After numerous lighting delays — a 30-minute restart after each strike seen by game officials — the Alter-Fairmont game will resume at 10 a.m. Saturday morning with Alter leading, 12-8. Alter won, 27-8 following Saturday’s play.
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“Everything was looking great,” Fairmont athletic director Chris Weaver said. “That 15 percent chance of rain certainly snuck up on us. You see lightning and hear thunder, you’ve got to go.”
The final play was a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by Alter’s David Rueth. The game will resume with 8:12 remaining in the second quarter and the Knights attempting the extra point.
ALTER WINS: Knights post 27-8 win on Sat.
Rueth also was key in setting up the punt return. On the previous play, he crushed Fairmont running back Jake Perkins deep in the backfield on third down.
As is the norm in this series, a capacity crowd stuffed Roush Stadium. This battle of Kettering took on added meaning with the debut of new Fairmont coach Dave Miller.
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The Firebirds immediately put their vocal following in a frenzy by going 80 yards on their first possession, capped by junior David Stamer’s 14-yard touchdown catch from sophomore quarterback Miles Johnson. It didn’t get any better for Alter on its resulting possession, which ended when a punt snap sailed over Matt Ruffolo’s head and he instead booted it out of Alter’s end zone. The safety pushed Fairmont’s lead to 8-0.
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John Bivins’ 3-yard scoring run pulled Alter within 8-6. That was set up by Connor Bazelak’s 48-yard dash. Rueth followed by unloading consecutive highlights to give Alter its first lead. Then what was a hot and humid night turned electric.
Bazelak, a promising sophomore, was a surprise starter at quarterback for Alter. Last season’s starter, Ryan Markoff, suffered a recent rib injury but was cleared to play.
That quick start by Fairmont had to be encouraging to Firebirds’ faithful, just as Alter’s comeback was for Knights’ fans. Alter has won 11 straight games in the series, which is in its 51st year. Last season Alter beat Fairmont 42-21.
The teams retreated to their locker rooms and eventually left after the game was called by 8:30 p.m. Securing officials for Saturday was Weaver’s major concern.
“It was fun,” Weaver said. “It’s there. You can feel it. I had a chance to listen to coach in the locker room during the delay. He couldn’t have been more positive. Kids were huddled around him and they were breaking down film and talking about what they could have done differently. It’s just a great time for Firebirds football.”
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