Lake County Sentinel
Blue Devils win a homecoming thriller 27-20
BY TIM SHIRER
SPORTS EDITOR
(WICKLIFFE, OH) - Friday night was homecoming at Wickliffe Memorial Stadium. The host Wickliffe Blue Devils (7-1, 2-1) welcomed the Rootstown Rovers (6-2, 1-2) for a Chagrin Valley Conference matchup. The game was the first ever meeting between the two schools. It was a classic as the Blue Devils held on to defeat the Rovers 27-20.
The first half was close statistically as the Blue Devils only out gained the Rovers 72-48 on offense. The key play in the first half was on the third play from scrimmage as Rootstown junior quarterback Blake Mullaly’s pass was intercepted by Blue Devils senior Markese Roberts and returned to the Rootstown four yard line. Just two plays later Wickliffe freshman sensation Eli Fitch took the ball into the end zone from two yards out giving the Blue Devils a 7-0 lead with 9:33 left on the first quarter clock.
After the Wickliffe defense stopped the Rovers on their second drive and forced a punt, the Blue Devils marched 34 yards on 7 plays in 3:36. The drive was capped with Fitch’s second TD of the night on a one-yard run.
The first half scoring was completed when Wickliffe senior Drew Rossman kicked a 22-yard field goal with 2:43 left on the second quarter clock.
The third quarter belonged to the Rovers. Wickliffe received the second half kickoff. Committed a holding penalty on the first play of the drive and then the Rootstown defense forced a three and out. One of the only bright spots early in the second half was the 55-yard punt by Rossman.
The Rovers took over at their own 39 and drove 61 yards on nine plays in 4:43 seconds capped off by a 10-yard TD run by Rootstown Mr. Everything Blake Mullaly (QB, K, P) with 5:19 left on the third quarter clock cutting the Wickliffe lead to 17-7.
Things got no better for the Blue Devils on their next possession as Fitch fumbled and was injured on the play and did not return. The Rovers took advantage of the turnover at the Wickliffe eight yard line. Two plays later Damien Reuting took the ball to the house with 4:15 left on the third quarter clock and the Blue Devils lead was cut to 17-14.
The Blue Devils finally responded with 9:43 left in the final quarter they capped off a 10-play drive on a 33-yard field goal by Rossman and Wickliffe lead was 20-14.
Just 2:18 later, with 7:25 left on the game clock it looked like the Rovers were going to take the lead for the first time in the game after Mullaly took the ball into the end zone from six yards out. The Rovers, however, could not convert the extra point and the game was tied 20-20.
The Blue Devils then used a methodical 12 play85 yard drive that took 5:48 to take the lead. On the fourth play of the drive the Blue Devils faced a third and 13 and sophomore Dom Porcello hit senior captain Frankie Bucar with a 22-yard pass for a huge first down at their own 34 yard line. Bucar was playing the game with a fractured right hand and a full cast. Senior Ralph Jackson then picked up 13 yards on the ground to put Wickliffe at their own 47. Senior Jimmie Feaster took it from there as he carried the ball and a few Rovers defenders on the next eight plays, capping it off with a six-yard TD run. At first it appeared that Rossman missed the extra point, but there was a penalty on Rootstown on the PAT. Rossman had a second chance putting it right down the middle of the uprights to give the Blue Devils a 27-20 lead with just 1:37 remaining in the final quarter.
The Rovers took possession at their own 20-yard line with 1:37 left and the Wickliffe defense gave them no shot, stopping them on fourth down at their own 15-yard line with :57 left. The Blue Devils kneeled twice to run out clock and secure their seventh victory of the season and send the Rovers to only their second loss.
The game was a dead heat statistically as the Blue Devils and Rovers each had 196 yards of offense.
Reuting, led all rushers with 21 carries and 115 yards. Feaster led the Blue Devils with eight carries and 60 yards, all on the final drive of the game. Bucar, with the broken right hand and a cast led all receivers with three catches for 46 yards.
Next Friday the Blue Devils will travel to Berkshire to take on the always tough Badgers (4-4, 2-1).
tshirer@lakecountysentinel.com follow Tim on Twitter @TBBucsTim or follow us on Twitter @LCSentinelcom
POSTED 10/11/2025 00:36
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Wickliffe seniors Drew Rossman (kicker/punter), Frankie Bucar (quarterback, Receiver, defensive back), Jimmie Feaster (running back, linebacker) Photo by Tim Shirer
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