Big punts, key pick fuel Firebirds’ victory

Backup linebacker Dylan Romero celebrates his birthday by returning an interception for a touchdown.

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By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer 1:21 AM Saturday, September 19, 2009

WEST CHESTER TWP. — No Jordan Hicks. No problem.

Lakota West High School’s All-American linebacker/punter was too sick to play in the Firebirds’ Greater Miami Conference football opener against Hamilton, but his backups came up huge.

Brandon Neal averaged 48.6 yards on five punts to keep Big Blue buried in their own end, and backup linebacker Dylan Romero returned an interception 34 yards for a tiebreaking touchdown late in third quarter to lead West to a 20-6 victory Friday night, Sept. 18, at Firebird Stadium.

“That was a pretty nice present,” said Romero, who celebrated his 17th birthday with the first interception and first touchdown of his varsity career.

“The ball hit me right here,” he added, pointing to his chest. “I almost dropped it.”

While West (3-1 overall, 1-0 GMC) was playing without its defensive leader, Hamilton (1-3, 0-1 GMC) was missing its offensive leader in quarterback Drew Townsend, who injured his shoulder last week.

Backup met backup with the game tied 6-6 and just 3:26 left in the third quarter when Brian Cleckley’s pass hit Romero between the numbers.

The play was doubly devastating for Big Blue because it could have gone for six the other way.

“They came with a blitz and Malachai Daniels was wide open,” Big Blue coach Jim Place said. “If that ball’s just a little bit higher, it’s a touchdown for us.”

The interception was the only turnover of the game, but there was plenty of defense as Hamilton managed just 176 total yards while West put up only 189.

Neal, by contrast, outgained both teams with 243 punting yards. Hamilton, meanwhile, punted five times for just a 27-yard average.

“I’m sure we lost 140 yards tonight, just on punt exchanges,” Place said. “It’s just such a silly part of the game to lose the game on.”

West running back Jordan Thompson, who came into the game as the GMC’s leading rusher, gave the Firebirds an early 6-0 lead with a 5-yard touchdown run with 8:49 left before halftime.

Hamilton answered right back with the aid of a questionable pass interference call that led to a 1-yard TD by Devin Jarrett to tie the game at 6-6.

And that’s how it stayed until Romero celebrated his birthday in style with the rare start in place of Hicks.

“I was like, ‘What are we going to do without Jordan?’ and (defensive coordinator Carlton Gray) just looked at me and said, ‘We’re gonna play,’ ” West coach Larry Cox said. “We’ve kind of stolen the philosophy from UC — next man in. And guess what? The next man in did the job tonight.”

ontact this reporter at (513) 820-2193 or jmorrison@coxohio.com.

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