Italy — Italy played three games this past Thursday at home on Willis Field with Italy’s junior high squad excited to finally play a home game after being on the road the first two weeks to start the season. The JV Gladiators, however, had their starting center, Kyle Fortenberry, and their starting receiver, Marvin Cox, move up to varsity which reduced their numbers to 13 total soldiers, but it did not reduce their confidence.

7th Grade Game:
Starting with the 7th grade contest, Hico got on the board first with 1:34 left in the first-quarter. The conversion pass attempt dropped incomplete but the Tigers led 6-0.

Late in the second quarter, Hico’s quarterback rolls left but is forced to reverse his field with Italy’s Gary Escamilla pursuing. Unfortunately, Italy’s defense did not contain the backside during the play and the fortunate Tiger signal caller finds an open lane to the end zone for six more points, Hico leads 12-0 with 3:51 left in the first half.

Dylan McCasland returned the ensuing kickoff all the way to the Tiger 37-yard line. Norwood gains 2-yards up the middle and then Italy’s quarterback Tylan Wallace breaks away to the Tiger 27-yard line. An incomplete pass, a snap over the head of Wallace and a false start penalty stall the drive back at Hico’s 44-yard line with 1:35 to play before the break.

On the next play, Hico sprints for a 56-yard touchdown run that gets called back due to a flag. Left with 1st and ten from their 39-yard line, Hico begins again. Wallace jars the ball loose on a Tiger passing try to force an incomplete pass but a Tiger receiver wins a mid-air fight for the ball on the next play to put Hico into Italy territory at the 44-yard line and :45 still on the first half clock.

Hico false starts and then tries a reverse from the Italy 48-yard line that is quickly foiled by McCasland who causes a fumble that is recovered by the Tigers. Escamilla chases the Hico quarterback again to force an incomplete pass. Escamilla is on the quarterback’s tail again who finds some room to run before being knocked out-of-bounds by Ty Hamilton to bring up a 4th and 4 at Italy’s 35-yard line. Hico’s pass for the first down falls incomplete with Wallace covering downfield and Italy takes over with :12 remaining. Wallace rolls out right looking to pass but is taken down to end the half.

To begin the second-half, Wallace kicks-off and teammate Clay Riddle recovers a fumble during the return to give Italy a 1st and ten at Hico’s 37-yard line. But the offense quickly moves backwards after being charged with a holding penalty during a pass attempt and after another shotgun snap sails over Wallace’s helmet. Hico recovers the bouncing ball at Italy’s 23-yard line and takes over with 4:46 to go in the third.

Hico runs in for their third touchdown to make the score 18-0. Norwood pressures the Tiger passer to force an incompletion on the conversion.

Italy’s next drive quickly stalls on their side of the field and Hico regains possession with 2:00 still to play in the quarter.

Working from the Italy 34-yard line, Hico reaches the 29-yard line to end the third.

To start the fourth-quarter, a penalty leaves Hico with 1st and 25 at Italy’s 39-yard line. Hico tries to make up ground thru the air but the pass is batted up and nearly picked off by Italy’s McCasland. On 2nd and 25, however, the Tigers take off and the Hico runner survives a a punishing hit from Hamilton and keeps his paws to reach the end zone to put the visitors up 24-0 and then 26-0 after the conversion is successful, 6:11 left in the game.

Italy starts from their 32-yard line after the kickoff but fumble over to Hico moments later. Italy’s defense holds strong to force a Tiger punt that gets downed at Italy’s 1-yard line. Norwood gains 4-yards to the five but Hico gets the safety two plays later to win 28-0 as time expired.

Italy’s offense was able to move the ball throughout the game with hard runs from Wallace and Norwood who often ran behind Adrian Acevedo who anchors Italy’s 7th grade offensive line. Counteracting the plus plays, however, were a few near catches which fell incomplete in the passing game, a couple of snapping miscues and costly penalties that forced the 7th grade to go backwards.

Defensively, McCasland, Escamilla, Riddle, Anthony Lusk, Chris Davila and their teammates kept the Tigers scrambling but eventually Hico tracked down the end zone after beginning several of their drives on Italy’s side of the field.

8th Grade Game:
Italy moves the ball into Tiger territory with solid runs from quarterback Devonteh Williams and tailback Joe Celis. However, the drive stalls at the 41-yard line after a turnover and Hico quickly takes advantage. The Tigers throw a 46-yard touchdown pass to take a 8-0 lead after the conversion run with 3:36 to play in the first-quarter.

Italy’s fumbles the ensuing kickoff and Hico takes over on Italy’s side of the field to setup their second touchdown effort of the quarter. A 4-yard run gives Hico a 14-0 with :10 on the clock. Italy’s David De La Hoya pressures the Tiger quarterback but the catch is made for the conversion and the Tigers lead 16-0.

After the kickoff, the quarter ends with Williams running a quarterback keeper to Italy’s 38-yard line to bring up 2nd and 7.

