Notre Dame beats Walton in Class D football quarterfinal

 

SOUTHPORT — Elmira Notre Dame began its season with a forfeit loss because of a lack of players, raising questions about whether the Crusaders would even finish the season.

 

So when Walton took the lead midway through the fourth quarter on a blocked punt Friday night in a Section 4 Class D football quarterfinal, the adversity was nothing too concerning for the Crusaders. They responded by driving 62 yards in seven plays, with senior running back Tom Agan dashing in from 15 yards out with 4:15 to go and Troy Dygert adding the go-ahead points with a 2-point run in a 36-28 victory at Brewer Memorial Stadium.

 

Agan tacked on a 20-yard touchdown run with a minute left before sealing the win with an interception as the Crusaders (7-1) advanced to face Unatego (7-1) in the semifinals next weekend at Binghamton Alumni Stadium.

 

“I just saw a team with a lot of character that they’ve displayed and epitomized all year, and they did the same thing tonight,” Notre Dame coach Mike D’Aloisio said. “When a team responds after facing adversity like they did, it really tells you a lot about the makeup and the chemistry and the camaraderie they have.”

 

Agan finished with 161 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries to go along with a 46-yard touchdown reception in the opening quarter.

 

“When you think of Tom Agan and you think he came back from ACL surgery in February and a broken thumb two weeks ago and he doesn’t miss a beat … he’s special. He’s really special,” D’Aloisio said.

 

Crusaders quarterback Hunter Thomas and Derek Marshall connected for perhaps the biggest play of the night on third-and-5, moments after Quinn Harby recovered a punt blocked by Tyler Griffin in the end zone for a touchdown. That score gave the Warriors (5-3) a 28-22 lead with 6:52 remaining.

 

Marshall, the punter on the previous play, fell to his back as he went to make the catch along the sideline on a long Thomas pass. The football landed in his arms, then he bobbled it once before securing the ball and a 28-yard gain.

 

Agan ran the ball on the next four plays, going in on a counter play from the 15-yard line.

 

“Those guys have been making plays all year,” D’Aloisio said. “That doesn’t surprise me with Derek. Hunter had trouble gripping the ball tonight, but he fits the ball into tight windows and those guys make plays, and they make plays when it counts. That’s what I call a champion.”

 

Both teams scored two touchdowns in the first half, but Notre Dame converted its 2-point tries while Walton missed and the Crusaders led 16-12 at halftime. Alex Frisbie recovered a fumble in the end zone after a sack for one of the Notre Dame touchdowns.

 

A 43-yard touchdown run by Agan gave Notre Dame a 22-12 lead midway through the third quarter. Austin Kilmer responded with a 14-yard touchdown run to bring the Warriors within 22-20 after three.

 

Harby finished with 102 yards on 22 carries as the Warriors gained 255 of their 263 yards on the ground.

 

Elmira Notre Dame 36, Walton 28

 

Walton	6	6	8	8	—	28
Elmira ND	8	8	6	14	—	36

First quarter

W-Derek Mead 10 run (run failed)

ND-Tom Agan 46 pass from Hunter Thomas (Thomas run)

Second quarter

W-Christian Rutherford 15 run (run failed)

ND-Alex Frisbie recovered fumble in end zone (Troy Dygert run)

Third quarter

ND-Agan 43 run (run failed)

W-Austin Kilmer 14 run (Mead run)

Fourth quarter

W-Quinn Harby recovered blocked punt in end zone (Mead run)

ND-Agan 15 run (Dygert run) ND-Agan 20 run (run failed)

 

	W	E
First downs	17	10
Total Net Yards	263	266
Rushes-Yards	55-255	28-168
Passing	8	98
Comp-Att-Int	1-9-1	7-16-2
Punts-Average	2-37	1-29
Fumbles-Lost	4-2	1-1
Penalties-Yards	4-40	1-5

 

Individual statistics

Rushing — Walton, Austin Kilmer 6-46, Christian Rutherford 12-59, Derek Mead 12-45, Quinn Harby 22-102, Blake Hitt 3-3. Elmira Notre Dame, Hunter Thomas 4--8, Troy Dygert 2-10, Tom Agan 20-161, Joe Prunier 1--2, Derrick Stark 1-7.

Passing — Walton, Blake Hitt 1-9-1-8. Elmira Notre Dame, Hunter Thomas 7-16-2-98.

Receiving — Walton, Christian Rutherford 1-8. Elmira Notre Dame, Tom Agan 1-46, Derrick Stark 1-2, Derek Marshall 5-50.