Wells’ Tyler Bridge carries the ball for a pivotal 69-yard score in the third quarter on Friday night’s win over Madison/Carrabec. ALEX SPONSELLER/Journal Tribune
The Warriors went on to score three consecutive touchdowns, two of which being set up by big turnovers, to complete the comeback.
Trailing 21-7 in the third quarter, Ethan Marsh would recover a Madison/Carrabec fumble at the Bulldogs’ 6-yard line. That set up an eventual 7-yard touchdown by Chad Fitzpatrick to cut the deficit to 21-13 after a failed PAT.
The Warriors offense kept the pressure on Madison/Carrabec, and would get a big 69-yard rushing touchdown by Tyler Bridge to pull within two with 1:54 remaining in the third quarter.
“Tyler’s run was when we knew that they were getting tired … we were still going at them and plugging away,” said Wells’ Nolan Potter, who led the Warriors with 142 yards rushing.
The two teams grinded in the fourth quarter, looking for the big play. Wells got it with 4:43 remaining, when Sean McCormack-Kuhman blocked a Bulldogs punt and set Wells up at the Madison/Carrabec 24-yard line.
Potter would cap off the ensuing drive with a 12-yard rushing touchdown for the game-winner with 2:05 left in regulation.
“We have a staff that conditions these kids for exactly this tonight, we said that when the fourth quarter came. I said, ‘this is why we condition right here,’ and I felt that our kids were ready to go,” said Wells head coach Tim Roche. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of these kids … that’s on them — they go out and play.”
It was a rocky start for Wells, who allowed the opening kickoff to be returned 85 yards by Madison/Carrabec’s Sean Whalen for the score.
Wells would eventually tie the score at 7-7 when Fitzpatrick scored on a 9-yard rush, but the Bulldogs responded on the ensuing drive when quarterback Evan Bess took a keeper 51 yards for the score.
Bess would later connect with Jacob Meader for a 75-yard touchdown pass with under two minutes remaining in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs the two-score advantage at the break.
“I loved that we answered … you go down 21-7 and go into the locker room, I didn’t see a lot of heads down. That never happened, they were just like let’s go, we can do this,” said Roche.
Bridge finished the day with 98 yards rushing, while Fitzpatrick added 41.
The Warriors improve to 4-0 to start the year, and are happy to see their new core step up when it mattered most.
“I think people forget that we graduated 19, they stepped up and they didn’t have the Riley (Dempsey) or the Owen (Berry’s), and they stepped up big time,” said Roche.
“We have a lot of heart with this group,” added Potter. “We’re very tight-knit seniors, but there’s no divide in class. We’re all Wells Warriors.”
— Associate Sports Editor Alex Sponseller can be reached at asponseller@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 323. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.
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