Williams keeps again and gains 21-yards to the Hico 41-yard line. Jarvis Harris pushes his way forward for three more yards. After a false start penalty, Williams connects with Michael Wilson for a catch to the 33-yard line and a 3rd and short situation. Italy runs for the first down to the twenty-six. Williams is tackled on the next play for no gain. Italy manages to reach Hico’s 4-yard line but a false start penalty backs Italy to the 9-yard line. The next couple of plays earn negative yards but on 4th and goal from the 14, Williams passes to Wilson who makes a two handed grab at the goal line over an outstretched paw from a Tiger defender to put the 8th grade Gladiators on the board, 16-6. Williams is stopped short on the conversion with 1:15 to play in the first half.

James Walton makes the tackle on the kickoff for Italy but Hico’s next play goes 53-yards for another Tiger touchdown to put the Willis Field visitors up 22-6. Wilson breaks up the conversion pass for Italy and the score remains 22-6 at half.

In the second half, Hico strikes again with a 48-yard touchdown run to go up 28-6 with 6:14 left in the third-quarter. The conversion run counts and Hico leads 30-6. Italy tries to make a game of it when Harris crosses the goal line with :12 left in the third to tighten the match 30-12. Italy would add another touchdown in the fourth when Williams connects with Blake Brewer for a 5-yard scoring pass to make the final score of the 8th grade battle 30-20 in favor of Hico.

JV Game:
Italy’s Justin Robbins covers the opening onside kick from Hico to give Italy descent field position. A devastating block by fullback Billy Moore springs his quarterback Ryan Connor across midfield. Moments later, a catch by Levi McBride and a downfield block by Ty Windham gives Italy a chance at Hico’s 39-yard line. A bomb attempt from Connor to Tyvion Copeland is off the mark on 4th down and the Tigers take over.

Italy’s Colin Newman and John Escamilla make the stop for no gain. A short pass is effective for a 1st down at their 49-yard line with 4:28 to play in the first. Italy’s John Hughes makes a snarling tackle but Hico continues to drive. Thankfully, Newman covers a Hico fumble at the line-of-scrimmage and Italy’s JV is back on the attack from their own 48-yard line.

Connor passes incomplete to Clayton Miller but a pair of pummeling runs by Moore give Italy a 1st down at Hico’s 38-yard line with 2:58 on the clock. Connor throws incomplete to Copeland and then hands Hunter Merimon his first carry of the season that is stopped quickly by the Tiger defense. Connor reloads the cannon and fires a slant pass to McBride who bobbles initially but then holds on for a 39-yard touchdown catch. Italy leads 6-0 with :54 left in the first-quarter.

Justin Robbins kicks off and McBride is a one-man tackling machine and catches a Tiger at Hico’s 25-yard line. Hughes and Robbins combine for a tackle and then Moore plugs the gap for no gain on the next play to end the opening quarter.

Hico is forced to punt early in the third and Copeland returns it for a touchdown but the play is called back due to a block in the back. Italy has a 1st down at their own 36-yard line with 8:33 to go in the third-quarter.

Italy’s drive stalls at their thirty-two but the JV Gladiators get a 42-yard punt from Copeland to Hico’s 20-yard line. Tackles by Escamilla, Hughes and Newman force Hico to punt on a prayer to Copeland. Copeland returns this punt to the Tiger 16-yard line where Italy’s thunderous offense takes over. Merimon scores his first touchdown of the season on just his second carry of the season to put Italy up 12-0 with 3:59 showing. The conversion pass from Connor intended for Windham was tipped incomplete.

Hico drives inside Italy’s 20-yard line bit Italy’s hard-hitting defense foils the effort to hold their 12-0 lead at halftime.

The Tigers strike first in the second half with a 24-yard touchdown pass. The conversion pass is successful putting pressure on Italy who still lead, 12-8.

Robbins again covers Hico’s squib kick but Italy soon fumbles the ball back to the Tigers. Hico stalks the end zone and begins to drive down to Italy’s 25-yard line. Robbins pounces on a Tiger fumble with :10 left in the third.

Merimon takes the handoff from Connor and follows Moore to the right. Moore kicks out, Merimon cuts upfield, and 75-yards later, Italy leads 18-8 with Merimon scoring his second touchdown of the season on just his third carry of the season to end the third-quarter.

Italy kicks off to Hico carrying momentum from his touchdown run, Merimon delivers a solid hit on defense to bring up 2nd and long. Hico connects on a pass when Boyd delivers a hard hit, as well, but the Tiger receiver manages to hold on for the first down. A pass deflection by Miller and a near pick off by McBride eventually stalls Hico’s final possession.

Italy’s JV Gladiators end the game driving into Hico territory and get the 18-8 win to go 3-2 during the regular season.

District action starts tonight, Thursday, October 11, In Itasca with the Junior High games beginning at 5:00 p.m. followed by the JV game starting at 7:00 p.m.

Go Italy!

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