Devin Page, Kellenberg quarterback, looks for an open receiver during...

Devin Page, Kellenberg quarterback, looks for an open receiver during a Nassau-Suffolk CHSFL game against host St. John the Baptist on Saturday. Credit: James Escher

Kellenberg quarterback Devin Page lined up early in the fourth quarter of a tight game knowing someone needed to make a play.

So he did it himself.

The senior dropped back to pass, saw some daylight and scrambled 80 yards for a touchdown in Kellenberg's 27-7 victory over St. John the Baptist on Saturday. 

"I read the defense pre-snap," Page said. "I see what I like, what I don’t like. I roll out, look for guys. Nobody’s there. Open field is mine, so I’m there to take it.”

The touchdown broke the game open and gave the Firebirds a 21-7 lead, just a few plays after the Cougars missed a field goal that would have closed the gap to just four points.
St. John the Baptist head coach Phil Alba said the gameplan coming in was to try to contain Page, who he said was "the most prolific player on the field."

The Cougars were successful for the most part, limiting Page to 4-for-10 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions.



“We came up with four or five different looks to try to confuse him,” Alba said. “We’ve played them a couple times, and I think they expected us to do certain things defensively. And we decided that we were going to change things.”

With the focus on Page, Kellenberg senior running back Ethan Cumming helped the Firebirds grab an early 14-0 lead with two rushing touchdowns. Cumming finished the day with 41 yards on 10 carries.


The Cougars answered with a 57-yard punt return by Jayson Zeva in the second quarter, which put them at the 3-yard line. On the next play, running back Elijah Alvarez punched in the score. He finished with 93 rushing yards on 19 rushes.

Following the kickoff, St. John's junior Christopher King intercepted Page on the Firebird’s 20-yard line, setting up another chance to score. But the Kellenberg defense thwarted the threat when senior safety Sean Cannon came away with an interception.




"Overall, the defense did a heck of a job,” Kellenberg coach Eric Meisse said.


 

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