FPD outlasts Stratford for 21-10 rivalry win

Brett Collier stood about 40 feet in front of the scoreboard after FPD’s win over Stratford, surrounded by jubilant players, students, parents and fans. 

He was about ready to go grab some pads and a helmet.

“That’s how rivalry games are supposed to be,” the third-year FPD head coach said. “It’s gonna get ugly. Like I reminded you guys before the game and halftime: remember who we are, and how we do it, remember why we do it.”

He talked of team mottos regarding toughness, effort, discipline, commitment, and consistency, after the Vikings had shown some of all five.

FPD’s defense kept Tyler Stephens mostly in check and shut down the passing game while getting a workhorse night from Brady McHugh and Major Simmons to get past Stratford 21-10 Friday night at Cantrell Stadium in the 50^th meeting between the schools.

“It’s just, I mean, it’s a big game,” Collier said. “They’ve got a really good team. Just so proud of the way our kids played. It was gutsy.”

Stratford head coach Paul Carroll and the Eagles will look at the video and see the chances that slipped away.

“Third down, we couldn’t get off the field,” Carroll said. “What I was worried about coming in this game is with the quarterback just making people miss and extending the play.

“And then when they extended the play, they were able to make the big plays.”

More clutch plays than big plays.

The Vikings ran 29 first-half plays to 13 for Stratford, but only led 10-0.

Stratford’s defense held on a fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line on FPD’s first possession, Jett Johnston with the first contact on quarterback Major Simmons. The Eagles got out of the hole and drove, but missed on a 44-yard field goal try.

FPD needed but only one third down on an 80-yard, nine-play scoring drive, Simmons dumping it to McHugh in the left flat – the most popular play in the Vikings playbook lately — for a 17-yard score with eight minutes left in the first half.

Stratford gave it back three plays later on an overthrow that was picked off, but the defense — after being off the field for only three plays — came up big again after a first and goal at the 7-yard line, forcing a chip-shot Dominic Economopoulos field goal of 26 yards with 13 seconds left for a 10-0 halftime lead.

FPD held Tyler Stephens to 49 yards in the first half, 26 on one play, but with that and the snap count disparity didn’t lead by much.

“I had a moment when I looked up and said, ‘Uh oh,’” Collier said. “But I was proud of the way they kept pushing and going.”

Stratford’s defense came up with another fourth-down stop to open the third quarter, and the offense converted one fourth down but had to settle on the next one for a 38-yard field goal from George Dunn at the 7:29 mark of the third quarter.

The joy was short-lived as Simmons did his thing, keeping after a fake and blasting through the right side for a 70-yard touchdown run. Breck Griffin got the conversion for an 18-3 lead with 6:32 left.

The Vikings’ joy was short-lived, as Stephens blasted through the right side on Stratford’s next possession, breaking a tackle a few yards down field and then speeding untouched the rest of the way on his 81-yard touchdown run.

The Eagle defense then gave up 14 on third-and-8 play and 20 on a second down as FPD moved to the Stratford 23. But the unit swarmed Simmons on second and 9, sending him back past midfield only to take him down during an intentional grounding pass.

That gave FPD a third and 34 at Stratford’s 47, forcing a punt only for Stratford to fumble the ball back two plays later.

FPD got inside the 5 again, where it lost Simmons for the rest of the game late in the third. He took off on third and goal from the 11 and lowered his shoulder along the sideline, a collision he got the worst of. He was on the ground for a minute or two before walking to the bench, his night over on the final play of the third quarter.

“There’s no slide in him,” Collier said of his quarterback and safety. “That’s Major Simmons.”

The ball came loose, but Simmons was ruled down inside the 5. This time, Collier went with the very safe Economopoulos field goal — basically a point-after kick — for a 21-10 lead with 11:57 left in the game.

Stratford moved the ball, but a 5-yard penalty turned third and 7 into third and 12, which offered a controversial and key play in the game and maybe Stratford’s season.

Johnston scrambled — as he did all night — and fired downfield to brother Jett Johnston. The Eagle and a Viking collided hard as the ball approached. There was no pass interference call, and Johnston lay writhing on the turf, getting up after a few minutes with an apparent ankle injury.

Had the flag been thrown, Stratford would have had a first down on the drive’s 11^th play on the 16. The fourth-down pass was incomplete with 7:26 left in the game.

The Vikings, though, fumbled it back to Stratford three plays later only to take it right back two plays later with a game-clinching interception. FPD was able to basically kill the fourth quarter running McHugh with freshman Cash Walker at quarterback.

McHugh ran 20 times for 101 yards and Simmons 25 for 125, completing 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards. Stephens went for 153 yards on 15 carries.

“I thought we played well enough at times on defense to win the ballgame,” Carroll said. “I think offensively, we’ve got to go back to work.”

The Vikings will go back to work, too, but it’ll be a little more fun.

“I’m sure there were mistakes,” Collier told the crowd. “But as far as I’m concerned, everybody played great.”