by Frank Aceto

Associate Sports Editor

Lodi -- Two points.

That's what it could come down to when the 2008 season concludes.

The Tallmadge football team got its heart broken for the second time in three weeks after dropping a 21-20 decision to Cloverleaf Sept. 26 in Lodi.

With the loss, the Blue Devils dropped to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Suburban League. Cloverleaf improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the league.

Tallmadge, which has owned or shared the last four league titles, has an uphill battle it hasn't endured in quite some time.

Heading into the Oct. 3 showdown with Wadsworth at Rossiaky Stadium, three teams had a two-game lead over the Blue Devils.

Highland (6-0, 3-0), which stunned Tallmadge with a field goal late in the game to earn a 3-2 win, remained undefeated with a commanding 37-7 win over Green (1-5, 0-3).

Wadsworth (5-1, 3-0) also sat on top of the league after a convincing 38-13 win over Barberton (2-4, 0-3).

The Blue Devils were in a three-way tie for fourth. Revere (4-2, 1-2) edged Copley (1-5, 1-2) 17-14. Results of the Oct. 3 games were not available at press time.

"These one-point losses are getting old," said Tallmadge head coach Joe Vassalotti. "I'm extremely frustrated. It was just like the Highland game."

The news doesn't get any better for the Blue Devils.

Tallmadge also appears to be a long shot to make the Division II playoffs. The Blue Devils were ranked 15th in a recent Region 5 poll. Tallmadge has been a postseason performer for the last four years.

"We're going to have to win out," Vassalotti said.

Like the Highland contest, this game could have gone either way.

The Blue Devils had the upper hand for much of the second half, but all they could get was six points.

Trailing 21-14, Tallmadge opened the scoring with a nine-play, 85-yard drive that was capped by a 20-yard touchdown run by tailback Tyler Fortner, who had a game-high 217 yards and three scores on 41 carries. He also had first-down carries of 30 and 10 yards, respectively, during the possession.

But Blue Devils kicker James Plunket, a 2007 all-league performer, shanked the extra-point attempt to the left and the Colts still had the lead. The high snap also didn't help the standout kicker, who made his other two tries.

"I watched the extra point because I knew it was important," Vassalotti said. "The timing was just a little bit off."

Tallmadge managed to move past the 50-yard line two other times. Cloverleaf's defense, however, answered the challenge each time.

Head coach Kevin Gault, who has guided the Colts to a 6-0 record for the first time in his nine-year tenure, doesn't believe the Blue Devils are out of the race yet.

"The league is so competitive," he said. "You don't know what can happen. Joe Vassalotti is one of the classiest coaches I've ever been around. He's very polite and he has a great personality."

The Colts opened the scoring with a four-play, 48-yard drive that took a little more than a minute to complete on their second possession of the game.

Quarterback Cody Roberts concluded the scoring drive with a 19-yard strike to Kyle Sirl. Chris Matejka added the first of his three extra points.

But the Blue Devils stormed back with touchdowns on their next two possessions.

Tallmadge tied the game with an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ate up five minutes off the clock. Fortner, who had 1,114 yards and 10 TDs on 147 carries after six games, finished the possession with a three-yard scoring run.

The Blue Devils scored on their next possession to take a 14-7 lead.

Once again, Tallmadge kept Cloverleaf's defense on the field for what seemed like an eternity.

Fortner capped the drive with a one-yard TD run on a 13-play, 76-yard drive that took more than seven minutes to complete.

In the long run, the Blue Devils probably wished the possession would have lasted even longer.

With 2:30 left in the first half, the Colts pulled off what could have been the play of the night.

On a third-and-six play from his own 24, Roberts launched a rocket deep in Tallmadge territory.

Split end Heath Eby, who was well covered, tipped the ball and wound up making a juggling catch on the run. Since he was ahead of the defense, Eby raced into the end zone untouched for a 76-yard TD.

"That was the play of the night," Vassalotti said.

Nine seconds later, Cloverleaf got the ball back, thanks to an interception by outside linebacker Devin Hansen. Roberts promptly gave the Colts a 21-14 advantage with a 12-yard TD run.

Craig Siesel, making his first start behind center for Tallmadge, had 85 yards on 10 carries, including a long run in the first half where he eluded several defenders. Noseguard Nick White led the Blue Devils defense with 20 tackles, including two for losses, and one sack.

Editor's note: Results first appeared Sept. 26 on our Web site at www.tallmadgeexpress.com.

E-mail: faceto@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3914