FOOTBALL: Romeo’s defense stymies previously-unbeaten Stoney Creek for district crown
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Romeo proved Friday that sometimes the best offense is an incredible defense.
The Bulldogs stunned previously-unbeaten Rochester Stoney Creek, 45-27, Friday by gaining great field position all night and scoring with quick strikes.
Romeo forced five turnovers — which led to 35 points — recorded three defensive touchdowns, had five sacks and even snuffed out a fake punt in shutting down the high-powered Cougars.
Michael Heldman, Romeo’s 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end who is headed to Grand Valley State, recorded two sacks and spearheaded the Bulldogs’ sterling defensive effort that limited Stoney Creek to only 13 points by the time there was 11:48 to go in the fourth quarter.
“We knew they were a great team and we knew had a great run offense. We just wanted to punch them in the mouth,” said Heldman. “We did a great job at closing the gaps, especially our linebackers. They really stepped up. Our (defensive line) too. We stepped up and made plays, especially (stopping) the run plays. After their quick touchdown, we shut down the run (in the first three quarters) and made them pass. They weren’t used to that.”
Stoney Creek (7-1) outgained Romeo by a 428-131 margin with total yards offense. But 20 of the Cougars’ 27 points came after the game was well decided. Stoney Creek only had 118 yards by halftime and over half of their offense came in the fourth quarter.
Romeo was held to only five first downs and the 131 total yards — 95 on the ground and 36 passing — but took advantage of great field position throughout the contest.
Asked if he would have believed that his team would put together those types of offensive numbers that his team would win, Romeo coach Kurt Rienas likely wouldn’t have believed it.
“I doubt it. I doubt it,” said Reinas. “I thought our defense played great the whole night.
“I’m just proud with how everyone fought tonight,” continued Rienas, whose team started the campaign 1-4 before the turnaround. “Both teams gave it all they had. We just had so many different guys step in and make plays. We just have a really good defensive line. Those guys have been carrying us the second half of the season. They did a great job again tonight.”
Stoney Creek senior running back Cam Burford bowed out with 32 carries for 273 yards. Burford scored on a 70-yard touchdown sprint only 1:30 into the game for a 7-0 Stoney Creek lead.
Romeo answered with 31 unanswered points and never trailed after the final minute of the first quarter.
Stoney Creek botched a fake punt attempt, turning the ball over on downs. Four plays later Gjon Djurasevic nailed a 39-yard field goal with 4:01 to play in the first quarter to trim the deficit down to 7-3 and to start the 31-point run.
Romeo’s Weston Jones forced a sack and Lucas Gaborek recovered the ball on the Cougars’ 9-yard-line. Three plays later, Brian St. Clair scored on a 2-yard run with 45 seconds left in the first quarter for a 10-7 lead — an advantage the Bulldogs would not relinquish.
Two drives later, St. Clair scored again on a 37-yard run to push the lead to 17-7 at the half.
In the second half. Brendan Arendts recovered a Stoney Creek fumble on the Cougars’ 2 and Logan Rolfs scored on the next play for the 24-7 lead with 7:18 to go in the third period.
Romeo (4-4) picked up an interception from Matthew Ploetz who ran it down to the Stoney Creek 12. Two plays later, Rolfs hit Sean Rephafs with a 7-yard TD strike to push the lead to 31-7.
Stoney Creek finally stopped the bleeding with 11:48 to play on Ryan Eckhout’s 38-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Aaron Dargel that cut the deficit down to 31-13.
Romeo was not done, as Tony Lomakowski returned a fumble 55 yards for another score, while Ploetz returned another fumble nine seconds later for a 19-yard scoop and run for the commanding 45-13 lead.
Stoney Creek (7-1) picked up a 20-yard touchdown run from Burford and an Eckhout 27-yard TD pass to Oswaldo Villafuerte-Esparz late in the contest to cap the scoring.
St. Clair led Romeo’s offense with eight carries for 50 yards, while Rolfs was only 4-for-13 passing for 36 yards. Only one other Romeo player had more than 20 yards of offense, and that was Braden Goralski’s one rush for 29 yards.
The Bulldogs will play the winner of the West Bloomfield-Sterling Heights Stevenson district finals in the regional finals next weekend. Romeo is in the Elite Eight for the third time in six seasons.
Eckhout finished 8-for-18 passing for 118 yards but was constantly pressured by Romeo’s defense.
“We shot ourselves in the foot too many times,” sighed Stoney Creek coach Nick Merlo, who will lose 29 players and 18 starters to graduation. “I don’t think we slayed our best game offensively. We had a great season, yes, and accomplished many things. The senior class has put in a tremendous amount of work in to get us. We had our first undefeated (regular) season, We won a league title, and we won our first playoffs game in school history. We’re actually not satisfied. We came to win tonight — tonight was a bummer. Hats off to Romeo, they played great defense tonight and we wish them the best of luck. But we didn’t play our best game by any means. We’ll be back to work tomorrow.”
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