Detroit, MI — On the road at Detroit Renaissance, Joey Shallow receives the opening kick and returns it 19 yards to get the Highlanders started from the 39. Quarterback Nick Paterra keeps it for 11, taking the ball to the 50. Wasting no time, Griffin Henke spins and cuts his way through the line and follows the daylight to the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown run! Colin Timko’s extra point is good, with Nick Stokan on the snap and Paterra on the hold. Rochester Adams 7 - Detroit Renaissance 0 Still 10:58 left in the first quarter, and Timko’s kick results in a touchback. The Phoenix QB runs for no gain, with the tackle by Rocco Orsini. A second-down pass is complete and Marco DiCresce gets the tackle, then a third-down pass is incomplete, with a holding call against the Highlanders. With first and five, a Renaissance screen pass is complete, but a tackle by Tanner Buck and Henke results in a loss of one yard. Next, an incomplete pass is defended by Christian Schomer. The third-down pass attempt is intercepted by DiCresce and returned 22 yards, allowing Adams to resume offense from the Phoenix 45-yard line. Highlanders struggle with a loss of two yards, a penalty, a short gain by Henke, then a third-down fumble that turns the ball over. With the ball at their own 35-yard line, Renaissance passes for three, then four, with tackles by Paterra and Joey Shallow. A penalty makes it third and seven, but a pass is complete for the first down, with Christian Schomer pushing the ball carrier out of bounds. Now at the 47, there is an incomplete pass, then a 24-yard run stopped by DiCresce and Orsini. With first and ten, Detroit Renaissance gets six with the stop by Shallow, then a loss of yards thanks to Buck, and finally a first down, with the stop by Paterra. With first and goal from the 8-yard line, a Detroit run is stopped after three yards by Tait Picot and Brady Prieskorn. From the 5, Picot’s tackle causes a loss of a yard. An incomplete pass is covered by Shallow and the Phoenix field goal attempt is no good. Rochester Adams 7 – Detroit Renaissance 0 Adams takes over from their own 7-yard line, with 1:09 left in the first quarter. Henke runs for five; Schomer runs for 11; there are off-setting penalties; an incomplete pass; and Paterra connects with Prieskorn for a gain of 11. With first and ten from the 33, Shallow runs for six and DiCresce runs for 16. At the Phoenix 45-yard line, Henke runs for no gain; an Adams penalty causes confusion about ball placement; and Paterra springs for a 20-yard run with big blocks from Alex DeGrieck, Orsini, and Stokan, bringing the ball down inside the 20. With first and ten from the 10-yard line, Henke runs for four. Paterra passes to Prieskorn who makes a great over-the-shoulder catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown! Timko’s PAT is good. Rochester Adams 14 – Detroit Renaissance 0 Now, with 8:22 remaining in the quarter, Timko’s kick is returned out to the 17, with a tackle by Kori Pelayo. A penalty moves the ball to the 4-yard line. There are three incomplete passes with Schomer on the coverage, and a punt is field by Schomer for a short gain. Highlanders take over at the 43. Paterra’s pass is complete to Prieskorn for 17 yards. Shallow runs for seven, DiCresce runs for one, and Henke runs for three to get the first down. From the 12-yard line, there is a pass to DiCresce for a gain of nine. On second down, Henke runs it in from the 3-yard line for a Highlanders TD. Finn Tobiczyk, Rolfs and Orsini create the running room on the left side. Timko’s PAT is good. Rochester Adams 21 – Detroit Renaissance 0 with 5:15 to play in the half. Detroit Renaissance returns the ball to the 21, with the tackle by DiCresce, Matt Reed and Josh Vokal. There’s an incomplete pass with Picot with the coverage; another incomplete pass; and a QB scramble for a gain of 10, tackled by Paterra and Henke. A couple Highlander penalties make it first and five. DiCresce’s tackle results in a one-yard loss, and another DiCresce tackle stops Renaissance for five, then there’s a five-yard penalty. At the 41, a five-yard gain is stopped by Henke and Hassan Murray, with another penalty on the Highlanders. With first and ten at the Highlander 21, Picot and Orsini get the QB for no gain; DiCresce tackles for a loss of two; DiCresce sacks the QB for no gain; and a Phoenix penalty brings up fourth and twenty, with