Fulton scores late, holds off Forreston for NUIC road win

FORRESTON – In a roller coaster of a football game that featured Forreston special team gaffes and turnovers, Fulton penalties, wild lead swings and disputed calls, Fulton held on to beat Forreston 30-28 in an NUIC game Friday night.

“We were lucky the clock ran out at the end,” Fulton coach Patrick Lower said. “It wasn’t pretty, and we were fortunate to get out with the win because Forreston is so disciplined at what they do.”

Dom Kramer threw a halfback-option touchdown pass to Baylen Damhoff in triple coverage with 3:22 left for the final margin of victory.

It was the second touchdown pass caught by the 6-foot-6 Damhoff.

“I was nervous,” Damhoff said. “But, my coach said I was taller than everyone and to go get the ball.”

Forreston coach Keynon Janicke felt the back was in motion and vehemently protested. Earlier he had also gone onto the field to question a play being called dead before his team’s momentum was stopped.

Forreston substantially outgained Fulton, but was hurt by numerous miscues, the most serious allowing Conner Sheridan to take a line-drive squib kick 60 yards for a touchdown with 10 seconds left in the first half.

“We can’t have that,” Janicke said. “That’s hurt us all year.”

Forreston recovered from two lost fumbles in the first quarter to take a 22-3 lead before Sheridan’s score. The Cardinals had 385 yards of total offense, including 73 in the air.

It was a perfectly thrown 47-yard bomb from Forreston quarterback Brock Smith to Kaleb Sanders that set up a 10-yard Johnny Kobler touchdown to make it 8-3 early in the second quarter.

The Cardinal defense then forced a three-and-out and came back down the field on an 14-play, 85-yard drive to make it 16-3, with Micah Nelson scoring from 1 yard out.

Later in the second quarter, the Cardinals increased the lead to 22-3 following an interception and 35-yard return by McKeon Crase. Pass completions of 22 and 13 yards by Smith set up Kobler for a 3-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left in the half.

“We played good enough to have running clock in the first half, but made too many mistakes,” Janicke said.

The biggest was giving up the kick off return by Sheridan. That gave Fulton the boost they desperately need to change the complexion of the game.

In the second half, the Steamers put together their most impressive drive, going 63 yards on 14 plays to pull within 22-16 on a Lukas Schroeder 2-yard touchdown. The key play was a 19-yard pass from Brayden Dykstra to Ryan Eads, one play after Sanders nearly intercepted Dykstra. Twice they converted on fourth down, and it was Joel Ford closing the drive out after Eads’ catch with a 2-yard score.

“I challenged them at half,” Lower said.

Ben Fosdick then had an interception after Eads blindsided Smith. On the next play, it was Dykstra (12-for-23 passing, 134 yards, INT) finding Damhoff for a 39-yard bomb and 23-22 lead, the Steamers’ first since a Endi Qunaj field goal to make it 3-0.

Little did anyone realize how critical those early three points would be.

Fulton had a chance to increase the lead after blocking a punt, but a staunch Cardinal defense forced another three-and-out.

That’s where Smith took charge. First it was a 17-yard run, and then a 15-yard ramble that caught another 15 yards on a facemask penalty. In what Janicke thought was an inadvertant whistle, Smith broke free and ran untouched into the end zone.

Still, it was a first-and-10 at the 31-yard line, and Smith eventually found the goal line five plays later for a 28-23 Forreston lead midway through the fourth quarter.

“We played with a lot of heart, but it was another game that we didn’t do enough to win,” Janicke said.

Forreston did get the ball back one more time after the Kramer to Damhoff score, but Smith was stopped on a fourth-and-3 situation near the red zone.

Fulton (5-1, 5-2) moved into sole possession of second place in the NUIC, while Forreston fell to 5-3. The Cardinals face Lena-Winslow, the No. 1 team in 1A, the final week of the season.

A must-win is on deck this Saturday, as they travel to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (3-4) for a nonconference matchup.

“I think we’re the better team and should win, as long as we don’t make all these mistakes,” Janicke said.