TRI-CITY AREA— Almont earned a 39-0 win at visiting Imlay City’s expense in a Blue Water Area Conference varsity football game last Friday night.
With the outcome, Almont improves to 2-1 and 2-0. Imlay City slips to 0-3 and 0-2.
“It was good to be out on our home field in front of our great community tonight,” Almont Coach James Leusby said. “We got out to a good start and kept it going into halftime,” he noted.
“The offense was clicking and the defense went out and executed the game plan again this week.”
On the opposite sideline, Imlay City Coach Brian Tresnak was not as pleased with his team’s performance.
“We need to do a better job getting a push up front on both sides of the ball,” Tresnak commented. “This week is a gut check for players and coaches alike,” he noted.
“There is no halfway. You are either in 100 percent or you’re out.”
In Friday’s game, Almont jumped out to a 12-0 advantage after one quarter was over with.
Quarter two saw Almont amass 20 points and Imlay City manage none, leaving them up 32-0 at the half.
When play resumed, Almont picked up where it left off. Aided by a 7-0 third quarter advantage, the Raiders widened the gap to 39-0.
Neither side scored the rest of the way.
Almont’s Matthew Measel looks to shed an Imlay City tackle during the team’s BWAC encounter last Friday. Almont won by a 39-0 score.
Almont produced their winning 39-point output aided by a Mason Smith 12-yard touchdown run; a Matthew Measel four-yard touchdown run; a Smith 27-yard touchdown run (followed by a successful extra point kick courtesy of Kaiden SaintOnge); a 29-yard touchdown by Measel (followed by an accurate extra point boot from SaintOnge); a 12-yard touchdown run by Trenton Kruse; and a Brock Conger to Chase Battani 12-yard touchdown pass (followed by a successful extra point kick courtesy of SaintOnge).
For the night, Conger completed four of eight pass plays for 60 yards as Almont’s quarterback. He threw one interception en route to those numbers.
His successful tosses went to four different targets. Their ranks consisted of Connor Nascivera (one catch for 28 yards), Haden Lacavera (one reception for 15 yards), Battani (one catch for 12 yards) and Smith (one reception for five yards).
The Almont ground attack chewed up 271 yards of territory on 35 totes.
Smith (nine rushes for 89 yards), Measel (63 yards on six totes), Blake Bunch (seven rushes for 43 yards) and Battani (39 yards on four totes) put up Almont’s top credentials. The remaining nine Raider rushes netted a combined 37-yard gain.
Brandon Hunsaker (three solos and nine assist) paced the Almont defense. He was backed by Josh Mroz (one solo and four assists), Tyler Filinger (five assists), plus Gavin Louwsma, Kruse and Smith (four assists each).
Measel (an interception) supplied the lone Almont takeaway.
Jacob Burgess connected on one of three pass plays for two yards as Imlay City’s quarterback. He threw one interception along the way.
Julian Rojas had the lone Imlay City catch.
The Imlay City ground attack managed 70 yards on 27 totes.
Julian Rojas (12 rushes for 46 yards) and Cristian Rojas (17 yards on seven totes) put up Imlay City’s best numbers. The remaining eight Spartan rushes netted a combined seven-yard gain.
Lance Wolford (five solos and five assists) notched Imlay City’s highest tackle output. He was backed by Julian Rojas (six solos and one assist), Latham Perry (three solos and four assists) and Dillan Landerschier (two solos and five assists).
Almont returns to action this Friday when it travels to Algonac, while Imlay City entertains Cros-Lex. Both BWAC clashes are slated to get underway at 7 p.m.
Kevin Kissane
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.
