After falling behind 10-0 by halftime, the scored 10 unanswered points Friday night at home against the Hun School. However, without starting quarterback Adam Strouss, they lacked the firepower to keep the rally going. Episcopal fell to 1-2 on the season after dropping the game to the New Jersey school, 20-13.
IN SHORT
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Ian Strain, the Churchmen backup quarterback, was thrust into action when Strouss learned Wednesday his sprained right ankle would keep him out of action. Usually playing wide receiver, Strain seemed like he missed his normal position.
But despite an anemic offense, and a play-making defense that didn't make quite enough plays to offset it, Episcopal Academy stayed in the game until the end. They played hard.
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"I'm proud as heck of how we played," Churchmen head coach Todd Fairlie said, explaining the narrow margin. "We never quit."
Their hopeful quarter was the third. Down 10-0 at halftime, the Churchmen embarked on a 43-yard drive midway through the quarter—25 of which came from a Hun personal foul and a pair of encroachments—to set up a 29-yard Quin Hager field goal, which cut the deficit to seven with 4:10 remaining. Then, on the first play from scrimmage following the subsequent kick, Episcopal caught another break: Hun fumbled, and Julian O'Neill hopped on it to give his Churchmen possession on the opposing 14. Two plays later, Strain sprinted right, then threw left to an open Anthony Feliziani, who took it in 13 yards for the tying score.
Hun nipped the Episcopal momentum in the bud on their next possession though: Quarterback John Loughery found David Dudeck for a pair of completions totalling 72 yards, setting up a 30-yard field goal. Then, after a failed Churchmen possession, Hun running back Chris Cardinali scored from two yards out to restore their lead to 10.
The home team struck back though: After a blocked punt and recovery by Joe Flannery gave Episcopal the ball at the Hun 19, Hager hit another field goal, this time from 28, to trim the deficit back to seven with 2:38 remaining—20-13.
Though the Episcopal defense stifled Hun on the next possession and returned the ball to their offense at their own 13 with 1:18 left, the rally died shortly thereafter. After scrambling for seven yards on first down, Strain threw an interception on second to seal the loss.
CHURCHMAN OF THE GAME
Dante Addona—The junior end had a pair of first half sacks, and led an Episcopal defense that played well enough to win.
OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES
Quinn Hager—The kicker/punter made a pair of field goals (with plenty of leg to spare) and boomed a handful of punts.
Ian Strain—The junior wide receiver struggled to fill the large shoes of Strouss, but kept his team in the game. His 13-yard, third quarter touchdown pass tied the score.
COACH'S TAKE
"To be in that game with a backup quarterback with two days of prep, that's not bad."—Episcopal head coach Todd Fairlie
THEY SAID IT
"Ian is the smartest kid on the team. He knows the offense and defense better than anyone else."—Fairlie, on why he didn't have to scale back the offense for Strain
UP NEXT—Episcopal Academy hosts the Hill School Sept. 24 at 4:30 p.m.
