Warriors outlast Cougars

November 01, 2008|By TIM KOELBLE

BOONSBORO -- It wasn't pretty, but Boonsboro is still perfect.

The No. 3 Warriors survived lost fumbles and a rash of penalties Friday in a 38-22 MVAL Antietam Conference victory over Catoctin to reach 9-0 for the first time in school history.

"I was happy by the fact we beat a team with a winning record for the first time this year," Boonsboro coach Clayton Anders said. "They put 50 points up on us last year. We really needed this win to stay in the (playoff) hunt."

The Warriors, now 4-0 in the conference, lost four fumbles and were penalized 10 times for 105 yards.

Catoctin (5-4, 2-2) ran 77 offensive plays compared to 37 for Boonsboro and outrushed the Warriors, 280-149.

After Seth Poffenberger returned the opening kickoff 33 yards to the Warriors' 49, Tyler Walsh lost a fumble and Catoctin drove in for a score, with Nathan Lenhart going in from the 1.

On the ensuing kickoff, Poffenberger let the ball bounce around and it was downed at the 3. But Walsh hooked up with Poffenberger on a 39-yard pass that got the offense going. It didn't stop until Walsh hit Sean Colgan for a 19-yard score.

After a three-and-out by Catoctin, Boonsboro came back when Poffenberger returned a punt 29 yards and the Warriors picked up 15 yards on a penalty.

With 1:05 left in the first quarter, Brandon McLean scored the first of his three touchdowns from the 5 to give Boonsboro a 12-8 lead.

"We had mistakes with fumbles and penalties but we were still up after the first half, and that was very important," Anders said. "We just told the guys to settle down at halftime. We made some offensive adjustments with blocking assignments."

Boonsboro broke the game open in the third quarter when Poffenberger took a punt at his 18, cut right and then left, and raced untouched 82 yards for a score.

"My eyes got big," Poffenberger said. "I saw a big hole in front of me and, man, I just ran, ran, ran."

"I thought the punt return changed the complexion of the game," Anders said.

Boonsboro halted the next two Catoctin drives with interceptions by Cody Snavely and Zach Demers.

Snavely also had an interception in the second quarter.

McLean scored again in the third quarter and Jacob Lyons added a 7-yard touchdown for a 31-8 lead.

McLean, who went over 1,000 yards for the season with 70 yards on 12 carries, scored the Warriors' final touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Walsh completed 7 of 9 passes for 119 yards.

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