Through the first quarter, the home opener for Oxford High’s football squad was shaping up to be the dream scenario.
The home-standing Wolverines, playing their first-ever home game within town limits, had a 13 – 0 lead. They also had a lively crowd cheering on just about every move the team made.
But the Stratford Red Devils rewrote the script in the final three quarters, taking the lead before the end of the first half and surviving two late Oxford offensive tries in the fourth quarter to eke out a 21 – 13 win.
Before kickoff, the Oxford players vowed to protect their house in the team’s inaugural home game at the school.
It seemed they were well on their way to accomplishing that after Oxford recovered a Stratford fumble on the very first play from scrimmage. Oxford pounced on a fumble by quarterback Jeff Miller on the Stratford 25-yard line.
It took Oxford just three plays to get its first points. Senior Tyler Langston reached the end zone on an 8‑yard run to cap a brief 3‑play drive. The extra point kick failed, leaving Oxford with a 6 – 0 lead with barely two minutes played.
Oxford’s defense rose to the challenge again, stifling the Red Devils on their next two offensive possessions, including forcing a turnover on downs on the latter drive when Miller’s 4th-and‑7 pass at the Oxford 31 fell incomplete.
Oxford cashed in again, using five plays to get on the board. Senior quarterback Mike Giordano closed the drive with a 48-yard touchdown run to give the Wolverines a 13-point advantage with 2:33.
The Wolverines were poised to continue their good fortunes after halting a 45-yard Red Devils drive with a turnover on downs at the Oxford 27-yard line. But then, the teams’ respective fortunes changed.
After the change in possession, Oxford senior running back Deven Diaz fumbled the ball. Stratford recovered the ball at the Oxford 25-yard line and the Red Devils wasted no time getting on the scoreboard.
Miller connected with Vinny Valente on a pass to the right for a 24-yard score, pulling Stratford to within six points.
Head Coach Joe Stochmal said the fumble and subsequent Stratford score were the turning points of the game.
“We went out on top early and we didn’t put them away. You gotta put teams away,” he said. “We’ve got the ball back, up 13 – 0 and we gotta finish. We didn’t finish.”
Oxford could not do much with its next possession, hampered by a holding penalty on a third down, and was forced to punt the ball back to Stratford.
The Red Devils then moved 52 yards, using a mix of runs and Miller passes. Miller hooked up with a receiver on a 3‑yard pass to put Stratford up by one with 2:41 left in the half. Oxford failed to regain the lead as Giordano was intercepted by Miller deep in Stratford territory to close the half.
The offense could not get untracked in the third quarter, moving only as far as midfield on the first drive, then getting stuffed in Wolverines’ territory before punting.
Oxford escaped trouble midway through the third when junior David Samuelman intercepted a Miller pass in Oxford territory. But the Wolverines still couldn’t do much in front of the stout Stratford defense that Stratford assistant coach T. J. Cavaliere said was keying on Diaz and Giordano on almost every play.
“I think they knew they made a few mistakes, they realized it. It wasn’t going to change the game plan,” Cavaliere said. “Once they started feeling comfortable in the game and seeing that we could compete, that kind of gave them a big confidence boost.”
Stratford reached the end zone again with less than 8 minutes remaining, moving 70 yards in 13 plays. Miller connected with Nick Riley on a fourth down pass from 9 yards out to provide the Red Devils with an 8‑point edge.
Oxford had chances down the stretch to get closer, but could not. The Wolverines drove from their own 35 to as close as Stratford’s 31 before they were forced to turn the ball over on downs. Giordano was intercepted by Miller, who also played defensive back, to end an Oxford drive with 2:14 remaining.
Oxford had two final chances, recovering a fumble on Stratford’s 43-yard line. Giordano could only complete a 13-yard connection to senior tight end Dan Spicer on the next to last drive. Miller picked off Giordano at the Stratford 5 and was about to run in for a game-sealing touchdown, but fumbled the ball at the Oxford 2‑yard line.
Officials ruled that the ball hit a pylon at the end zone, resulting in a touchback and giving the ball back to Oxford on its own 20 with 1:01 left.
The final Oxford chance ended when Stratford defensive back Donald Graham picked off Giordano’s last pass and went down near midfield.
“It’s disappointing,” Stochmal said.” It’s the first game at home and it didn’t turn out the way we had planned. We’ll pick ourselves up and get back at it tomorrow.”
Oxford (1 – 2) next plays at Brookfield, beginning at 7 p.m. next Friday.
