Upset special: Adams holds the line to take down Oxford

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

OXFORD — Tony Patritto insists that he had one of the best football players in the state on his side in Tony Annese. The Rochester Adams football coach proved to the state why Friday night that very belief on the opening night of the Division 2 football playoffs.

Annese, the Highlanders’ all-everything senior, ran for three touchdowns, threw for another, and even picked off a pass late in the fourth quarter, as Adams stunned sixth-ranked Oxford, 26-20, in a district opener.

The Highlanders minimized the state’s leading rusher, Prescott Line, also the leading candidate for Mr. Football, to 215 yards on 39 carries. Adams also halted host Oxford’s final two drives by forcing turnovers.

Adams (7-3), which will visit 10th-ranked Port Huron next weekend for the district championship, led 14-0 in the first half. The Highlanders had to rally back from a 20-14 deficit in third quarter and to post one of the state’s first upsets of the postseason.

Oxford had defeated Adams 22-16 back on Sept. 30.

“I was a little banged up that week,” said Annese of the loss to Oxford in Week 6 of the regular season. “My ankle was killing me and my shoulder was banged up. But I’m better now. (Oxford is a) tough team and Line is a great running back. But we went ahead and got it done tonight and it feels great.”

LOKING FOR DAYLIGHT: Rochester Adams' David Jagow looks for a seam near the line of scrimmage during the Highlanders' Division 2 district opener against Oxford. Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com

Annese scored on a 4-yard keeper with 5:54 to play for a 26-20 advantage and even though the extra point was blocked by Line, the Highlanders held the fort down the stretch to post the first-round upset.

Adams sacked Oxford freshman quarterback for a 16-yard loss and fumble recovery from Kyle Niswonger at the Oxford 49.

The Highlanders coughed the ball up two plays later, giving the Wildcats (7-3) the ball back at their own 40.

Oxford, which had four false start penalties in the fourth quarter alone, plus a block in the back penalty that nullified a 42-yeard return from Matt Economou earlier in the frame, eventually stalled out with 2:23 left when Glacier Wallington was picked off at the Adams 36 by the talented Annese.

The Highlanders ran out the clock to advance.

“(Tony Annese) is a playmaker. He played really banged up the last time we played them,” said Patritto. “He was hurt and we didn’t know how hurt he was. He’s a little healthier now and we saw what he can do.”

Adams committed only three turnovers in the game and kept Oxford from routinely making big plays—most importantly, keeping Line from taking over the game in the fourth quarter.

“We made one less turnover than last time,” said Patritto. “We punted (only once). If we don’t turn the ball over, I think we can score on every possession. That’s how I feel. Our defense made some big stops in the second half that we didn’t last time.

“Oxford is a fantastic football team,” continued Patritto. “They do a lot of things really well and to beat them you have to be pretty good.”

FADE TO BLACK: Oxford freshman quarterback Galcier Wallington looks for a open receiver during the Wildcats' 26-20 district loss to Rochester Adams. Staff Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com

Adams scored first on a 7-yard run by Annese with 7:46 left in the opening quarter, while Annese scored on a 1-yard plunge on the Highlanders’ third drive, this time coming with 7:50 left in the second quarter for the 14-0 advantage.

Annese was only 2-for-4 passing for 52 yards on the night but rushed a season-high 22 times for 177 yards in the win.

The Highlanders had turned the ball over on downs at the Oxford 1 on their second drive.

Line helped carry Oxford back into the game with touchdown runs of 1 and 2 yards, the latter with 31.7 second left to forge a 14-14 tie at the break.

Oxford used Line as a decoy to take its only lead of the game, when Wallington raced 17 yards around left untouched for the score with 2:26 left in the third frame.

The Highlanders were able to tie the game on a fourth-and-eight play, when Annese rolled out to his right and found a streaking Jack Twitty in the corner of the end zone for a 33-yard TD strike.

The extra points on both team’s third quarter touchdowns were blocked, leaving the score at 20-20 entering the fourth quarter.

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