Derek Foyt proved to be a multifacted scoring machine for the Brandon varsity football team Sept. 2.
Foyt, a senior running back, scored three touchdowns and returned a punt for another touchdown as the host Blackhawks defeated LakeVille 35-0 for their first win of the season. Brandon’s record is now 1-1.
Brandon coach Ron Gill said the Blackhawks? work in the trenches helped Foyt have a productive evening.
‘It started up front with the offensive line,? he said. ‘We controlled the line of scrimmage, which enabled him to have some running lanes. He has great vision.?
Gill also said the Brandon offensive line, which features four new starters this year, gained confidence after their opener Aug. 27 against Millington.
‘You always look for great improvement after the first game,? he said.
The Brandon offense struck early and often, never giving the Falcons a chance to recover. Foyt scored his first touchdown in the first quarter on a 19-yard run, but Brandon missed the point-after attempt, leaving the Blackhawks with a 6-0 lead.
Foyt then returned a LakeVille punt 60 yards for a touchdown, and also run for the two-point conversion to put the Blackhawks up 14-0.
Brandon capped off the first quarter with another touchdown, as senior quarterback Andrew Burch hit junior wide receiver Nick Toreli for an eight-yard touchdown pass. Senior Mike Cybulski hit the point-after attempt to give the Blackhawks a 21-0 lead at the half.
Foyt scored two more touchdowns in the game, one on a five-yard run in the second quarter and the other on a six-yard run in the third quarter, to put the icing on the cake for Brandon. Cybulski converted the point-after attempt on both touchdowns.
As with the offense, Gill said the Brandon defense controlled the line of scrimmage during the game.
‘When you do that, you control the game,? he said. ‘We caused some turnovers and put our offense in an advantageous field position.?
For the game, Foyt finished with 90 yards rushing on 13 carries. Burch finished 5-of-7 passing for 60 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Toreli led the Blackhawks in receiving with three receptions for 38 yards, while senior Matt Rife led the Brandon defense with nine tackles.
After hosting Lapeer East in a Sept. 10 contest, the Blackhawks travel to Linden for a Flint Metro League matchup Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
The Eagles are coming off a solid 2003 season, where they finished 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the Flint Metro, good for a second-place tie. Linden has a top-notch offensive line, led by seniors Tim North and Brian Sippert (who were first-team all-league last season) and senior Matt DuBois (a second-team all-league selection).
Linden has a 2-0 record as of press time after shutting out Willow Run 31-0 on Sept. 2.