By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

VERSAILLES — Versailles intercepts triumph over Redskins.

In a nail biting game of back and forth, the Tigers and Redskins took turns intercepting passes in the hopes of gaining another victory, as both teams successfully won their first games of the season the week prior. In Friday’s battle, it was Versailles who came out victorious with a score of 26 to 21.

Versailles had fans worried in the first quarter as Fort Loramie’s own, Ethan Keiser, #22, scored the first touchdown of the game only 8 minutes and 30 seconds in. Versailles pressed hard on Keiser, but he still succeeded, thus setting the tone for the Tigers that the Redskins were not going to be taken down easily.

The taunting from the student section could be heard by spectators as they cried out, “get mad, get angry, you got to want it, let’s go Tigers”, and Versailles player #17, Michael Osborne, must have heard the cries as he delivered.

With under six minutes left in the first quarter, Connor Stonebreaker, #30, passed the ball to Osborne for a Tiger touchdown; however, cheers from one team quickly switched to the other as the referees threw a flag on the play due to holding. The play was redone with a rush to no avail. The Tigers were no longer able to gain back the brief taste of victory, and the quarter ended 7 to 0, Redskins.

Heading into the second quarter, Versailles fans were not impressed as Fort Loramie scored another touchdown within the first few minutes, and a fumble on the Tiger return led to a Redskin recovery.

However, just when the Redskins felt like they were going to have the game in the bag, Versailles worked as a team to open up a path for Osborne, resulting in a clear shot for a Tiger touchdown with two minutes left in the first half.

The adrenaline rush this caused stayed with Versailles as Stonebreaker intercepted a Redskin pass, ran the ball down the field, and gained another touchdown, tying the score 14 to 14.

Coming back for the second half, all the Versailles coaches kept reiterating that the team needs to communicate. Communication is going to allow them to work together and be successful moving forward.

Joel Gehret, #9, Versailles, rushed for a first down before quickly getting hit by the Redskins, but he would not be taken down without a fight. Gehret pushed forward and didn’t quit until he gained a first down. Unfortunately, his gains were short lived, as Fort Loramie was able to push the team back six yards in the next play and a flag on the Tigers for holding added another five.

With six and a half minutes left in the third, fans began cheering for the offense the closer the team got to the end zone. Stonebreaker passed to Osborne and the offense cheers turned into screams as the Tigers successfully raised the score 14 to 20.

Shortly after kick off, Osborne intercepted a redskin pass and ran the ball over 30 yards for the Tigers. Due to the interception, Osborne set up the opportunity for Versailles to score a 31 yard touchdown moving the score to 14 to 26, Versailles.

Fort Loramie retaliated to Versailles’ touchdown by starting the fourth quarter with one of their own. The Redskins’ pass to Keiser was completed in the end zone, and a one point conversion allowed the Redskins to add pressure to the Tigers with a raised score of 21 to 26.

With six minutes left on the clock, Osborne intercepted another Redskin pass and ran the ball for almost 40 yards before being tackled to the ground. However, Versailles was unable to raise the score, as Thomas Hoying, #16, Fort Loramie, intercepted a Tiger pass around the 35 yard line.

Both teams worked hard to ensure the other did not score for the rest of the game, and the Tigers ran out the clock at a minute and a half before taking a knee to end the game with a victory of 26 to 21.

To contact Daily Advocate Reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].