Garrettsville, OH- It was a beautiful August evening at JAG Field where the host G-MEN (2-0) welcomed in the Normandy Invaders (0-1) for their home opener. Garfield was coming off of a 61-26 thrashing of Warren JFK while the Invaders fell to Streetsboro 49-27.
Normandy won the toss and started at their own 35 yard line. After moving the ball into G-MEN territory, the Invaders faced a 4th and 5. QB Elijah Gray's pass over the middle was picked off by Garfield DB Jack Neikirk at the 35 yard line.
The G-MEN moved the ball past midfield to the Invaders 49 yard line in three plays. The next play was taken to the house by G-MEN QB Eric Geddes for a 49 yard touchdown run. The PAT was missed and Garfield held a 6-0 lead with 9:42 to play 1st quarter.
On Normandy's next possession they were again able to move the ball into G-MEN territory after a 20 yard run by Gray. They were again faced with another 4th down situation, but this time Gray's pass fell short and they turned it over on downs.
Garfield would again capitalize as they went 64 yards in 6 plays before Keegan Sell ran it in from 18 yards out. The PAT was good this time putting the G-MEN up 13-0 with 2:54 to play in the 1st quarter.
The Garfield defense forced a Normandy 3 and out on the next possession and quickly got the ball back and again went to work offensively. This time it was a 6 play, 75-yard drive highlighted by a Deacon Sommer 31 yard run on the first play. The end result was another Sell TD run as he plunged in from 2 yards less than a minute into the 2nd quarter. The PAT was blocked and the G-MEN took a 19-0 lead.
The Invaders needed to answer back to keep themselves in this one. It did not start well as Elijah Gray was sacked on the first play by Garfield DB Deacon Sommer for a 16 yard loss. But on the very next play Gray hooked up with WR Austin Stash for a 40 yard gain to the G-MEN 34 yard line. Despite almost fumbling the ball away, the Invaders were able to get on the board as Gray ran it in from 2 yards out. They went for two but Gray's passed was intercepted in the end zone by Cade Rock. The G-MEN lead was trimmed to 19-6 with 6:49 to play 1st half.
Garfield wasted no time countering that touchdown with another one of their own. It was yet another 6 play drive that was capped off by a beautiful Geddes throw down the sideline hitting Sommer in stride for a 42 yard touchdown pass. The Ethan Bittence PAT split the uprights and the lead was up to 20 at 26-6 with just over four minutes to play in the half.
The Garfield defense would not allow another answer from Normandy as they forced a punt. They would get the ball back with 1:40 to play in the half. The famous 6 play drive showed up again as they quickly moved down the field as Geddes took to the air with five straight completions, the biggest of which was another great throw and even greater catch by Sell for a 40 yard gain. It ended on a 7 yard touchdown pass to a wide open Leo Grandizio. The Bittence PAT gave us our halftime score of 33-6 in favor of the G-MEN.
The second half opened up with another G-MEN score. Garfield went to their bread and butter pounding out a 5 play, 53 yard drive all on the ground highlighted by a Brandyn Bogucki 29 yard run on the first play. Deacon Sommer capped it off with a 5 yard touchdown run around the end to get Garfield on the board to start half #2. The PAT gave the G-MEN a 40-6 lead.
Normandy came out sharp on their first possession of the 2nd half. Elijah Gray went to work rushing four times for 72 yards on the drive, the last of which was a 35 yard touchdown run eluding tacklers. Neno Illic converted the PAT making it a 40-13 score.
Again Garfield would answer the Invader points on their next drive. Sommer got it setup with a 43 yard kick return to the Normandy 30 yard line. Three plays later Geddes took it up the middle for a 20 yard touchdown run. The PAT was no good and the G-MEN held a commanding 46-13 lead with 3:35 to play in the 3rd quarter.
Garfield would get another score in the 4th quarter as both teams put their second team squads into the game. G-MEN RB Harper Troyer reversed direction and took it in from 22 yards out for a touchdown with 3:57 to play. The G-MEN elected to kneel rather than attempt an extra point up by 39 points. That score was the final on the night as the G-MEN rolled to a 52-13 home opening win.
It was another stellar game for Garfield QB Eric Geddes who put up 287 all purpose yards and 4 touchdowns.
The G-MEN are back home next Friday as the welcome in the Labrae Vikings while Normandy looks for their first win at Westlake.
Unofficial stat leaders:
Garfield:
Eric Geddes: 7/8 - 142 yards - 2 TD / 10 rush - 145 yards - 2 TD
Keegan Sell: 10 rush - 67 yards - 2 TD / 1 rec - 40 yards
Deacon Sommer: 5 rush - 47 yards - TD / 2 rec - 55 yards - TD
Normandy:
Elijah Gray: 4/11 - 49 yards / 17 rush - 133 yards - 2 TD
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