Special teams set up Blue Devils’ victory

EVERETT - Great special teams play sets up great field position and provides a spark to an offense which in turn can lead to game-changing scores.

Such was the case Friday night as Bellwood-Antis cashed in after two outstanding kick returns - turning the contest in their favor and overcoming a stout Everett defense and more than enough penalties of their own in picking up the 21-7 Inter-County Conference non-divisional win at Everett Warriors Stadium.

"We pride ourselves in working on those things [kickoff and punt returns]," Bellwood-Antis coach John Hayes said. "We work very hard at practice and spend a lot of time on it. Sometimes it shows and sometimes it doesn't. Tonight, we made it work and it gave us the spark we needed."

The DeGol brothers, Andrew and Nick, spearheaded the key returns which eventually led to Blue Devil tailback Zack McCaulley finding the end zone just a few plays later.

"Those two special teams plays were game changers," Everett coach Tom Waltman said.

B-A jumped on the board first as quarterback Nate Plummer hooked up with Buddy Shaw for a 7-yard strike in the first quarter.

Warrior back Luke Hoover broke free for a 44-yard jolt to the 1 on a second-and-5 before Levi Grimes plowed in two plays later. Tyler Bulger added the point after to knot the score at 7-7 at the mid-point of the second quarter.

Andrew DeGol quieted the Everett fans by taking the ensuing kickoff 63 yards to the 13. Three straight runs by McCaulley concluded with a 5-yard TD plunge that gave the Devils the lead for good.

"Our kids were beautiful in the lane. When that kid [Andrew DeGol] dropped the ball, everyone just [went towards where he was]," Waltman said. "You can't do that. Disciplined, fundamental football teams stay in their lane to the point of ball down. He picked it up and went the other way."

"I took a step back and then missed the ball," Andrew DeGol said. "I hurried up and picked it up and I saw a hole. I put on a couple of moves and it was open field."

In a contest in which neither offensive unit was able to overcome penalties [the two teams combined were whistled 18 times totaling 149 yards] or each others defensive stands.

"We didn't execute to the degree we need to play better in the football game," Hayes said. "We came off the big win last week, and we talked about wanting to avoid a letdown Our whole demeanor was a little flat in the things we did. We felt this was a game where we could do some things but we never followed through with that."

As a result, Nick DeGol's 47-yard punt return to the 25 and McCaulley's 6-yard score with 4:21 to go in the third proved to be more than enough breathing room for Bellwood-Antis.

"Field position is really crucial when it comes to football," Nick DeGol said.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Bellwood-Antis 7 6 8 0 - 21

Everett 0 7 0 0 - 7

First quarter

BA-Shaw 7 pass from Plummer (Plummer kick), 3:00.

Second quarter

E-Grimes 1 run (Bulger kick), 6:00.

BA-Z. McCaulley 5 run (kick failed), 4:14.

Third quarter

BA-Z. McCaulley 6 run (Evans run), 4:21.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Bellwood-Antis - Z. McCaulley 19-99, Noye 1-(-5), B. McCaulley 3-15, Plummer 6-(-5), Taylor 1-12, Shaw 1-(-4), Dixon 1-6. Everett - Francis 14-15, Grimes 13-35, Brallier 9-(-29), Hoover 6-71, Rush 2-1, Rhoat 2-4.

PASSING: Bellwood-Antis - Plummer 8-18-0-103. Everett - Brallier 2-10-0-26.

RECEIVING: Bellwood-Antis - Shaw 1-7, Beech 1-22, Minori 2-31, Z. McCaulley 1-23, Campbell 2-19, N. DeGol 1-1. Everett - K. Clark 2-26.

INTERCEPTIONS: None.

TEAM STATISTICSBAE

First downs127

Yards rushing32-11846-97

Passing (comp.-att.-int.)8-18-02-10-0

Yards passing103 26

Total yards 221123

Fumbles lost 3-24-0

Penalties-yards 13-94 5-55

Punts-avg. 4-22.0 7-32.1