Errors cost Fitch in loss to Hudson
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AUSTINTOWN -- Austintown Fitch entered the 2026 season surrounded by fanfare. The Falcons were returning a good deal of talent, they opted to play up to Division I this year and the program is celebrating its 100th season.
However, the celebrations will have to wait, as Fitch's 100th season began on a sour note on Friday. Hudson capitalized on a plethora of miscues by the Falcons in the first half and fended off a Fitch rally in the second half to hold on and hand the Falcons a 24-19 defeat at Falcon Stadium.
"I would never question our heart and our effort, and that's what these kids have," Fitch head coach TJ Parker said. "They have heart and they have effort. It's just the details. They have to care about the daily details, and when they don't, results like that happen. That's something that has to come from within. We can continue to preach it as a staff, and the seniors are taking care of it. But that's why you play the big games early, so you can grow from it.
"Disappointed, not in our effort and not in the heart that we showed, just disappointed in our miscues and our self-inflicted errors."
Fitch outgained Hudson 128-74 in the first half, yet found itself trailing the Explorers 24-3 at halftime.
The Falcons struck first in the first quarter on a 35-yard field goal by Kalib Myers, but then came Fitch's first miscue when Hudson blocked a punt and recovered the ball at the Falcons' 5-yard line.
Fitch's defense held strong, limiting the Explorers to a 23-yard field goal by Xavier Pallo. But then the mistakes started to compound themselves.
Hudson blocked another Fitch punt at the start of the second quarter and Reno Ferri scored two plays later from 7 yards out to make it 10-3.
Then, Falcons quarterback Colin Kalaher was picked off near midfield midway through the quarter. While the Explorers didn't convert that turnover into points, Hudson extended its advantage to 17-3 on a 40-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Jack Williams on Fitch's next possession.
Desperately in need of momentum, the Falcons tried to run a fake punt near the end of the half, but were stopped by the Explorers. Hudson quarterback Hayden Lipinski found Ferri for a 7-yard touchdown pass three plays later to give the Explorers their big lead at the break.
"You get punts blocked, you turn the ball over and you give them a short field to work with, a good team like that, they're going to capitalize on it," Parker said. "A lot of their stuff, we gave them. They didn't earn, we gave it to them, and that's probably the saddest part of the night. They took advantage of where we weren't ready and we gave them points."
However, the second half belonged to the Falcons.
Fitch finally found paydirt to open the third quarter after a nearly seven-minute drive when Kalaher hit Isiah Porch on a slant for a 2-yard touchdown pass. But the special teams miscues continued when the Falcons missed the ensuing extra point off the goalpost to make the deficit 24-9.
Fitch continued to climb its way back into the game to start the fourth quarter when Kalaher found Al-Tahire Illuono for a 10-yard touchdown strike on fourth down, which cut Hudson's lead to eight.
Myers then added a 40-yard field goal with just under eight minutes left to make it 24-19.
"Execution. It's just execution. That's all it was," Parker said of Fitch's second-half turnaround. "We started executing, and when you execute, good things happen. I thought our guys also made plays. I thought Colin made some good throws and popped off some good runs, but it was execution. That's it."
Kalaher finished 24-of-39 for 212 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Wayne Holloway was Kalaher's leading target with nine receptions for 70 yards.
Fitch also outgained Hudson 312-150, but the Explorers made it count where it matters most -- on the scoreboard.
After holding Hudson to a punt, Fitch had a chance to get the ball back, trailing by five, with about four minutes left. But a roughing the kicker penalty proved to be Fitch's final nail in the coffin, as it gave the Explorers a new set of downs. Hudson then proceeded to hold the ball and run out the final few minutes to ice the victory.