WEST CATHOLIC 37, LANCASTER CATH. 14
State AA Semifinal Playoff
Dec. 5th, 2008
How Sweet it is! Burrs Advance to Hershey!
All year one of the goals for the 2008 West Catholic football team was to reach the class AA state final in Hershey. Well, that goal has been realized, as the Burrs will travel to Chocolatetown this coming Saturday and play for one of the four state titles in Pennsylvania.
Behind a powerful and explosive rushing attack the Burrs sprinted past a solid Lancaster Catholic squad 37-14, at Charlie Martin Stadium this past Friday night. West zipped to 428 yards of offense, with 393 of these yards coming on 31 efficient carries.
After the winning toss the Burrs set forth in a scoreboard illuminating mood. It took the Burrs just six plays to march 75 yards for the game’s first score. All of the plays were on the ground and proving to be very instrumental was senior quarterback Curtis Drake. First, he unleashed a 28-yard jaunt to put the ball at the Crusader 29-yard line. Two plays later he was flying around the right end for a 20-yard touchdown.
In turn, the Crusaders would not fret as they proceeded down field in methodical fashion. They held the ball for twelve plays, but four penalties by the Crusaders impeded their path. Senior defensive end Chris Williams made a key sack on the drive and ultimately a punt was in order as the Burrs withstood a potential answering drive.
The next time West had the ball they would improve on their lead. This time they covered 80 yards on 9 plays. Senior running back Rob Hollomon helped the cause early with a 19-yard run. On the next play, senior running back Raymond Maples turned a busted play into a 41-yard gallop down the Lancaster sideline. Three plays after this, Drake scored his second touchdown on game on a 1-yard slither. This gave the Burrs a 14-0 lead with 10:19 left in the second quarter.
Afterwards, the Crusaders would again march into West territory. However, the Burrs would again bend-but-not-break during the series. Senior defensive end Artis Carroll stymied the threat with a sack on a fourth down play at the West 31-yard line.
For one of the few times in recent memory the Burrs offense would stall and was forced into a punting situation. A Crusader rusher got a nice chunk of the punt, which set his team up in prime real estate. Three plays later the Crusaders would be cashing in with a 38-yard scoring pass. On the point-after junior linebacker Bill Tobin busted through the line and blocked the kick, keeping the score 14-6 Burrs.
With time running out in the opening half the Burrs received the ball one last time. Faced with a critical fourth-and-two from their 31-yard line, Head Coach Brian Fluck decided to take the bull by the horns and keep his offense on the field. The gutsy move paid off, as Maples roared through the line for a four-yard pick-up. This play gave the Burrs the momentum they needed. Later, Drake rushed for 19 yards and then he capped the 77-yard, 8-play drive, with a perfectly executed 30-yard shovel pass to R. Hollomon for the third Burr score of the half. Just 25 seconds remained on the second quarter clock. Then, after a shaky snap, sophomore RB Lamont Davis calmly tossed to senior wide receiver Ed Colon for the conversion. This made the score 22-6 West and gave them an all important sixteen point advantage heading into the break.
To begin the second half the team from Lancaster embarked on a long, time-consuming 74-yard drive. The possession lasted 13 plays, with the last resulting in a touchdown. A conversion pass made the score 22-14.
On the ensuing kickoff R. Hollomon had a solid 26-yard return to the West 41-yard line. This was followed by a trio of runs by Maples that covered 8, 6, and 34 yards. Following this R. Hollomon slashed in from 11 yards, as the Burrs covered 59 yards on 4 plays. This touchdown was R. Hollomon’s 35th of the season, tying a city league record. R. Hollomon would add a conversion run and once again the Burrs led by sixteen, 30-14.
Showing little quit, the Crusaders’ offense kept after the Burrs defense and marched inside the ten-yard line early in the fourth quarter. However, the next two plays from scrimmage would seal the fate of the Crusaders and give the Burr faithful some much needed breathing room.
Senior defensive back Haleem Hayward nicely made an interception at the Burr 2-yard line and returned it to the eight. On the very next play, Drake showed all in attendance why he is one of the more electric players in Southeastern PA. On a designed keeper, Drake faked to R. Hollomon, headed slightly to his left, and then out of nowhere rocketed through the line and down the Burr sideline. Ninety-two yards later he was giving the Burrs a 37-14 lead. Wow!
The Burrs three-headed monster backfield was once again the catalyst in another offensive onslaught. Drake finished with 186 yards on just 9 carries. Maple carried 8 times for 112 yards, while R. Hollomon toted 11 times for 79 yards.
The Burr offensive line was nasty throughout, as junior center Jake Zuzek, senior guard’s Paul Murtagh and Covisia Wilson, and senior tackle’s Victor McNair and Austin Peters were instrumental. Sophomore tight end Jim Lynch and senior fullback Juan Rozier (3-16) were also game in the trenches.
Defensively, the Burrs registered five sacks in the game that accumulated 49 yards in losses. Also getting in the sack parade were; Zuzek (5 stops), Wilson, and senior defensive tackle Dwayne Shaw (6 tackles). Junior linebacker Dante Dickens registered a team high 8 stops (6 solos), while Hayward made six solo tackles.
In this week’s finale the Burrs will meet Wilmington from District-10, located in the northwest part of the state. The game will be at Hershey Stadium, at 1 o’clock on Saturday. The Greyhounds were winners this past weekend over Aliquippa, 29-28 in overtime. This was the second overtime victory for the Hounds in three weeks. In between, they held on to win another close game. Can their string of good fortune continue? We’ll find out come Saturday, in what promises to be an exciting day of football.