughing-the-passer call sets up a first and ten from the Highlander 39-yard line. Pressure from DeGrieck results in an incomplete pass on first down. Falcons pick up 11 on second down, with a tackle by Parker Picot, setting up first and ten from the 28. Tait Picot makes the tackle on the first-down run for a gain of only one yard to end the first quarter. The second quarter begins with the game tied at 7-7. The Falcons pick up 20 yards on a pass, and Parker Picot makes the tackle just inside our 10-yard line, setting up first and goal. On first down they complete a pass down to the 1-yard line, with Parker Picot on the tackle. The Highlanders goal line defense steps it up a notch, with DeGrieck and Orsini earning a tackle for loss on the second-down run, and Prieskorn pressuring the QB into an incompletion on third down. The Falcons are held to a 20-yard field goal. Adams 7 - Rochester 10 With 9:52 remaining in the second quarter, the Highlander defense tightens up the coverage and provides pressure on the QB for the remainder of the game, making future drives unsuccessful for the Falcons. Damarcus Rouse returns the kick 15 yards to the 25-yard line. Parker Picot picks up 15 yards with a QB keeper on first down but the play is called back for a penalty making it first and 25 from our own 15 – no problem. Parker Picot keeps it and finds the left sideline for an 85-yard touchdown run. Timko’s PAT is good. The Highlanders take the lead and never look back. Adams 14 – Rochester 10 With 9:13 remaining in the second quarter, Timko kicks off into the endzone for a touchback. Falcons start at 20-yard line but are met with a QB sack from Tait Picot on first down, for a loss of eight on the play. DeGrieck picks up another big QB sack on second down – just missing the safety – with a loss of 11. This would set up a third and long from the Falcon 1-yard line. The third-down pass attempt is incomplete with Schomer on the coverage. Falcons punt and Schomer returns it to the Falcon 38- yard line. With a Highlander first and ten, Henke gains nine yards on three carries setting up a big fourth and one from the 29-yard line. On fourth down, Parker Picot spins his way to a two-yard gain and a first down. Parker Picot breaks free once again for another long touchdown run! A big block from a pulling Finn Tobiczyk helps provide the lane needed. Timko’s extra point is good. Adams 21 – Rochester 10 Falcons take over with 4:51 left in the second quarter. The ball is returned to the 19-yard line with John Rittner on the tackle. DiCresce picks up another sack on first down, with a loss of six on the play. The second pass is complete for a 4-yard gain. On third down, Tait Picot gets another sack, setting up fourth and long and a Falcon punt that is downed at the Highlander 48-yard line. Highlanders take over with first and ten and 2:26 remaining in the half. DiCresce picks up seven yards on the first-down pitch play. Picot strikes again on second down from 45 yard outs for a Highlanders TD. The running lane is opened up by Tobiczyk, Schomer and Prieskorn. Timko’s kick is good. Adams 28 – Rochester 10 The half isn’t over yet. With 1:47 left to go, Timko’s kick results in another touchback. The Falcons start the possession at the 20-yard line. Their first-down run is stopped by Prieskorn for a short gain and the second-down run is stopped by Tanner Buck and Henke. The Falcons run again, and are stopped by Rouse and Cibor, after they gained eight yards. The Falcons let the clock expire in the first half. The second half begins with a fair catch by Tait Picot and Highlanders on offense. Henke gets a short gain plus another seven, then Joey Shallow picks up the first down with a four-yard run. A 15-yard gain by Parker Picot moves the ball to the Falcon 38-yard line. The Highlanders recover their own fumble on first down for a two-yard loss, but Henke gains 12 yards on the second-down run, setting up third and two from the 29. A great second effort by Shallow gives the Highlanders just enough for the first down with the ball spotted at the 27-yard line. On first down, Griffin Henke runs the ball in from 27 yards out – touchdown Highlanders! Timko’s point after attempt is good. Adams 35 - Falcons 10 The Falcons return the kick to the 24-yard line where they are stopped abruptly by Braedy Limke with 7:08 left in the third quarter. The first-down run is stopped by DiCresce for no gain and the second-down pass is incomplete with Schomer on the coverage. After a penalty, the Falcons face third and 15 while the QB is flushed out of the pocket by Prieskorn and forced out of bounds by Paterra for no gain. The Falcons punt is downed at the 38-yard line with 5:56 left in the third quarter. After a short gain by DiCresce on first down, Paterra – now in at QB, gains 13 yards on second down for a first down with the ball at the Falcon 48. Paterra picks up four on first down, followed by a couple of runs from Henke to make it first and ten from the 38. Henke gains six on the run and Paterra’s second-down pass attempt to Prieskorn is incomplete. On third and four, the Highlanders go back to Henke who explodes for a 33-yard TD run. Big blocks come from Orsini and Will Krol on the TD run. Timko’s kick is good. Adams 42 – Rochester 10 Fielding the kick, the Falcons are swarmed by DiCresce, Vokal, and Limke at the 25-yard line. There is a tackle for loss by Henke and a QB sack by Broder Kawa that takes the Falcons back to their 16. The third-down pass attempt is intercepted by Max Cibor at the 43-yard line to end the third quarter. To start the final quarter, the Highlanders have first and long back at their own 39-yard line, following a holding and procedure penalty. Paterra get back 20 yards on the first-down run, setting up second and eight. After a short gain by Limke, Jacob Spinks breaks through the middle of the line for an 11-yard gain and a first down. With Kawa now in at QB, the Highlanders run the ball for a seven-yard gain by Rouse. After a penalty and a short run by Spinks, the Highlanders have third and long from the 28. After no gain by Greer on third down, Kawa’s fourth-down pass attempt is just out of the reach of WR Thomas Blaine. Falcons take over on downs with 6:16 left in the game. Stockoski and Josh Vokal stop the first-down run for a gain of only one. On second down, Buck stops the ball carrier for no gain, setting up third and nine for the Falcons. The third-down pass attempt is knocked away by Peyton Montour – forcing a Falcon punt. The punt is downed at the 37-yard line with 4:52 left to go. Rouse picks up a tough four yards on first down, followed by another 12 yards from Jake Sukkar. On first and ten from the Falcons 48, Kawa keeps the ball for a short gain. On second and nine from the 47-yard line, DJ Greer breaks out with a long TD run. There is great blocking on the edge from Murray, Mohid Imran and Rouse. The O-line on the scoring drive is Murray, Imran, Andre Creson, Liam Beattie and Julian Righter. Timko’s PAT is good. Adams 49 – Rochester 10 With 2:36 remaining in the game, Montour and Paxton Battershell force the return man for the Falcons out of bounds at the 36-yard line. Ryan Kevelighan gets a tackle for loss on first down. The second-down run is stopped by Kenny Davis and the third-down run is stopped by Hassan and Kawa for a short gain as the clock runs out. Highlander victory! Final score: Adams 49 - Rochester 10