Farmington Hills, MI — The Highlanders demonstrate that resilience is more than just a motto in this Oct. 1 game. Adams overcame momentum swings, lead changes, and frustration with penalties to earn their sixth win of the season. They did it with resilience. They did it by playing hard for each other. They did it by never quitting, giving heroic efforts, and providing some entertaining and nearly miraculous plays. Adams kicks off to start the game. The North Farmington returner is met quickly by Braedy Limke and stopped at the 15-yard line. The drive begins with a seven-yard pass, tackled by Joey Shallow and a five-yard run tackled by Nick Paterra and Griffin Henke. A first-down pass is complete for 11 yards with Marco DiCresce on the tackle, and at the 39-yard line, Alex DeGrieck holds the Raiders to a one-yard gain on a short run. A second-down pass is complete for 12 yards, but is stopped by DiCresce, Shallow and Rocco Orsini. With first and ten at the Adams 49-yard line, Paterra and Tait Picot stop the Raiders run after a five-yard gain. North Farmington completes a 24-yard pass before being tackled by Christian Schomer. With first and ten at the 20-yard line, North Farmington earns three yards on a run, tackled by Tait Picot. The QB scrambles for a one-yard gain and is met by a tough Paterra. With third and six, Parker Picot is on the coverage, forcing an incomplete pass. On fourth down, the Raiders attempt a field goal which is blocked by a mighty Griffin Henke! The ball is recovered and returned by Tait Picot to the 36-yard line. The Highlanders start their first possession from the 36. On first down, Schomer receives the pitch and gains eight yards, but the play results in second and four, despite some objections about chain placement. On second down, QB Parker Picot completes a pass to Brady Prieskorn for 11 yards and the first down. At the 46-yard line, Henke runs up the middle for another six; Parker Picot keeps it on second down for a gain of one; and Henke picks up three more to give the Highlanders first and ten from the 39. A pass interference call on the first-down attempt gives Adams the ball at the 21-yard line. Parker Picot spins his way to a nine-yard gain, and after another short run by Parker, the Highlanders have third and inches. The ball goes to DiCresce who picks up five and sets up first and goal from the 6-yard line. From first and goal, the Highlanders pitch the ball to Shallow for a gain of three. On second down, Marco DiCresce runs it in for a Highlander touchdown, thanks to the running lane created by DeGrieck and a great pull block from Charlie Tobiczyk. Credit goes to the rest of the O-line for the long touchdown drive – Andrew Rolfs, Orsini, and Nick Stokan. Colin Timko’s extra point is good with Luke Stockoski on the snap and Paterra on the hold. Adams 7 – North Farmington 0 With 1:46 left in the first quarter, Timko’s kick is fielded at the 8-yard line and returned to the 27, with DiCresce and Damarcus Rouse on the tackle. Two incomplete passes are followed by a 12-yard completion. From the 40-yard line, North Farmington is stopped by DeGrieck for no gain, and a seven-yard pass is stopped by Schomer to end the first quarter. The second quarter begins with third and three for the Raiders and an incomplete pass with Shallow on the coverage. After a penalty, North Farmington punts to Schomer who receives the ball at the 8-yard line and returns it to the 23 for a Highlanders first and ten. Parker Picot gains three on the first down run, but the next two pass attempts fall incomplete. Tait Picot’s fourth-down punt is partially blocked and returned to the 15-yard line, where Tait makes the tackle. A penalty on the Raiders moves the ball back before the drive begins. With first and ten from the Adams 31, North Farmington attempts a reverse, but it the play is disrupted with penetration by DeGrieck. Tait Picot’s tackle causes a fumble, the ball is recovered by Paterra for a turnover, and the Highlanders take over from the 44-yard line. Henke picks up two yards to start the drive and there is no gain on second down. On third down, however, Parker Picot rolls out and completes a 15-yard pass to Max Cibor who gets a toe down for the reception. From the North Farmington 38, Henke pushes his way to capture four yards, and again runs the ball to set up third and three. Schomer