Big-Play Second Half Gives Catonsville Win Over Boys' Latin, 27-6

Whether he was breaking on a ill-advised pass, or breaking away from the pack toward the end zone (or sometimes both), DeAndre’ Lane’s game-changing plays on both sides of the ball swayed what was a one-point first half lead into a second-half blowout Friday night as Catonsville opened its season with a 27-6 victory against Boys Latin at home.

Lane finished the game with two interceptions, the first on the Catonsville 1-yard line to halt the Lakers’ first drive of the game, and the other he returned 65 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

After Comets starting running back Jerome Williams came out of the game early in the second half with cramps in his leg, it was Lane, a junior, who took over as the team’s featured back, carrying the ball for 83 yards after halftime, including a 64-yard breakaway scamper before being taken down at the 8-yard line.

“He’s one of our track stars in the spring and he showed his speed on the field tonight,” Catonsville head coach Rich Hambor said after the game.

Williams ran for 54 yards including a 27-yard touchdown in the Comets’ first possession of the game to jump out to a 7-0 lead.

In the second half, along with Lane’s big plays on the ground, Catonsville opened up their offense through the air including a big 42-yard completion out of the break. Quarterback Aaron Jones found Julian Jones deep down the right side of the field off a play fake. Jones and Jones hooked up twice more later in the game for a pair of touchdowns, one from 21 yards out and the other from eight following Lane’s long run.

Julian Jones finished the game with three receptions for 71 yards, while also guiding the Catonsville front seven on defense. He became the Comets’ most effective deep threat with last year’s leading wide receiver Deniko Carter out of the game with a hand injury. Carter is expected to return next week against Perry Hall.

For Boys Latin, senior Brandon Cherry steadily carried the offense at running back, consistently picking up solid gains on each run and breaking a few large gains. Cherry finished the game with 121 yards on 18 carries. The lone Lakers’ touchdown came on a 1-yard dive by Andrew Roswell, after Boys Latin tackled the Comets’ Eric Medinger on a failed punt attempt from his end zone. The extra point attempt was blocked.

“Despite messing up on that punt, our special teams, especially our kicking game with Eric Medinger has looked solid and we picked ourselves up after that. We know that our next play is going to be our best play and our team carried that out tonight,” Hambor said.

Catonsville hosts Perry Hall High School next week. Boys Latin has off next week before going on the road to play McDonogh on Sept. 16.