Savanna Is Sloppy but Western Falls

It wasn’t a game for Savanna Coach Fred DiPalma to include in his scrapbook, but the Rebels’ 25-13 Orange League victory over Western Friday night at Glover Stadium was enough to keep them in the hunt for the league title.

Savanna (5-2-1, 2-0-1 in league) was able to hold off the Pioneers (1-7, 1-2) despite two blocked punts, three fumbles and a generally poor performance on special teams.

“It wasn’t pretty,” DiPalma said. “But I’m happy we won. We did a lot of things wrong, but luckily we overcame them.”

Western turned the ball over four times on two interceptions, a fumble and a muffed punt return. Savanna quarterback Brad Belanger threw first-half touchdown passes of 22 and 23 yards to Paul Waldrop and ran for an eight-yard score to lead the Rebels. He completed 14 of 20 for 166 yards and ran for 32 yards on six carries.

Belanger hit Waldrop for a 6-0 lead early in the game after the Rebels recovered a muffed punt return by David Diaz. Western came back to take a 7-6 lead with more than a minute left in the first quarter on a one-yard run by Shane Foss, but Savanna made it 12-7 on its next possession on Waldrop’s second touchdown reception.

Savanna made it 18-7 with 1 minute 45 seconds remaining in the half on Belanger’s eight-yard run, but Western answered on a 91-yard kickoff return by Chester Calderon.