finds enough room on the left side and picks up the first down. After short gains by Picot and Henke, Adams has third and five at the 24-yard line. The Highlanders go back to Henke who picks up five and the first down. The ball is now inside the 20 at the 18-yard line but a penalty pushes the Highlanders back for first and 20. Henke gets back four with a run up the middle. The second down pass is complete to Cibor for a short gain. Another penalty on Adams makes it third and 20 with 3:46 left to play in the first half. Picot’s third-down pass attempt falls incomplete. Picot keeps the ball on the scramble on fourth down and picks up 15 – but not enough for the first down. North Farmington takes over at the 15-yard line. Schomer tackles the runner after a gain of eight, and an incomplete pass results from pressure exerted by Henke and Hassan Murray. A two-yard gain is stopped by Tait Picot and Paterra, but with first and ten from the 25, a 14-yard pass is complete and stopped by Shallow. A penalty makes it first and fifteen to go. Tait Picot comes up with a quarterback sack, which causes a fumble on the play, and a recovery by Henke at the 14-yard line. The exciting turnover gives the Highlanders the ball with first and ten. Parker Picot is tackled for a loss of three, but gains seven on the ground the next time. A penalty on third down pushes the Highlanders back to third and 23. A third-down pass attempt falls incomplete and a fourth-down field goal attempt is no good. North Farmington takes over with 0:36 left to play in the half. An incomplete pass is followed by a 24-yard completion with Schomer on the tackle. With first and ten from the 49-yard line and 0:25 on the clock, there is a four-yard pass, an incomplete attempt with Schomer on the coverage, and a seven-yard completion. With first and ten from the Adams 39-yard line, the Raiders complete a pass for 12 yards, setting up a 44-yard field goal to end the half. Adams 7 – North Farmington 3 To start the second half, North Farmington kicks into the end zone for a touchback. Highlanders start from the 20-yard line, and a Parker Picot gain of eight, followed by a four-yard run from Schomer. At the 32-yard line, there is no gain on the first run, but DiCresce, picks up two on the second down, and Parker Picot completes a deep pass to Schomer for 30 yards. Excitement brews with first and ten at the Raiders 37-yard line. Henke runs for a 12-yard gain on first down. The ball is now at the 25-yard line with another first down. Parker Picot runs for seven and then gains another 17 to set up first and goal from the 4-yard line. The Raiders stop the Highlanders for no gain on first down. In dramatic fashion, on second down, Parker Picot runs the ball to the end zone for an Adams touchdown! Timko’s PAT is good. Adams 14 – North Farmington 3 North Farmington takes over with 6:54 to play in the third quarter. A Raiders penalty on the kick off gives them the ball at their own 12-yard line. Stockoski serves a tackle for loss on first down, but pass interference is called on Adams on the next play. The Raiders score on a 26-yard run and the extra point is good. Adams 14 – North Farmington 10 Adams takes over on offense with 5:49 remaining in the third quarter. Rouse returns the kick 32 yards to the 33-yard line. The first-and-ten pass is complete to Schomer for 17 yards. From the 50, Henke picks up a yard, and Parker Picot gets four more. There is no gain on third down, and Tait Picot’s punt rolls inside the 20 with no return. Back on defense, DiCresce makes a tackle to stop a short run. A penalty on the play backs the Raiders up to the 9-yard line. A pass is completed for four yards, tackled by Rolfs, and a long pass takes the ball to the Highlander 25-yard line, with Schomer on the tackle. A first-and ten run for 11 yards is stopped by DiCresce and a pass incompletion from the 14 has Schomer on the coverage. Paterra makes a tackle on a two-yard run and a pass to the end zone is knocked away by Joey Shallow. A fourth-down field goal from the 29-yard line is good. Adams 14 – North Farmington 13 With 0:42 to play in the third quarter, the Raiders kickoff goes into the end zone for a touchback. The Highlanders start from the 20-yard line with an incomplete pass, but a penalty advances Adams five yards. A penalty on Adams then moves the ball back to