Fenton Football Team Ends 10-Year Losing Streak To Linden

Faced with a fourth down and seven at the opposing team's 28-yard line, most high school football coaches only have two options: go for it or punt. Luckily for , the Tigers have a third option.

Although most high school kickers don't have the accuracy or leg strength to hit field goals from 40 or more yards, Fenton's Kenny Allen is one of the top kickers in the state and he routinely connects from long range. With two minutes left in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game against Linden, coach Jeff Setzke called on Allen to attempt a 45-yarder to win the game against one of their top competitors for Metro League supremacy. Oh, and the Eagles just so happened to own a decade-long winning streak against Fenton. And on top of that, Allen had missed his only other attempt in the game, which was from 37-yards out.

None of that mattered, though, as Allen hit the kick right down the middle to give Fenton a 17-14 lead, which their defense would preserve by stopping Linden on its final drive, to move to 2-0 on the season.

"That was a big kick from Kenny," Setzke said. "With Kenny, we know that he's generally accurate from 45. We took a timeout to decide if that's what we wanted to do and I think he cleared it by 15 yards. It wasn't like it was just good by a little, he really banged it through."

Allen had no doubt the kick would be good as soon as he connected.

"Everything was perfect, the snap, the hold and the kick," Allen said. "I have a good snapper in (Tyler) Tokarski. It's great, it feels awesome (to beat Linden)."

Fenton was able to hold on for the win, but both teams made mistakes that could've been costly.

Both Linden scores — a 42-yard catch and run by Dillon Nash and a 9-yard run by Mitch Juhl — were set up after major penalties by Fenton kept drives alive. Before Nash's score, Fenton's defense had forced a Linden punt, but a roughing the punter penalty gave the ball back to the Eagles. Before Juhl's score, Fenton committed a pass interference penalty on a fourth down and 24 that gave Linden the ball inside the 10. Fenton was able to recover from both mistakes, however.

"We had so many bad things happen to us, on that last drive I was thinking, 'I hope something doesn't go wrong here,'" Setzke said. "But our kids are resilient."

Fenton's success, meanwhile, came from a dominating running game and a defense that didn't allow Linden's big play offense to get many big plays.

Gered Wegener rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown, many of those coming between the tackles, allowing Fenton to control the clock and keep the Linden offense off the field. Quarterback Houston Shaw threw for 147 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Shegos, and ran for 34 yards. That balanced offense, combined with a physical defense, helped Fenton end its 10-game losing streak to Linden.

"This is what we've thought about all summer," said senior linebacker Joe DeLavergne. "It's one of the best moments of my career by far, I'm glad I could be a part of it."

Linden has boasted one of the most explosive passing games in the area for several years. This year's team has a talented receiver in Kevin Baker who Fenton did a good job of limiting. Baker didn't get his first catch until late in the first half. He caught five passes for 70 yards, but wasn't able to break any open for big plays.

"Our secondary is great," said senior defensive back Justin Mott. "I honestly think our secondary is the best in the Metro. We work as a team, we communicate. It doesn't matter who we have to cover when we work together like that."

Fenton certainly has other goals it hopes to reach this season, but the win over Linden is something that will be remembered for a long time.

"Ever since third, fourth grade we've been working for this," Mott said. "It feels good to finally be able to get this win, especially as a senior."

"Both teams have good athletes," DeLavergne said. "I said before the game that it would come down to heart. I'm so proud of the team, we worked together as one, not individuals. I'm so happy."

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