West Catholic 21, Roman Catholic 18

Burrs Hold On To Edge Cahillites

     The West Catholic football team opened their 2009 campaign with a solid victory over a quality Roman Catholic team. It’s not everyday a class 2A team can combat a bigger 4A squad and leave with a win, but that’s exactly what the Burrs did this past Saturday afternoon at Maxwell Field in Wildwood. For the second consecutive season West outlasted the Cahillites in a hard-fought contest. This year they needed a late-game interception to prevail, 21-18.

    

     With the Burrs trying to run out the clock they fumbled with 57 seconds left at the Roman 40-yard line. However, two plays later senior linebacker Dante Dickens made an interception along the far sideline and near midfield to secure the game.

     West started the scoring on the first play of the second quarter, as junior running back Brandon Hollomon converted a fourth-and-two play with a 24-yard scoring run. The touchdown capped the Burrs first series of the season. It covered 80 yards on 13 plays. Tough inside running by Hollomon and junior Joshua Mathis (7-19) was the formula for the most part, as the team ran the ball on 12 of 13 plays.

     After the Cahillites cut the lead to 7-3, the Burrs once again put forth a quality drive. This one covered 67 yards on 7 plays, and again was capped with a Hollomon run (26 yards). This gave the Burrs a 14-3 lead with 1:38 left in the opening half.

     West had a golden opportunity to increase their lead after Hollomon returned an interception 24 yards to the Roman 11-yard line with 32 seconds left in the half. However, the Burrs mishandled their first two tries and on third down senior quarterback Jarred Evans was intercepted on the goal line.

     The Cahillites held the Burrs to begin the second half, forcing a punt from the Burrs’ 11-yard line. Three plays later Roman drew within 14-10, on a 32-yard touchdown pass.

     With momentum slowly turning towards the Cahillites, Evans supplied the key play of the game. On a third-and-two play, he took a designed keeper through the right-side of the line. He shredded one tackle attempt and then pulled away from another. Once in the secondary, he used his speed and shiftiness to elude all Cahillite pursuers. In the end, the play turned out to be a 72-yard scoring jaunt. Tim Carroll’s third straight point-after made the score 21-10, with 6:28 left in the third quarter.

     The score remained that way until deep into the fourth quarter. Roman converted a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line to make the score 21-16. The two-point conversion brought them to within a field goal at, 21-18, with just 2:09 left.

     This set the stage for Dickens final-minute heroics, which of course, led to the Burrs’ first win of the season. 

     Offensively, Hollomon (17-96) ran well, while Evans passed and rushed for a total of 115 yards. The Burrs’ offense produced 202 yards on the ground. The Burrs offensive line did its part to provide space for the Burrs’ backfield.  

     Defensively, the Burrs front seven stymied the Cahillite ground game all afternoon. Roman finished with just 47 yards on 26 attempts. The play up front helped offset some sketchy moments in the secondary. The Burrs six-man rotation of senior defensive tackle’s Jake Zuzek, John Ruppert, and Erik Harper, as well as senior Brian Mosby, junior Jim Lynch, and junior Kris Padgett at defensive end were instrumental in the run defense. Mosby contributed a sack. Linebackers senior Bill Tobin (4 tackles, fumble recovery), Dickens (5 tackles), and junior Anthony McDonnaugh (5 tackles showed a nose for the ball. Junior Kevaughn Gayle made two excellent tackles while covering punts.

     Overall, this was a good outing for the Burrs, who lost many main contributors from last year’s state runner-up team. Roman Catholic is always a viable opponent and this is a win that can be built upon. There were mistakes that will need to be corrected, but there were also many encouraging moments a well.

     Next week the Burrs will host the Quakers from Penn Charter at the South Philly Super Site Complex. The game is set for Saturday night at 7 o’clock. Last year, the Burrs knocked off the Quakers 35-0.