Shade Wins First WestPAC Title, Fyfe Passes Career Milestone

CAIRNBROOK — It was a big night for the Shade seniors, Friday.

Senior football players were recognized before the game. A Homecoming Queen was crowned at halftime. The football team clinched its first ever WestPAC football conference title.

One thing that most people did not know about occurred in the third quarter. Brady Fyfe went over 10,000 total yards for his high school career. All of these things added up to a 42-22 Panthers victory.

“As far down as we have been in a few years, we’re going to savor this,” said Shade head coach Don Fyfe. “This is unbelievable. What a great group of kids. They are such competitors, and so competitive in everything they do. You had a feeling that if we played well, something like this could happen this year for us. I couldn’t be prouder of these guys.”

The Panthers got off to a quick start, scoring 28 points in the opening quarter. Shade needed only three plays to open the scoring. Fyfe hit Dawson Snyder for a 42-yard pass to set the Panthers up at the Ferndale 10. Fyfe scored on a keeper on the next play to put the Panthers up 6-0.

The Yellow Jackets fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the ball back to Shade. Fyfe hit Vinnie Fyock for 28 yards on the first play to set up the Panthers with a goal to go situation. Three plays later, Fyfe ran it in from one yard out to add to the lead. Austin Mauger secured the two-point pass from Fyfe to push the lead to 14-0.

Ferndale’s defense got the Yellow Jackets on the board later in the quarter. With the Panthers backed up after a 46 yard Ferndale punt, Fyfe took the shotgun snap in his own end zone. A Yellow Jackets blitzer tackled Fyfe in the end zone for a safety.

The Yellow Jackets could not sustain the momentum, though. They fumbled the ensuing kick, turning the ball back over to the Panthers. Fyfe hit a bunch of shorter passes, methodically moving the ball deep into Ferndale territory. He capped the drive with a seven yard scoring strike to Mauger. Fyock added the two-point run to increase Shade’s lead to 22-2.

A Dawson Snyder interception of Loghan Furfari gave Shade another possession late in the half. The Panthers quickly capitalized. Fyfe had completions of 11 yards to Snyder and 19 yards to Matt Addlemen putting the ball on the Ferndale nine yard line. Mauger grabbed his second touchdown pass on the next play, pushing the lead to 36-2.

From that point, the only thing left to wait for was for Fyfe to reach his milestone mark. He completed a six yard pass to Fyock at the end of the half, leaving him at 9,998 career yards.

Fyfe reached the milestone early in the second half on a 12-yard completion to Snyder. Fyfe went over 10,000 yards on the play, moving him into fifth place in career total yards in Pennsylvania high school history, passing Blake Rankin of Bloomsburg. He later passed Hunter Merritt of Conneaut Area for fourth place all time.

“Whenever they called timeout, and the announcer said that I got my 10,000th, I was very shocked, and surprised” said Brady Fyfe. “My teammates were really excited for me, and my dad was really happy. It feels really good, because there were a lot of people before that were really athletic, and I’m glad to be in the top five with a lot of really good athletes.”

Fyfe finished the game with 365 total yards (323 passing and 42 rushing) for 10,067 career yards.

Phil Jurkovic, currently the third string quarterback at Notre Dame, is in third place all time, with 11,121 career yards.

A clearly emotional coach Fyfe spoke about the accomplishment after the game.

“It’s pretty good,” said Fyfe fighting back some tears. “It’s a tough night, because through all the tough times, our number one fan was my dad, his grandpap, and he’s not with us, but he’s bragging like hell somewhere right now.”

Snyder hauled in a nine-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, and Ferndale added some rushing touchdowns against the Shade’s second team defense, setting the final at 42-22, Shade.

Seniors Mauger (two touchdown receptions), Snyder (five catches for 78 yards and one touchdown), and Addlemen (four catches, 58 yards) all had big games in their final regular season home game.

After the game the team received their first ever WestPAC Conference title trophy. All players also received medals as conference champions.

“I didn’t know how we would react,” said coach Fyfe about his team’s demeanor going into the game. “I talked to the guys in the locker room, and said hey, let’s get a number on the banner for us. Let’s make sure that twenty years from now when you come into the gym, you’re looking up there and saying, I was on that team. I didn’t know how we would react. I didn’t know if we would come out a little nervous or not, but the turnover on the kickoff definitely helped.”

GAME NOTE: Angela Leipchack was crowned 2018 Homecoming Queen at halftime.