PHOTOS: Nick Graham’s gallery from the game
The painful was beating his former coach and longtime friend, John Aregood.
“That was the least enjoyable win I’ve had,” said Lamb, a 1991 Franklin graduate and former Wildcat quarterback under Aregood. “It’s tough throughout the game. You get excited for your kids and they deserve it, and I’d look across the field and see the guy that I idolized. I hope they win every game from here on out because they deserve it.
“That was the most physical team we’ve played so far. They were hitting and moving the ball, and I couldn’t help but think back to the days of Franklin. Hopefully he sticks around because he’ll have that program where it needs to be. I’m just looking forward to playing someone else next week.”
The Falcons (1-2) earned a 290-251 advantage in yardage and drove the ball more consistently than Lebanon (2-1), but the Warriors came up with multiple big plays and took advantage of five Fenwick turnovers.
“That might be the type of team we have,” Lamb said. “We’ve got weapons. We’ve got big-play potential. We’re going to have to rely on some of that.”
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Derrick Allen stood out in that regard with three touchdowns, two on throws from quarterback Kyle Short and one on a game-opening 85-yard kickoff return.
Allen, a junior and the brother of former Warrior standout Dakota Allen, caught six passes for 152 yards. Short was 10 of 17 for 196 yards and also hit Alec Koch for a score.
“We planned to have a big passing game all week, and we just came out and executed,” Allen said.
He stung Fenwick immediately with his kickoff-return TD.
“I saw ’em coming and I was like, ‘Get off me,’ and then I took it to the house,” Allen said. “Had to get there. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
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“Derrick Allen was a difference maker tonight. He didn’t go down on first contact,” Lamb said. “They didn’t have an answer for him. That’s the Derrick we need. He’s one of the best that we have and maybe have had.”
Brendan Lamb (13 carries, 47 yards), Tyler Inloes and Ethan Marsh added scoring runs for the Warriors. Billy Crago was perfect on seven conversion kicks.
Jake Tewart snagged two interceptions and Michael Haddad had a pick for Lebanon, while Blake Justice and Caleb Newman recovered fumbles. Zack Ball and Justice totaled 10 tackles apiece.
“The first half was a three-ring circus by the officiating crew. The second half, we just didn’t play very well and made some key mistakes,” Aregood said. “The kids play hard. We just do things to stop ourselves.”
Falcons quarterback Sully Janeck was 9 of 23 for 114 yards, running for a score and connecting with Thomas Vogelsang for a touchdown.
Keegan Corbett marked a TD and 101 yards on 29 carries for Fenwick. Caleb Davis, who’s been out with an ankle injury since Week 1, returned to action and had 49 yards and a touchdown on 12 rushes.
“We made a couple mistakes in the second half, and the game got out of hand before we could do anything about it,” said Janeck, a junior. “We moved the ball well. It was a pretty even game besides the turnovers and mistakes.”
The Warriors led 28-20 at halftime, then scored on their first three possessions after the break.
“We came out like gangbusters, but Fenwick battled right back and really outplayed us the rest of the first half,” Shawn Lamb said. “We came in at halftime and talked about some adjustments, but we also talked about adjusting our attitude, having a we-first mentality and taking the battle to the field. I felt like we came out with a different mind-set in the second half and had a new energy.”
The Falcons’ Jake Schaefer came up with an interception on Marsh’s only pass attempt of the night. Fenwick is set to begin Greater Catholic League Coed North Division play at Chaminade Julienne next Friday.
“We’re not feeling great because of the loss, but I know we can run the table,” Janeck said.
“If we play, we’ll be all right,” Aregood said. “If we stink up the field like we do sometimes, it’ll be like this again. It’s that simple. We’re our own worst enemy.”
Lebanon will visit Beavercreek on Thursday.
Fenwick 12-8-0-7—27
Lebanon 21-7-14-7—49
L: Derrick Allen 85 kickoff return (Billy Crago kick)
L: Brendan Lamb 6 run (Crago kick)
F: Thomas Vogelsang 31 pass from Sully Janeck (Kick blocked)
L: Allen 23 pass from Kyle Short (Crago kick)
F: Keegan Corbett 1 run (Pass failed)
F: Janeck 2 run (Joe Durham pass from Janeck)
L: Allen 25 pass from Short (Crago kick)
L: Alec Koch 31 pass from Short (Crago kick)
L: Tyler Inloes 1 run (Crago kick)
L: Ethan Marsh 14 run (Crago kick)
F: Caleb Davis 1 run (Matt Beckman kick)
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