the 20 for first and ten once again. Schomer gains two before the clock runs out in the third. The fourth quarter begins with a short run by Parker Picot. On third and seven, Picot’s pass is incomplete and the Highlanders punt. Tait Picot’s kick is downed at the Highlander 48-yard line. A big touchdown run and two-point conversion give North Farmington the lead. Adams 14 – North Farmington 21 The Highlanders take over with 11 minutes in the game. Rouse returns the kickoff 27 yards down to the 31. Picot’s first-down pass attempt is incomplete, and on second down, the Raiders are flagged for pass interference. From the 45-yard line, Shallow is stopped for a loss, then Picot is sacked, and the third-down pass attempt is incomplete. Adams is forced to punt. Tait Picot’s kick is downed inside the 10 at the 7-yard line. The Highlanders are down with 9:00 minutes left to play. An exciting drive begins with a one-yard North Farmington run, tackled by Tait Picot and Murray, then a penalty against the Raiders. With second and 14 from the 4-yard line, a completed pass gets a gain of seven. On third and seven, a 14-yard pass is complete and the ball is run out of bounds at the 25-yard line – stopping the clock. But wait … the first-down run is stopped by Henke, and a second hit by Tait Picot forces a fumble that is recovered by DeGrieck and returned six yards. The turnover gives Adams first and ten from the North Farmington 12-yard line with 6:38 to play, and the Highlanders down by seven points. Parker Picot gains eight on a first-down run to the 10, and Henke picks up another three. It is now first and goal for Adams at the 7-yard line. Picot recovers a fumbled handoff exchange on first down and the ball is back at the 8. On second down, Joey Shallow runs the ball in for an important touch down! Timko’s extra point is good and the game is tied with 5:18 to play. Adams 21 – North Farmington 21 With energy high, the kickoff is returned to the 14 and DiCresce makes the tackle. A North Farmington pass is complete for 12 yards, with Shallow on the stop. A 10-yard run takes the ball to the 36, and a five-yard pass is complete with Schomer on the tackle. An incomplete pass is followed by a four-yard gain. The Raiders gain two on fourth and short, with tackles by Henke and Paterra, and the ball is at the 47. This sets up an eight-yard pass; one-yard run; and two-yard run for a first down. With 0:57 seconds left in regulation time, the first-down pass is deflected but caught by North Farmington for a gain of seven. On second and third, the Raiders spike the ball to stop the clock. A third-and-three pass is incomplete with pressure from Stockoski. Now, with fourth and three at the 35-yard line and 24 seconds remaining, a procedure call moves North Farmington back five, making it fourth and eight. The fourth-down pass is complete, bringing the ball to the 12. North Farmington lines up and spikes the ball--stopping the clock and setting up a game-winning 28-yard field goal attempt with 14 seconds on the clock. Griffin Henke becomes the undeniable MVP on this play. For the second time, and with the game on the line, Henke explodes off the left side and blocks the game-winning field goal, wowing teammates, fans and opponents. Adams takes a knee and lets the clock expire. At the end of regulation time, the game is tied. Adams 21 – North Farmington 21 Overtime begins with each time given four downs to score from the 10-yard line. Adams loses the toss and starts on offense. Shallow picks up a big eight yards on first down. On second down, Parker Picot is stopped inches short of the goal line. On third and goal, Picot runs the QB sneak behind his center Nick Stokan for a Highlander touchdown and the point after attempt by Timko is good. Adams 28 – North Farmington 21 in OT Now North Farmington gets their chance to respond with four downs from the 10-yard line. The Raiders QB rolls out right to pass, but it is knocked away by Paterra, incomplete. They run the ball on second and ten, down to the 5-yard line, with the tackle made by Max Cibor. On third and goal from the 5, the pass attempt is incomplete with pressure from Henke. And finally, on fourth and goal from the 5, with the game on the line, the Raiders pass attempt is knocked away by Marco DiCresce. GAME OVER. Final score, after overtime: Adams 28 – North Farmington 21