After traveling to Dover, Red Lion did exactly what it had to do while facing an Eagle team with nothing to lose in its homecoming game Friday night.

Conversely, the contest couldn't have started any worse for Dover as the Lions came out and punched their hosts early and continued throughout.

Red Lion scored on its first three possessions on the way to a 44-7 trouncing of the winless Eagles in a YAIAA Division I matchup.

Senior Brett Fishel ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Mike Wiertel ran for two scores and threw for a third as the Lions cruised.

"I owe it to our offensive line," Fishel said. "They work all week, and when it comes to Friday night, they know who they are supposed to block.

"They open the holes, and if the cut back is there, I am taking it."

Red Lion coach Pat Conrad shook things up early by getting the ball to fullback Jake Hagan on the first four plays from scrimmage as the Lions improved to 3-3 overall, 2-1 in the division.

"We wanted to run some option and get the ball to our fullback a little bit," Conrad said. "It was a different look and a way to attack. It did open some things up.

"Jake is 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, and is a good runner. It gives us an added weapon."

After Hagan gained the first 22 yards, including 17 on a pass play, Fishel ran for 12. Hagan notched 14 more on the next play before Fishel carried twice, the second being a 12-yard touchdown burst. That capped an eight-play, 70-yard drive.

"It's

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their homecoming, and they (were) coming out fired up," Fishel said. "We have the mentality that we are going to spoil it. We came out, took the ball right away and scored."

A Dover three-and-out and a nice punt return by Joe Ross had the Lions set up at the Eagles' 47-yard line.

Wiertel scampered for 15 yards on first down and on the next play, Fishel took off for a 32-yard score. Just like that, it was 12-0 midway through the first quarter.

The Eagles fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the Lions a short field and Wiertel capped the 14-yard drive with a quarterback sneak from a yard out.

Three drives, three scores for Red Lion, and while Vaughn Hebron made a splendid move outside on his way to a 61-yard touchdown run, the hosts were still in trouble, down 18-7 after 12 minutes of play.

"We knew we had to come out and not give them life, and our kids did that and they responded," Conrad said. "The kids did a heck of a job."

Dover (0-6, 0-3) opened the second half with a solid drive, but on the seventh play, Steven Ferry's pass was intercepted by Casey Raver, who returned it 68 yards for another Red Lion score -- and a 30-7 lead.

"The kids came out re-energized and refocused in the second half and came up with some big plays to put it away," Conrad said.

The coach was also pleased with Wiertel's play. The senior hit on just 5 of 13 attempts, but had several throws dropped.

Wiertel's scoring strike to Max Horka put the Lions up 24-7 at intermission. He later added his second rushing touchdown on a 15-yard run.

"He is definitely getting better," Conrad said of his QB. "He is a great kid, and he works hard. He needs to continue to step up and progress, and he is doing that."

Reserve Steve Slates put the exclamation point on the win with a 53-yard touchdown run with 4:19 left to play.
snavaroli@ydr.com; 771-2060

 
Red Lion  18    6  13    7 -- 44
Dover    7    0    0    0 --   7

First Quarter
   RL -- Brett Fishel 12 run (kick failed), 8:41.
   RL -- Fishel 32 run (run failed), 5:53.
   RL -- Mike Wiertel 1 run (kick failed), 2:17.
   Do -- Vaughn Hebron 61 run (Chris Hoover kick), 1:22.
Second Quarter
   RL -- Max Horka 4 pass from Wiertel (kick failed), 4:49.
Third Quarter
   RL -- Casey Raver 68 interception return (pass failed), 8:35.
   RL -- Wiertel 15 run (Raver kick), 5:16.
Fourth Quarter
   RL -- Steve Slates 53 run (Raver kick), 4:19.
 
-- RL -- Do
First downs -- 15 -- 8
Rushes-yards -- 35-255 -- 35-121
Passing -- 5-13-0 -- 7-15-1
Passing yards -- 67 -- 69
Total yards -- 322 -- 190
Punts -- 3-37.3 -- 8-25.9
Fumbles-lost -- 0-0 -- 3-2
Penalties-yards -- 0-0 -- 0-0

 
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
   Rushing -- RL, Brett Fishel 19-131, Steve States 1-53, Mike Wiertel 4-37, Jake Hagan 7-23, Dan Quackenbos 4-11; Do, Vaughn Hebron 15-113, Zach Myers 3-9, Harry Carraballo 1-6, Steven Ferry 10-(-2), Nick King 5-(-2), Rodney Brown 1-(-3).
   Passing -- RL, Wiertel 5-13-67-0; Do, Ferry 7-15-69-1.
   Receiving -- RL, Joe Ross 2-33, Max Horka 2-17, Hagan 1-17; Do, Hebron 3-21, Andy Wolfgang 2-21, Myers 1-19, Carlos Rivera 1-8.