Elusive 1st win

Poor second half costly to Rocks again

  Salem's blues couldn't overcome another case of second-half blues Friday night against Livonia Stevenson.
  For the third consecutive week, the Rocks played toe-to-toe with their foe during the opening 24 minutes before floundering miserably over the final 24.
  Friday night's result was a 34-7 setback to Livonia Stevenson, which improved to 1-2. The Rocks dropped to 0-3 heading into next week's game at Novi.
  Salem's offense, which clicked on all cylinders during the first half of both its first two games against Plymouth and Walled Lake Northern, sputtered repeatedly against the Spartans. The Rocks managed just 89 offensive yards due in large part to four costly turnovers.
  "Stevenson had a couple of personal foul penalties on one drive, but we couldn't capitalize," said Salem coach Kurt Britnell. "Four turnovers is way too many."
  Second-string quarterback Brian Maksimovic was inserted into the game in the second half and the team moved under his guidance, but the Rocks still couldn't score.
  Salem's actually grabbed a short-lived second-quarter lead, 7-6, on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Jake Peterson and Ethan Walsh's extra points. But Stevenson reeled off the game's final 28 points.
  The Rocks defense held sensational running back Austin White in check, according to Britnell.
  "I felt we played good against him," Britnell elaborated. "he wasn't the problem tonight. The turnovers were."
  Peterson was 6-for-11 passing for 50 yards and two picks. Maksimovic was 3-for-3 for 20 yards.
  A bright spot for the Rocks was Alex King's interception.
  The game was played on the PCEP junior varsity real-grass field.
  Stevenson led 14-7 at the half.

Ed Wright can be reached at info@plymouthcantonsports.com or (734) 453-1980.