BROOKLINE – After a sluggish begin on each side of the ball, Dexter Southfield obtained it moving into its season opener at dwelling Friday night time.
The protection allowed simply 53 yards after the primary two Suffield Academy (Conn.) drives, and sophomore sensation Rory Funke ran in three touchdowns for a convincing 21-6 nonleague victory.
“I feel our protection stepped up at the moment of the 12 months the place the offense was nonetheless making an attempt to fireside on all cylinders,” head coach Casey Day mentioned. “A pair penalties, just a few setbacks that obtained us behind the chains a little bit bit, and our protection bailed us out at occasions.”
Suffield Academy (0-1) struck first with 2:12 left within the first quarter as sophomore Zach McKenzie hit Luke Pappas for a 30-yard landing seize after a botched snap on a punt by Dexter Southfield (1-0). On the two-point conversion, senior captain Michael Thomas of Dexter Southfield pressured a fumble on the PAT and returned it to make it a 6-2 deficit.
Dexter Southfield, two drives later – after it pressured its second turnover on downs – relied on the arm and legs of Boston Col commit Rory Funke as he rushed it in from one yard out two performs after hitting Braxton Day for a 34-yard cross.
Daniel Hanafin added an interception within the ultimate 30 seconds to maintain it an 8-6 lead on the half.
To begin the third, Dexter Southfield pressured a three-and-out on protection and obtained to the punter to offer Funke a brief subject on the Suffield Academy 15-yard line. Three performs later, Funke scrambled for a 17-yard rating to make it 14-6 early within the third.
“Our particular groups coordinator obtained our guys collectively at halftime and based mostly off a pair punts … we felt like we might make a play there,” Day mentioned concerning the rugby-style punts that Suffield Academy confirmed within the first half. “That was once more, one other sneaky play that ended as much as be an enormous, large play that may not find yourself within the field rating.”
Funke made it a hat trick on the subsequent Lions’ drive as he rolled to his proper for a five-yard rating to cap a six-play, 45-yard drive.
“Since day one, we’ve been preaching that we’re going to stay and die by our O-line,” Funke mentioned after the competition. “I like my guys. I try to deal with them proper. They gained us this recreation.”
Funke completed with 164 complete yards, together with 78 on the bottom with all of that coming over the ultimate three quarters.
Dexter Southfield will keep dwelling to face the Hotchkiss Faculty subsequent Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
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