Simendinger, since splitting time at quarterback in the Falcons’ Week 4 win against Chaminade Julienne, has taken the reins of a resurgent Fenwick offense that has helped the team recover from an 0-3 start.
“We’ve made some changes on offense, that’s clear to everyone watching us,” Falcons coach Joe Snively said. “We’re just trying to establish the consistency play-to-play with pass protection and with Sam as he learns the quarterback position as a first-year player.”
The Falcons still called more running plays than passing plays by more than a 2-1 margin, outgaining McNicholas on the ground 174 to minus-31. But they allowed Simendinger to put the ball in the air 22 times. He completed 15 of those attempts and added a team-high 59 rushing yards on 23 attempts.
“We still have to dominate the running game, like we always want to do,” Snively said. “We want to run first and pass second, but we’re trying to balance that out a little more now.”
Simendinger’s lone touchdown pass game with time winding down in the first half. Leading the Rockets (3-4, 3-1 GCLC Central) 13-3, the Falcons went on an 80-yard drive, punctuated by Simendinger’s 17-yard touchdown connection to R.J. Clesceri in the back corner of the end zone.
“We tried to establish the running game early like we always do,” Simendinger said. “But they started to stuff it out, so then we went to the pass. Once we did that, we started clicking because the pass game was really working.”
Keegan Corbett scored on a 2-yard run earlier in the quarter for Fenwick and kicker Mitchell Walsh connected on two field goals to round out the Falcons’ scoring.
Walsh’s first field goal, a 27-yarder, was set up directly by senior linebacker Sammy DeBiasi and the Fenwick special-teams unit.
DeBiasi, who shared the lead in sacks (1.5) and tackles (4), bullied his way right through the Rockets’ line and blocked Cole Carmosino’s punt on McNicholas’ first drive of the game to give the Falcons a first down from the MHS 11.
“They’re a rugby-style punting team, and that takes longer to get the ball away,” DeBiasi said. “I blocked one against them last year and thought I could get another one this year too, and I did.”
DeBiasi and the Falcons defense were able to limit a Rockets passing attack that had accumulated over 1,500 yards through their first six games.
Cameron Haynes passed for 234 yards for McNick, but 134 of those yards came on two fourth-quarter plays with the Falcons leading by multiple scores. Haynes completed 17 of 29 passes.
“Field position was tough for us early on offensively,” McNicholas coach Mike Orlando said. “We just couldn’t get going, and that’s a credit to them.”
Standout wide receiver Carmosino, after struggling with some early drops, caught five passes for 145 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
“They (Fenwick) didn’t necessarily do anything that we weren’t expecting,” Orlando said. “They just did those things better than we were able to do things, and sometimes that happens. They were able to get us off of our timing.”
Jake Watford scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the Falcon lead to three late in the game, but Fenwick ran the rest of the clock out to secure the win.
“We played a much better first half than second half,” Snively said. “I think the kids would agree with that. We have to stop giving up big plays defensively, but we did some nice things on both sides of the ball today and we got the win, which is the most important thing.
The Falcons can to reach the .500 mark as they head home to take on Purcell Marian (3-4, 1-3 GCLC Central) on Friday.
“Since CJ, when we got that first win, the mood has completely flipped around,” Simendinger said. “After we started 0-3, everyone was just kind of down, and we needed a spark. Since we changed to this new style of offense, we’re putting up more points and winning more games. The mood is very good right now.”
Fenwick 6-14-0-0—20
McNicholas 0-3-0-14—17
F: Mitchell Walsh 27 field goal
F: Walsh 28 field goal
F: Keegan Corbett 2 run (Walsh kick)
M: Cole Carmosino 36 field goal
F: R.J. Clesceri 17 pass from Sam Simendinger (Walsh kick)
M: Carmosino 84 pass from Cameron Haynes (Carmosino kick)
M: Jake Watford 1 run (Carmosino kick)
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