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Landon Football 34 St. Mary’s 24
A normal high school football game, on stop time, runs 48 minutes. The elapsed time usually consumes 120 minutes. The Friday night lights game took 180 minutes. The reason? The referees called 39 penalties for a total of about 300 yards. Yes, there were an unusual number of mistakes by both teams (Landon’s total penalties were in excess of about 300 yards). A pace of a penalty almost every minute of the game is not ordinary.
The Bears played sound offense and defense for all 4 quarters. The Saints tried to run, with no yardage gained and attempted passes, one completed; one incomplete. [one penalty against the home team]. After a punt, Landon gained 15 yards on the ground [each team incurred a penalty—no more notes on the refs.]. The Bears punted.
SMS had the ball for 5 plays, but after a nice pass, a Landon DB (missed the #) separated the ball from the receiver with a jarring tackle. Jalen Williams recovered the ball. Four plays took the visitors 47 yards into the end zone with the last 28 yards a pass from John Geppert to Tommy Baldwin for a TD @ 2:12. Austin Schnider snap to Tommy Baldwin whose hold resulted in a PAT conversion by Davis Walker to make it Bears 7 Saints 0
The home team was forced to punt after 3 plays. Two plays by the Bears ended the 1st Quarter.
That was the beginning of a 74 yard drive highlighted by a 16 yard run by Jaleni Machen and a TD run of the same distance by John G @11:11 with a successful PAT to make it 14-0.
The next SMS series was marked by a pass break up by Mo Sillah and a TFL by Joey Epstein. The home team was forced to punt. The Bears were unable to move the ball and has to punt from their own 29, giving the Saints their best field possession.
In spite of an exceptional knocking down of a pass by Chazz Harley, the Saints drove to a first-and-goal from the 1 yard line. The Bear D line rose up and forced a field goal which was successful to make it Bears 14 Saints 3 @ 9:04 of Q2.
The Saints’ kick-off went out of bounds, but Coach Padalino did not take the penalty for good reason. The 2nd kick went to Jelani M and he sprinted and juked his way down the field 75 yards. That promising field position was negated by a fumble. Landon’s D rose to the occasion—Joey knocking down a pass, Jalen had a TFL and then Jalen intercepted a pass.
A couple of Bear mistakes ran out the 2nd Q.
HALFTIME BEARS 14 SAINTS 3
The first drive by Landon stalled and resulted in a punt. The Saints went 3 and out. The visitors needed two plays, actually only one pass, to cover the 48 yards to score. A run for 0 yards was followed by a John G to Archie Ross TD pass @ 4:53. A blocked PAT made it Bears 20 Saints 3.
The Saints QB threw a nice pass, but Tejon Ford read its path better than the intended receiver, intercepted it and returned it to the 24 yard line. On 4th down (the previous three gained net +2), John G dodged the rush, zoomed past the LBs and entered the end zone@ 2:28 with the PAT, the margin increased to 27-3.
The home team again found a Bear defender at the end of a forward pass; again, Tejon was the unintended receiver and he returned it to the SMS 20 (about a 28 yard return). The next play took the game into Q4
A John G to Tyler Smith pass covering 10 yards made the score, with a PAT, 34-3 @11:01.
Coach Padalino and his assistants made numerous substitutions on both sides of the ball. Much to the home team’s credit, they did not give up and scored three times (the last @0:02) in the remaining time.
FINAL SCORE BEARS 34 SAINTS 24
For every season, an editorial policy statement is republished. Last night’s conditions—bad sight lines, very confusing communications and a Bear roster which is new and deep—make its inclusion MOST appropriate. If there are any errors, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, and corrections will be published.
(a) the content is mine, does not reflect the opinion of Landon, Coach Padalino or anyone directly related to Landon,
(b) any errors that may exist are mine, inadvertent and correctable (please let me know and I will make ALL corrections);
(c) the author (me) is a huge disciple of the Landon team concept and that I will do everything that I can do to mention all of the players; however, universal coverage is not really possible through this medium. If someone believes that a player or group should receive greater attention, I am open to such suggestions. I will not mention referees at any time and will limit references to the opposition.
(d) that BSN is a volunteer publication and that as the editor, publisher, statistician and writer [me], I am all too fallible and I apologize in advance for any error.
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