IMLAY CITY — Imlay City gave visiting Cros-Lex all it could handle and then some, before succumbing 14-13 in a Blue Water Area Conference varsity football battle last Friday night.
With the result, Cros-Lex goes to 2-1 and 2-0. Imlay City falls to 1-2 and 0-2.
“We played a tough game defensively, “ Imlay City Coach Brian Tresnak commented. “We just ran out of gas at the end,” he noted.
“I am proud of the effort both in practice and on the game field this week.”
In Friday’s battle, Imlay City and Cros-Lex concluded the initial quarter with zero points apiece.
Quarter two saw Imlay City collect seven points, while holding Cros-Lex scoreless.
Riley Bertram, of Imlay City, utilizes a block to pick up a good-sized gain during his team’s game versus Cros-Lex last Friday night. Photo by Rod Soule
When the action resumed, Cros-Lex fought back with a 6-0 third quarter edge. That trimmed their deficit to 7-6 at the time.
Imlay City then went up 13-6 during the final quarter of play.
Cros-Lex then bounced back with a touchdown and a two-point conversion, escaping with a 14-13 victory.
Imlay City amassed their 13 point total thanks to a Lance Wolford two-yard touchdown run (followed by an accurate extra point boot from Wyatt Luther) and a 26-yard touchdown run by Austin DeRocher.
For the night, Riley Bertram completed three of seven pass plays for 34 yards as Imlay City’s quarterback. He threw two interceptions along the way.
His completions went to three different targets. Dakota Sandzik (one reception for 30 yards), Chris Cezik (one reception for three yards) and Cristian Rojas (one catch for one yard) formed that group.
The Imlay City ground attack wound up with 168 yards on 39 totes.
Individually, DeRocher (12 rushes for 82 yards) and Cristian Rojas (33 yards on 10 totes) paced Imlay City. The remaining 17 Spartan totes netted a combined 53-yard gain.
Luther (four solos and eight assists), Julian Rojas (six solos and four assists), Rosario Milana and Xander Nolin (three solos and three assists apiece), Cristian Rojas (two solos and four assists), DeRocher (two solos and three assists), plus Sandzik and Wolford (one solo and four assists each) posted Imlay City’s top tackle outputs.
The Imlay City defense also had five takeaways. Joe Harper and Wolford (two fumble recoveries apiece) plus Bertram (an interception) furnished those.
Imlay City will aim to bounce back this Friday when it entertains Blue Water Area Conference rival Algonac. The clash, Imlay City’s homecoming game, is slated to get underway at at 7 p.m.
Kevin Kissane has been covering high school sports for the Tri-City Times since 1985. When not standing on a field or court with his camera and notepad, he enjoys golf, travel and family. Kevin is a 1980 graduate of Capac High School, and is also a grad of St. Clair Community College and earned a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University.
