FeedsEagles collar Dogs, keep playoff hopes alive
Sometimes victories come at the narrowest of margins, as did Romulus’ latest win on Friday.
The margin separating triumph from possible defeat was 5-foot-10 and 255 pounds. That would be the height and weight of Romulus senior lineman Ciapha Reeves, who blew past a worthy Bulldog offensive line to sack the quarterback and deny Robichaud a two-point conversion that would have tied the game with 19 seconds left to play.
Call it a homecoming miracle or a heroic effort on Reeves part but the Eagles improved to 3-3 and kept their playoff hopes alive when they beat the visiting Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 14-12.
Robichaud was 4-1, coming into the contest.
“They are a really good team,” said Romulus Coach Keith Wittkopp. “We came out really motivated and played hard the first half. I don’t know why, but we came out flat in the second half and they caught up to us.”
After a scoreless first quarter Romulus got things going.
Senior quarterback Rodney Cofield connected with senior receiver Derek Kinney for a 10-yard pass play and a 7-0 lead. Then senior return man Antonio Brown did his part and trekked a punt back 67 yards for a score. That put the Eagles up, 14-0, to end the half.
Although the Eagles’ offense sputtered in the second half the defense continued to dominate the Bulldogs and held them scoreless in the third frame, too. But these sleeping dogs didn’t lie.
The Bulldogs found motivation in the fourth where they scored both of their touchdowns. Robichaud missed the extra point after the first tally but chewed up a good portion of the Eagles’ lead, 14-6. They made it 14-12, but Reeves collared the two-point conversion that would have tied the game and sent it into overtime.
“The defense played pretty good,” Wittkopp said. “(Robichaud) even got down to our goal line and we stopped them four-and-out.”
Junior defensive back Antonio James led the defense with 14 tackles and junior linebacker Desmend Roberts added 12.
Junior running back Marcel Rogers led the grown attack with 90 yards. Cofield added 44 and was 2-of-6 for 47 yards-the longest was a 37-yarder to senior receiver Abiola Emanuel.
Romulus has three games left against Ypsilanti, Inkster and Plymouth and needs to win all three to make the playoffs with a 6-3 record.
“We’re going to take them one at a time,” Wittkopp said. “Ypsilanti is going to be tough. They like to throw the ball and move around a little bit. And they’re coming off a big loss to Inkster last week.”
Romulus is at Ypsilanti at 7 p.m. on Friday. Then they host a 5-1 Inkster team at 7 p.m. next week and a 5-1 Plymouth squad at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24.