an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs. Back on offense, Adams has first and ten at the 30 with 1:47 in the half. An incomplete pass is followed by an exciting Henke run for 22 yards. Paterra throws a deep ball to DiCresce who makes the catch between defenders for a 37-yard gain. From the 11, Henke runs the ball in for a touchdown, dragging a Phoenix defender with him. Timko’s extra point is good. Rochester Adams 28 – Detroit Renaissance 0 Again, the offensive line provided the protection needed on the passing plays, and the running lanes needed on the rush plays. Shout out to Andrew Rolfs, Tobiczyk, Stokan, Orsini and DeGrieck. The kick is returned to the 26, with a tackle by Will Krol, Vokal, and John Rittner. Detroit Renaissance completes a pass for a first down; another pass for a first down; and a QB scamper to the 41, with 17 seconds left in the half. The QB run gets the first down. But wait … a deep pass is INTERCEPTED by DiCresce, as he gets both feet down at the sideline. The Highlanders take over on the turnover with four seconds left to play in the half. Adams takes a knee. Rochester Adams 28 – Detroit Renaissance 0 The second half begins with Timko’s kick for a touchback at the 20. Mohammed Murray and Tanner Buck make the tackle for no gain. A QB keeper gains 11; DeGrieck causes a loss of three in the backfield; Shallow stops a six-yard pass; and a Damarcus Rouse tackle stops the ball at the Highlanders 49. A long Phoenix pass is complete, with the tackle by Rouse, and the ball at the 17. With first and ten, Picot gets to the QB for no gain; Rouse and Henke cover an incomplete pass; and DeGrieck comes up with a sack for a loss of 12, following a fumbled snap. The QB scrambles for 22 yards and is forced out of bounds by Paterra. From the 6-yard line, Picot and Murray stop for no gain, but the Phoenix manage a touchdown run. The two-point conversion is no good, thanks to Henke in the backfield. Rochester Adams 28 – Detroit Renaissance 6 With 4:44 left in the third quarter, an onside kick is recovered by Detroit Renaissance at the 48. There is an incomplete pass, but a defensive pass interference call on Adams. The Phoenix gain four, then miss a pass with another penalty on Adams. With first and ten from the 13, the Renaissance pass is INTERCEPTED by Rouse in the end zone! The Highlanders take over from the 20-yard line with 4:15 left in the third quarter. Schomer gains eight and after a great ball fake, Paterra takes off up the middle for a gain of 21. An offsides call makes it first and 15. Schomer explodes off the left side with a quick cut up field and a gain of 32. From the 25, Rouse picks up two and Prieskorn catches a pass for a gain of 19, bringing up first and goal from the 4-yard line. Henke powers his way into the end zone for another Highlander touchdown! The extra point is good. Rochester Adams 35 – Detroit Renaissance 6 Highlanders convert a pooch kick that is recovered by Pelayo. The turnover gives the Highlanders the ball at the Phoenix 44. An incomplete pass is followed by a 9-yard run by Schomer that uses a nice stiff arm. The fourth quarter begins with a penalty, giving the Highlanders a first down from the 29. Henke gains one and Shallow weaves his way on the right side for a big gain of 16. Rouse with a strong run gains eight, plus a facemask penalty gives the Highlanders first and goal. From the 3-yard line, Shallow runs the ball in for a Highlander TD! Paxton Battershell is successful with the PAT! Rochester Adams 42 – Detroit Renaissance 6 Timko’s kick is returned to the 18, tackled by Rouse and Braedy Limke. A completed pass is stopped by Limke; then a QB sack by Orsini and Andrew Creson results in a loss of nine; plus a personal foul on Renaissance moves the ball back to the 19. With second and long, Orsini manages a sack for a loss of three yards. A Phoenix pass is complete, plus a pass interference call on Adams. From the 38-yard line, there’s an incomplete pass with Matt Reed on the coverage, and a late hit by Renaissance moves the ball back to the 31. The second-down pass is complete to the 50, with the tackle by Rouse. With first down at the 50, the Phoenix put up an incomplete pass with Peyton Montour on the coverage. Ryan Kevelighan gets a QB sack for a loss of seven. Mohid Imran and Pelayo get another sack! And then a fourth-down pass attempt is defended by Montour, and deemed incomplete. Game over. Final score: Rochester Adams 42 – Detroit Renaissance 6