dougroberson
09-07-2007, 10:43 PM
Photographs from this game are in the photo gallery
Lafayette stops Smithfield
By JASON JORDAN | jjordan@dailypress.com (jjordan@dailypress.com) / 247-4648
SMITHFIELD - Lafayette safety T.J. Ptachick had to block out his frustrations with the Rams’ inability to stop Smithfield running back Dyrell Roberts.
Now the game was on the line. Now the Rams could make up for allowing the Packers to march down the field and be in perfect position to steal the game.
Now it was fourth-and-goal, 59 seconds left with the ball on the Rams’ 5-yard line.
"It was a pride thing," Ptachick said. "They were moving it easy, but we knew that No. 7 (Roberts) was going to get the ball."
What Ptachick didn’t know was that Roberts was going to pass.
It didn’t matter.
Ptachick came up with the interception to secure the 16-13 win Friday night at Packer Stadium.
"I saw him get the ball so I came up a little," Ptachick said. "Then I was surprised because I saw that he was going to pass. So I dropped back and it came right to me. All I could think was ‘this one’s over."
The win ended a two-year losing streak to the Packers (1-1, 0-1).
"It’s a huge win for us," Ptachick said. "They had beaten us so we knew it was going to be a good game. We just fought hard and got the win."
After the Rams (2-0, 1-0) took a 9-7 lead on Garrick Piggott’s 9-yard touchdown run with 2:56 left in the first half, Roberts answered with a 100-yard punt return to give the Packers a 13-9 halftime lead.
After a defensive struggle of a third quarter, Piggott muscled his way to a 9-yard touchdown run, giving the Rams a 16-13 lead with 9:39 left in the game.
The teams traded possessions and then the Packers put together a drive that spanned more than six minutes.
Roberts came up with three conversions on third-and-long and one on fourth-and-long during the Packers’ final drive. He carried the ball 23 times for 137 yards and a touchdown for the game.
Roberts brought the Packers to the 1-yard line, only to have a false start move them back to the 6-yard line.
In three plays Lafayette only allowed the Packers one yard.
"We were waiting on them to get him (Roberts) the ball," Lafayette coach Paul Wheeler said. "We weren’t ready for the halfback pass. He’s a big part of their offense, but when he backed up and threw the pass, I felt pretty good. We were in position."
Smithfield coach Chris Fraser said that the pass was called because they couldn’t move the ball on the last series.
"They had stopped us three times, and they were looking for Dyrell," Fraser said. "We were trying to catch them by surprise. Our kicker was hesitant so we had to go for it. They just stopped us. Dyrell ran his butt off, and it’s a shame that we weren’t able to punch it in."
LAFAYETTE 16. SMITHFIELD 13
Lafayette 9;0;0;7;16
Smithfield 7;6;0;0;13
L -- Safety
S -- Williams 7 run (Springfield kick)
L -- Piggott 9 run (Dover kick)
S – Roberts 100 punt return (kick failed)
L -- Piggott 9 run (Dover kick)
;Laf;Smi
First downs;9;12
Rushes-yards;34-152;34-178
Passing yards;54;0
Comp-Att-Int;2-7-0;0-3-1
Penalties-yards;5-35;6-45
Fumbles-lost;2-2;1-0
Punts-avg.;3-36; 4-36.5
Lafayette stops Smithfield
By JASON JORDAN | jjordan@dailypress.com (jjordan@dailypress.com) / 247-4648
SMITHFIELD - Lafayette safety T.J. Ptachick had to block out his frustrations with the Rams’ inability to stop Smithfield running back Dyrell Roberts.
Now the game was on the line. Now the Rams could make up for allowing the Packers to march down the field and be in perfect position to steal the game.
Now it was fourth-and-goal, 59 seconds left with the ball on the Rams’ 5-yard line.
"It was a pride thing," Ptachick said. "They were moving it easy, but we knew that No. 7 (Roberts) was going to get the ball."
What Ptachick didn’t know was that Roberts was going to pass.
It didn’t matter.
Ptachick came up with the interception to secure the 16-13 win Friday night at Packer Stadium.
"I saw him get the ball so I came up a little," Ptachick said. "Then I was surprised because I saw that he was going to pass. So I dropped back and it came right to me. All I could think was ‘this one’s over."
The win ended a two-year losing streak to the Packers (1-1, 0-1).
"It’s a huge win for us," Ptachick said. "They had beaten us so we knew it was going to be a good game. We just fought hard and got the win."
After the Rams (2-0, 1-0) took a 9-7 lead on Garrick Piggott’s 9-yard touchdown run with 2:56 left in the first half, Roberts answered with a 100-yard punt return to give the Packers a 13-9 halftime lead.
After a defensive struggle of a third quarter, Piggott muscled his way to a 9-yard touchdown run, giving the Rams a 16-13 lead with 9:39 left in the game.
The teams traded possessions and then the Packers put together a drive that spanned more than six minutes.
Roberts came up with three conversions on third-and-long and one on fourth-and-long during the Packers’ final drive. He carried the ball 23 times for 137 yards and a touchdown for the game.
Roberts brought the Packers to the 1-yard line, only to have a false start move them back to the 6-yard line.
In three plays Lafayette only allowed the Packers one yard.
"We were waiting on them to get him (Roberts) the ball," Lafayette coach Paul Wheeler said. "We weren’t ready for the halfback pass. He’s a big part of their offense, but when he backed up and threw the pass, I felt pretty good. We were in position."
Smithfield coach Chris Fraser said that the pass was called because they couldn’t move the ball on the last series.
"They had stopped us three times, and they were looking for Dyrell," Fraser said. "We were trying to catch them by surprise. Our kicker was hesitant so we had to go for it. They just stopped us. Dyrell ran his butt off, and it’s a shame that we weren’t able to punch it in."
LAFAYETTE 16. SMITHFIELD 13
Lafayette 9;0;0;7;16
Smithfield 7;6;0;0;13
L -- Safety
S -- Williams 7 run (Springfield kick)
L -- Piggott 9 run (Dover kick)
S – Roberts 100 punt return (kick failed)
L -- Piggott 9 run (Dover kick)
;Laf;Smi
First downs;9;12
Rushes-yards;34-152;34-178
Passing yards;54;0
Comp-Att-Int;2-7-0;0-3-1
Penalties-yards;5-35;6-45
Fumbles-lost;2-2;1-0
Punts-avg.;3-36; 4-36.5