ALMONT — Almont earned a 44-0 homecoming win at Richmond’s expense in a Blue Water Area Conference varsity football encounter last Friday night.
With the decision, Almont improves to 5-2 and 3-2.
“It was a great homecoming night for our team and the whole community,” Almont Coach James Leusby commented. “We took another step forward this week behind our senior leadership,” he noted.
Matthew Measel, of Almont, heads to the endzone for a touchdown during his team’s homecoming win Friday against Richmond.
“The defense was locked in and pitched a shutout to give our offense good field position all game. It was a total team effort.”
In Friday’s encounter, Almont grabbed an 8-0 edge after one quarter was complete.
Almont followed it up with a 16-0 second quarter advantage, widening the gap to 24-0 at the halftime break.
When play resumed, Almont picked up where it left off. Aided by a 20-0 third quarter edge, the Raiders went up by a 44-0 count.
That was followed by a scoreless fourth quarter, leaving Almont triumphant at night’s end.
Almont produced their winning 44-point total aided by a Matthew Measel six-yard touchdown run (followed by a Measel PAT tote); a Chase Battani four-yard touchdown run (followed by a successful extra point kick courtesy of Sean O’Neil); a Battani 29-yard touchdown run; an O’Neil 26-yard field goal; a six-yard touchdown run by Measel (followed by an accurate extra point boot from O’Neil); a Battani 76-yard touchdown run; and a Battani 30-yard touchdown run (followed by a successful extra point boot from O’Neil).
For the night, Trenton Kruse completed two of seven pass plays for 56 yards as Almont’s quarterback. He threw zero interceptions along the way.
His successful tosses went to two different targets. Their ranks consisted of Cole Walton (one catch for 38 yards) and Connor Nascivera (one reception for 18 yards).
The Almont ground attack added 366 yards on 35 totes.
Battani (10 rushes for 178 yards), Bryce Ferman (80 yards on eight totes) and Measel (nine rushes for 58 yards) led Almont that evening. The remaining eight Raider rushes netted a combined 50-yard gain.
Ayden Ferqueron (one solo and eight assists) and Measel (one solo and five assists) posted the top Almont tackle outputs. They were backed by Antonio Nedelkovski (one solo and four assists) and Battani (two solos and two assists), Cody Koval and Ferman (one solo and three assists each) along with Tyler Filinger (four assists).
The Almont defense also registered one takeaway. Josh Mroz (a fumble recovery) furnished that.
Almont returns to action this Friday when it entertains Blue Water Area Conference counterpart Yale. That battle begins 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.
