Landon School 17 John Carroll 0

The Bears traveled to Harford County, MD, where the John Carroll Patriots reside. The Landon team likely remembered last year’s game in which they took a 14-0 lead in the 1st Q to see the 0:00 scoreboard read 16-21.  The Bears first game was a trip, literally and figuratively² to Bel Air, the physical home of the Patriots; nonliterally, great air and great Bear Air attack.  

The usual format of this chronicle is to cover the game play-by-play, quarter-by-quarter. This game against the Patriots1 was defined by 2:25 of Q3 through 11:26 of Q3. Suffice to say the first 24 minutes were marked by repeat drives and punts. Post halftime, that pattern continued until 6:47 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The Bears started a possession on its own 32, pass/run/incomplete and punt. Captain/QB/DB/punter, Nathan Furgeson, launched a punt which a Patriot fumbled and (assuming my eyesight was right) was recovered by Quinn Macintyre setting up the Bears only 25 yards from the goal line. Four runs and a pass moved the ball 10 yards. Chase Robertson lined up for ~35 yard FG attempt—good snap from Tiller Smith, good hands by Sean Murray and sweet swing of the leg by the future Ute lax player+ BEARS 3 PATRIOTS 0 @2:52.

Momentum Tsunami? The Carroll kick returner used speed, deception and broken tackles to put his team 6 yards from their goal line. The home team inserted their 6’2 235# DE/RB to run against a Bear D with every player lighter than this running back. Four runs only penetrated the Landon D 5 yards- the last play was stopped on the Bears’ 1 by Captain/RB/LB Anthony Panetti, a muscular ~70 pounds lighter stopped the potential Army player dead in his tracks.

Tsunami wave stopped? Incredible goal line stand, but the boys in white uniforms and new white helmets responded to this next challenge—99 yards in 14 plays, 4 passes including a 4th-and-2-on-the-Patriots 41-yard-lineplay in which Sean Murray completed a ~22 yard pass to Ubie Zaid!!! To cap it off Nathan completed a sweet 18 yard TD pass to future Polar Bear Troy Ulisney @4:44. The Smith/Murray/Robertson PAT team their job BEARS 10 PATRIOTS 0.

No aftershock—having converted a goal line stand into a 99 yard drive, the Bears did not relax. The Carroll team continued to fight, but the Bear D (some not all): 

Three and out led to a punt; Bears 1st and 10, 55 yards to a TD, 5 plays = second TD. Anthony runs of 20 and  3; the Air Bear Nathan to Troy hit twice, the last was a 19 yard TD @ 1:34. PAT did its work smoothly BEARS 17 PATRIOTS 0

The home team fought desperately despite the time remaining (1:34) and the yards to go (72). Patriots were able to move the ball playing against a soft D. However, a well thrown ball headed to a possible score (spoil the shut out) was broken up by Troy to end the game. 

Bears played a smart disciplined game plan using their athleticism to overcome a bigger opponent. Speedy, smart Bears win 17-0, 1-0; next St. Paul’s School 1-0 having beaten StA 9/2 no score yet.