Turnovers cost Amherst football an upset
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Amherst's Bert Smith looks for daylight versus Iroquois defenders last Friday at Iroquois. Smith scored three touchdowns but the Tigers lost 49-28. Photo by John Normile Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Early on last Friday night, it looked like the underdog Amherst Tigers were going to spoil Iroquois' homecoming. Instead, it was Amherst's own mistakes which cost them the upset bid.

Amherst junior quarterback Joe Kubek threw two interceptions that were returned for Iroquois touchdowns as the Chiefs outscored the Tigers, 22-0, in the second quarter to win 49-28.

Junior running back Bert Smith fumbled in the third quarter after he scored his second of three touchdowns, a 1-yard carry, to cut the Tigers' deficit to 35-12. Casey Rich had recovered an onside kick around midfield to set up the Tigers' drive.

"We could have been right in the game but we were too generous with our turnovers," said Amherst coach Patrick Murphy. "I thought it was a good experience for the kids."

Smith, who finished with 217 all-purpose yards (88 rushing, 129 kick return), took the opening kickoff of the game 84 yards to set up a 1-yard TD. The two-point conversion failed.

Iroquois' Tanner Atkinson answered later in the quarter with a 24-yard interception return but the Chiefs' two-point conversion also failed, leaving the game tied at 6-6.

The score stayed that way until the second quarter. That's when Iroquois' Wyatt Mariacher found Josh Walczyk and Tommy Lewis on 14- and 24-yard TD passes and Lewis returned an interception 40 yards to give the Chiefs a 28-6 halftime cushion.

Matt Corigliano extended Iroquois' lead to 35-7 after he returned a punt 80 yards in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Smith had a 13-yard sweep to the right corner of the end zone and Deshawn Hough rushed in a TD in from 43 yards away for the Tigers' other points. Hough finished with 54 yards on three carries.

Amherst junior Robert Flint added 12 carries for 108 yards. He rushed in the two-point conversion on Hough's TD.

Forrest Hawk (4-yard run) and Paul Evans (29 yard reception) also scored in the second half for the Chiefs, who improved to 7-0.

Senior Matt Weber continues to lead the Tigers' defense, finishing with 12 tackles. Smith recorded nine tackles, including a tackle for a loss. Junior Sebastian Manunta assisted on eight tackles.

Amherst closes out the regular season with a home game at 7 p.m. Friday against Pioneer.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com