Fort wins its first (10/15/05)

FORT RECOVERY — There was a dominant team on the field at Barrenbrugge Athletic Park Friday night. And for the first time this year, it was the Indians.

Fort Recovery picked up its first win of the season controlling the New Bremen Cardinals in every facet of the game for a 20-2 win.

The victory put an end to a 16-game losing streak. The Indians’ last victory came in the first game of the 2004 season against Ansonia.

“It really helps a lot,” said first-year coach Brent Niekamp, a Fort Recovery graduate, of the first win. “I’ve got to give a ton of credit to those kids because they kept working hard every week — 0-7, that’s hard to (stay motivated), to be competitive and keep working. They could’ve given up and they didn’t. They kept fighting hard every single day, every week.

“It feels great. It feels good to play that hard. I’m just very, very proud of how those boys responded.”

Prior to Friday night’s victory the Indians (1-7) had lost by an average score of 41-10, with every defeat coming by at least 14 points. They had been beaten by more than 50 points twice — 62-0 by Division V No. 1 Versailles and 64-13 last week by Division VI No. 10 Marion Local.

But Fort Recovery gained control early and kept the reins against the Cardinals (0-8).

After the first Tribe drive sputtered thanks to a penalty and a sack, Ryan Staugler got the ball back for his team with an interception.

Freshman quarterback Toby Metzger dropped back to pass on the opening play of the ensuing drive and hit Travis Van Skyock on the left sideline.

Van Skyock turned up field and got a block from Tony Diller to spring him for an extra 15 yards on the 35-yard play.

Nine plays later Matt Tobe gave the Indians the lead on a 1-yard touchdown dive on third-and-goal.

Metzger and Van Skyock did most of the damage on the Indians’ second touchdown drive of the second quarter as well. They connected on a 25-yard pass on the second play of the 68-yard drive, and finished it with an 18-yard fade to the left corner of the end zone.

New Bremen got its lone points of the game late in the opening half when a punt snap went sailing over Bobby Rammel’s head and out of the back of the end zone.

The Indians capped the scoring on another nice pass by Metzger. With the ball at the 43-yard line he dropped back, then scrambled to his right to buy time. It paid off as Michael Trobridge broke open behind the defense as he headed toward the right pylon. Metzger hit him in stride at the 5-yard line and the sophomore running back took the ball in the for the score.

The 20 points were more than enough as New Bremen managed just 2.9 yards per play and 0.5 yards per rush. The Cardinals also committed nine penalties for 70 yards.

“I thought our defense played very well, and I thought we were physical all across the board,” said Niekamp. “I thought we were just the most physical team tonight.

“It feels good to be that physical and just play that hard the whole game.”

Metzger finished 10-of-15 passing for 203 yards and his pair of scores for the best game of his young career. Van Skyock had four receptions for 92 yards, and Diller caught three passes for 38 yards.

Tobe led the Indians’ ground game with 17 carries for 58 yards.

Brennon Speckman was the top rusher for New Bremen with just 29 yards on 11 carries. Brad Wendel completed just 33 percent of his passes — 7-of-21 — for 129 yards.[[In-content Ad]]