Riverdale Baptist 15 Landon 14

In decades of attending pee wee, high school, college, and pro football games, never has the opposing team arrived for a contest without equipment, shoulder pads, pants, jerseys, and cleats. Today the Crusaders of Riverdale walked on Bordley Stadium at Triplett Field without their armour. This oversight resulted in a 40 minute delay of the start and 10 minute (vs. normal 12^{0 )} periods.  

The RB schedule included a one point loss to Prep, a three point loss to Paul VI, a six point win over MIAA Calvert Hall, a three point loss to McNamara and a crushing win over Saint Paul the Great (per Max Preps). The roster includes many behemoths and a number of elusive runners with exceptional balance. One scout said that the Crusaders welcomed a couple of players from the dreaded St. Frances Academy that no longer finds the MIAA conference adequately competitive. 

None of these challenges are new to the Bears—all of their opponents had great size advantages and gifted skill players populated the O & D backfields. Good coaching, discipline, execution of O plays and defensive plans. For the first 20 minutes this formula took advantage of the uniformed Crusaders. 

The 1st Q followed the scorebook script of recent Landon games—Bear drives interrupted by penalties, Brown jerseys swarming to their opponents plays resulting in Landon TFLs being recorded. As the clock reached 10:00 expired on the initial stanza, the Crusaders lined up for a punt on 4th and 29. The RB snap sailed over the punter’s head and a SAFETY was recorded for the home team. 

BEARS 2 CRUSADERS 0 

The home streak continued as UBIE ZAID received the ensuing Riverdale kick, used his speed, deceptiveness, and toughness to tally a 70 yard TD return. The two point PAT attempt failed. 

BEARS 8 CRUSADERS 0 @ 9:43 remaining in Q2. 

The teams traded 3-and-outs to set up the visitors 78 yards from a TD and with only 3:57 remaining. Seven plays set up a 3-and-5 down and a beautiful throw converted that into a 41 yard TD @ 1:12 plus a successful 2 point conversion made it  

BEARS 8 CRUSADERS 8 @ 1:05 

Somehow the referees required RBSchool to try to kick-odd three times. Ten plays later (5 passes and 5 runs) a Nathan Furgeson to Caden Southworth pass moved the Bears’ points to 14, PAT blocked @0:06

BEARS 14 CRUSADERS 8

The halftime afforded the visiting coaches an opportunity to script their 1st Q3 drive—73 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. The Bear D faced with 1st and Goal at the 4, took the Crusaders back 2 yards and on a third down play passed the ball for a TD and converted the extra point to make it:’ 

CRUSADERS 15 BEARS 14 @4:14 remaining in Q3

A promising home team drive was frustrated by penalties and incompletions. RBS was unable to move the chains setting up good field position for Landon.  

The scoreboard registered the end of Q3 and started the last 600 second segment. 

A holding penalty, an offensive pass interference in the end zone and an interception dashed those visions of a later lead. 

 The Bear D racked up a QB hurry and 2 incompletions to return the ball to the Brown jerseys. Landon advanced the line of scrimmage by only three yards and then punted. A Crusader 15 yard penalty compelled that they punt offering their hosts a 2 minute drill 90 yards to snatch the lead away, A last gasp pass missed the mark and the Crusaders ran out the clock. 

FINAL SCORE CRUSADERS 15 BEARS 14 

NEXT SATURDAY AT EHS 2 pm game (WaPo #19 Maroon 2-1)