FPD defense stifles Stratford run game to earn key 28-14 rivalry win at home

FPD’s plan was to do whatever it could to keep Tyler Stephens in check.

The Stratford running back has been a steady playmaker all season for the Eagles, and so the run game was going to be huge.

And the Vikings won the battle up front, succeeding in keeping Stephens from beating them and taking a 28-14 win Friday night over Stratford at George Johnson Stadium.

“It’s about 9,” FPD head coach Brett Collier said of Stephens. “That guy’s a special player. The fact that he didn’t pop a big one for a touchdown tonight really says a lot about our defense and our defensive coaches.”

The defending GIAA Class 4A state champs improved to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in Region 6-4A/3A while the Eagles dropped to 6-2 and 1-1.

FPD focused on Stephens, but Stratford head coach Paul Carroll said the difference was a little broader than just keeping the back to 82 yards on 21 carries, with only two over 10 yards.

“The difference was the weight room,” he said. “We’re not physical enough, not strong enough. They’re a lot bigger and stronger than us right now. They were more physical than us.”

Stratford moved the ball but couldn’t finish. The Eagles ran 20 more offensive plays for 41 fewer yards. Quarterback Connor Fitzpatrick was slowed to 40 yards rushing and a 15-for-29 passing night for 177 yards.

It looked like a shootout early.

The Vikings converted a fourth down and then finished off their second possession with an 8-yard run from Major Simmons, Dominic Economopoulos’ kick making it 7-0 at the 4:46 mark of the first quarter.

Stratford drove, stalled, and punted, and paid. Major Simmons connected with Benjamin McElreath on a quick screen, and McElreath blasted through traffic for a 73-yard touchdown, and 14-0 lead two minutes into the second quarter.

The Eagles finally sustained a drive, going 65 yards and getting 28 on Fitzpatrick’s pass to Sal Phillips for 28 yards. Fitzpatrick hit Jett Johnston, on his knees in the end zone, for the 16-yard score.

But FPD didn’t flinch, getting another big-play score when Simmons hit Heisman Alvarez deep. The senior broke a tackle at the 5-yardline for a 45-yard touchdown and a 21-7 lead at the 2:49 mark of the half.

“We had blown coverage,” Carroll said of that play and a few others later. “Just eyes in the backfield instead of eyes on the man, playing cover 3. You never should get beat in cover 3, never should get beat deep.”

The Vikings went to the locker room with seemingly a huge boost of momentum.

Stratford drove calmly and impressively, though, Fitzpatrick hitting on the ground and in the air to arrive at the FPD 14-yardline in nine plays. But Stratford got a push up the middle and blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half.

“That hump right there before the half, we needed that field goal,” Carroll said. “You just can’t get knocked back. We got knocked back inside.”

But the Vikings’ momentum was erased when Stratford went 11 plays covering 69 yards to open the second half, finishing with a nifty 34-yard touchdown pass from a scrambling Fitzpatrick to George Dunn.

Stebin Horne’s PAT pulled the Eagles within 21-14 with 5:14 left in the third, the drive eating up more than half of the quarter.

But FPD responded, needing only six plays to go 80 yards, not seeing a third down.

McElreath got open deep and Simmons hit him with a strike for a 40-yard score, returning the lead to two touchdowns less than three minutes after Stratford’s score.

The Eagles crossed midfield on their next possession, reaching the FPD 31.

Stratford then punted from its own 49, courtesy of two penalties and a sack. The Eagles moved on their next trip only for Breck Griffin to pick off Fitzpatrick at the goal line.

FPD took up three minutes on an unattractive possession before fumbling it back on its own 38 with 4:18 left, but that strength up front led to a fourth-and-2 stop at the 7.

“We say ‘Chop wood,’” Collier said. “Take the axe and keep chopping the tree down. Just that we didn’t give up any huge plays and we kept chopping on ‘em. We knew: stop 9 (Stephens), or slow 9 down, and hang in there, and they did.”