DHS Football Team Buries Maine West

The Final Score:  Deerfield 35, Maine West 7 

Warriors’ Star Performers:             Brett Freedberg provided a spark on offense, defense and special teams while Ben Ethridge quarterbacked Deerfield to its most productive offensive night of the season. Freedberg returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, intercepted a Maine West pass returning it 35 yards setting up a 33-yard touchdown run by Ethridge. Ethridge improved steadily through the game running for 74 yards and two touchdowns. He completed two of four passes for 47 yards.

Other Notable Warrior Performances:       Jake Balder added a punch on offense and defense while Tom Bonadies and Kevin Mulert helped anchor the defense. Bonadies and Balder had several key tackles including a critical tackle for loss by Balder. Mulert notched a sack to help thwart a Maine West opportunity. Alec Frank and Landen Hines supported the offense from the fullback position.

Who’s Next:   The Warriors travel to Maine East at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5. 

The Bottom Line:      After both teams traded possessions through the first eight minutes of the first quarter, the Warriors took the ball on the Maine West 47 and scored seven plays later when Hines went in from seven yards out. Michael Maki’s kick gave Deerfield a 7-0 lead. Maine West tied the score midway through the second quarter before Deerfield took control. 

Freedberg picked up the ensuing kickoff on his team’s 15 yard-line and ran it back 85 yards to put Deerfield back on top, 14-7. The Warriors then recovered a fumble three minutes later on the Maine West 44. On the next play Ethridge completed a 32-yard pass to Benjamin Weiss to the Maine 12 before Frank scored on an eight-yard run to put his team ahead, 20-7, to end the first half. 

In the second half, the teams again traded possessions until the Warriors engineered a 73-yard scoring drive midway through the third quarter. Balder, Hinds and Ethridge had key carries. Ethridge capped the march on a one-yard run and Balder scored a two-point conversion for a 28-7 lead. The final touchdown came on a 33-yard run by Ethridge after a 35-yard return off an interception by Freedberg. 

The Warriors are now 2-4 for the season and 1-1 in the Central Suburban League North Division. 

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