Klatt takes gamble and wins

 

Emotions ran high on Sept. 24 at Spartan Stadium when the Spartans won their homecoming game 56-52 against Anna Maria College. Offences dominated the high-scoring game with Castleton totaling 624 yards and Anna Maria totaling 530 yards.

“I feel like we finally tied everything together and showed what we are capable of,” said offensive coordinator Jason Challeen.

Anna Maria scored first about four minuets into the game. 

Soon after Shane Brozowski connected with Zach Waitkus on a six-yard pass into the end zone, tying up the game. For the rest of the half both teams’ offenses ran up and down the field until Spartan defensive back Cody TanCreti intercepted a pass on Anna Maria’s 19-yard line. 

Brozowski connected with Tyler Carpenter on a QB option, and Carpenter ran the remaining 16 yards, plowing through defenders into the end zone, tying the game up once again at 21-21. 

In the second half the Spartans were first to score when Brozowski narrowly escaped a sack and again found Waitkus in the end zone, making the score 21-28.

The Spartan defense then made a big stop on third down on the 22-yard line, limiting Anna Maria to a field goal.

With 3:15 left in the third quarter, Anna Maria’s Kevin McCoy intercepted a pass thrown by Brozowski and ran it back 56 yards for a touchdown, pushing the score to 38-35. 

Anna Maria and Castleton each scored two more times in the fourth quarter, with Kevin Alberque and Tyler Carpenter scoring for Castleton

In the final minuets of the game, Castleton pushed to the four-yard line with the score at 52-49 Anna Maria. With only twenty seconds left on the clock, fourth and goal, Klatt made the call to go for it.

“They showed a lot of guts to go for it on fourth down like that. It was an exciting game, and I’m happy for them,” said President Dave Wolk

Brozowski connected with Adam Farmer, who caught the pass mid-stride in the end zone facing the stands where hundreds of Spartan fans burst into an uproar of cheers. The final score of the game was 52-56. 

“We played a hell of a game against a good team,” said Farmer. “It was the offensive line all day.”

Anna Maria returned Castleton’s squib kick to the 39-yard line with 10 seconds left on the clock. They then completed one pass before Castleton’s Ethan Macura sacked Anna Maria’s QB Santino Simone to end the game.

“It was a tremendous game and a good all around team effort,” said Macura. “There’s no better feeling.”

Klatt said that he’s proud of his players and the effort they put forth shows a lot about their class.

“We knew as a team it was going to be that type of game, Anna Maria is very well coached, and we are a very evenly matched team,” said head coach Marc Klatt. “The campus, community and administration give us so much support, I’m glad to give a moment like this back.”

    

 

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