By Five Boro Sports
UNIONDALE, L.I. — With his team trailing by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Fred Dugard stood on the St. Francis Prep sideline and prayed.
The senior linebacker wasn’t the only one seeking divine intervention.
The reaction was the same when Bobby Dougherty and Nico Ramirez watched as Fordham Prep quarterback Brendan McGlynn rolled out on a broken play and found a lane with seven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
But McGlynn ended up eight yards shy of the game-tying touchdown as Dugard made the key tackle and the Terriers, who rallied to score two touchdowns in the final 3:25, held on to an emotional 28-21 Homecoming victory against Fordham Prep on Friday night at Mitchel Athletic Complex.
“It just brought joy,” Dougherty said. “It was just relief.”
Dugard was relieved, too. He was supposed to contain McGlynn on the outside, but instead the senior linebacker went inside. When McGlynn couldn’t find a receiver, the junior quarterback scrambled outside and Dugard had just one thought in his mind.
“My responsibility is to contain the outside, but he rolled out and I just had to chase after him and pursue him,” Dugard said. “I was thinking I had to recover.”
Dugard said the Terriers’ motto on defense is “bend, but don’t break,” and that was clearly evident Friday night when Fordham Prep’s Bruce Grant rushed for 298 yards on 28 carries and three touchdowns.
Two plays after Justin Ortega’s diving catch in the side of the end zone on a 20-yard game-tying touchdown with 3:25 left, Grant coughed up a simple handoff and Ed Cannon was there to recover the fumble. It was Grant’s fourth fumble of the year.
“I just wanted the ball and [to] give the offense a chance to score,” the strong safety said.
St. Francis Prep (4-2, 3-2 CHSFL) took over at the Fordham 16 and three plays later, Dougherty rushed for a 6-yard touchdown to put the Terriers in front 28-21 with 1:35 left.
Dougherty also opened the scoring, returning the opening kickoff for a 93-yard touchdown.
“That was a great feeling. I give all the credit to the blockers in front of me,” Dougherty said. “Tristan [Akong] gave the key block, he left his body out there and that opened up the hole.”
But Grant had the immediate response. On the Rams’ first play from scrimmage, the junior running back rushed for a 55-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7.
“I told everyone that we’re in a fight,” Dougherty said. “One score is not enough. We’re going to need to score multiple touchdowns.”
Grant also rushed for a 2-yard touchdown and a 68-yard score on the opening play of the second half to put Fordham Prep (3-4, 1-4) in front, 21-14. It was his career high for touchdowns in a game.
However, all Grant could think about was that last handoff.
“All I had to do was hold the ball and I couldn’t even do that,” Grant said. “The guys played really well. Give them credit, the line blocked really well, defense played their hearts out. I just feel it’s my fault … I wish I could take it back.”
