LANDON FOOTBALL 7 GEORGETOWN PREP 14

After last year’s blowout loss, with a Little Hoyas 2 defeat 2019 schedule (Gonzaga 7-1, and Loyola Blakefield-6-0) and with a huge Homecoming crowd (most vociferous), the Bears had great hopes to recover the Davis-Fagan Cup. Conversely, the team on Rockville Pike has a squad large in numbers and in weights (at least 10 with weights of 250).

The biggest Little Hoya threat is a senior headed to Virginia Tech at 5’10”, 190#, 4,46 forty yard speed, 7.7 y/p/c and 14 TDs in 2018. BamBam must have earned the moniker from his running style—low, powerful, obviously fast and an incredible ability to cut.

The first 24 minutes were a titanic defensive battle. The Bear D met the force of the visitors with equal measure, QB rushes/sacks and TFLs were recorded by Tommy Kenary, DeAngelo Dickerson, James Waldron, Henry Foster. The massive GP center is probably glad that he will not see NTs Dameon Ming or Greg Johnson again. My crude statistics indicate that GP#23 gained 89 yards in 16 carries in the first two periods.

The Hoyas benefitted from a Bear turnover deep within the home team’s territory. Four plays only brought the ball from the 16 to the 9 yard line setting up a 27 yards chip shot for a FG attempt on 4^th down. The ball came off the hold and as it ascended Tommy Kenary blocked it.

The Bear O held the ball 5 times and the best drive was eight plays for 60 yards.

HALFTIME BEARS 0 LITTLE HOYAS 0

Landon received the 2^nd half kickoff. Starting off from its own 30 yard line, the home team “matriculated” the ball in 6 plays—Zayd DeLane (15 run), Tejon Ford (+3, +3), Kino Lilly to Tyler Smith pass (+16) and a fantastic/deceptive 23 yard TD run by DeAngelo @9:21. Kenary to Nathan Rosner to Hunter Taylor for the PAT BEARS 7 LITTLE HOYAS 0

The Landon D was challenged again and were able to stop their opponents after a nine play drive at the Bear 30. The exclamation point in that series was a joint TFL by Erick Speight and Tommy.

Kino Lilly and his Bear offensive brothers had a very encouraging 11 play drive, which ate 4 minutes of Q3 and the beginning of Q4.

END OF 3^RD Q BEARS 7 LITTLE HOYAS 0

My memory (bad as it may be) of 50 years of high school football includes some exceptional tailbacks Billy Triplett L’63 and Kenny Jenkins L’78 were exceptional with great balance, speed and ability to cut on a dime. GP23 ran with his shoulders low to the field, strength (breaking tackles), deception and balance. In one of his runs in this drive, he was hit and forced to run forward off balance. He was able to run by extending his arm so as to impede a seemingly incipient fall. With 6:04 remaining, the visitors tied the game 7-7.

That score energized the GP defense and the Landon O was forced to punt after three downs. One could hear the Homecoming Crowd silently pray that their Bears could stop the Hoya inertia. The Prep QB unsuccessfully tried a pass and his coach thereafter had one play in mind–#23 right and #23 left. After 7 straight BamBam runs, he stood in the end zone with only 1:31 left. Little Hoyas 14 Bears 7

Landon’s aSPIRITations for revenge/upset died when a Bear pass was intercepted.

FINAL SCORE BEARS 7 LITTLE HOYAS 14

NEXT SATURDAY 10/26 EPISCOPAL (3-3) HOME AT 2PM.

The Landon coaches used an unusually large number of D players. Unfortunately with the fast-paced play, too many of those who contributed were missed by me. My apologies for they played like BEARS!!!